Name ______Class ______Date ______
Inquiry Activity • Paper and Pencil
Chapter 10 Green Building Design
Problem What are the costs and benefits of greening a school?
Background
Green Buildings
“Green” building design minimizes the use of resources, and it reduces or eliminates the use of toxic materials in construction. Examples of green construction strategies include the use of renewable energy sources, energy-efficient technologies, and plumbing systems that minimize water use. In addition, green schools maximize students’ exposure to natural light and fresh air. Studies suggest that people in green buildings may take fewer sick days because of improved air quality.
Green Features
The specific features of a green building depend on location. For example, a building in Minnesota will prioritize efficient heating, while a building in Arizona will prioritize cooling. Siting and design of the building will affect the amount of fuel consumed; in cold and temperate climates, windows facing south will let in more light and reduce heating needs. Some regions, including parts of the West Coast, have access to geothermal energy. Sunny regions are well suited for solar panels.
Costs and Benefits of Building Green
The environmental benefits of green building design do not come cheaply; it is important to account for higher construction costs when planning a green structure. The cost of building a conventional school in the United States is approximately $150 per square foot ($150/ft2). Building a green school costs a little more. This extra cost is called the cost premium. The average cost premium for a green school is $3 per square foot ($3/ft2), or 2% more than a conventional school. This additional investment can eventually be recovered in savings. The table below shows the percent cost premium, as well as energy savings, and water savings for five green schools.
Green Schools Cost Premiums Compared with Savings by PercentageSchool (State) / Cost Premium / Energy Savings / Water Savings
Blackstone Valley Tech (MA) / 0.91% / 32% / 12%
Third Creek Elementary (NC) / 1.52% / 26% / 63%
Newton South High School (MA) / 0.99% / 30% / 20%
Prairie Crossing Charter School (IL) / 3.00% / 48% / 16%
Woburn High School (MA.) / 3.07% / 30% / 50%
1. Suppose a new school is slated for construction in your town. The Data Table shows a list of green features that could be used in your new school. In the second column explain why you would, or would not, recommend using each green feature given the climate in your region.
Green Feature / Explanation for Using or Not Using
Building sited to maximize sun exposure
Geothermal energy
Passive solar heating using site orientation, appropriate windows, and floor materials
Green roof (garden or grass) with natural filtration of rainwater
Motion-activated lighting
Shaded windows
Solar panels
Passive cooling (open areas in walls or ceilings)
Rainwater tanks/barrels
Teacher-controlled thermostats
Analyze and Conclude
2. Evaluate In general, which green building design features would best suit the conditions and climate of your town? Explain.
3. Propose a Solution Describe and justify at least two other green features that you would add to the proposed school’s design. Explain your answers.
4. Calculate Suppose a new school’s green cost premiums total $360,000. But that initial investment can grow many financial benefits, listed below. Use the table to help calculate how long it will take for the 50,000-square-foot (50,000-ft2) school to recover that initial investment.
Financial Benefits of Green Schools Over 20-Year Period ($/ft2)Energy / $9
Emissions / $1
Water and Wastewater / $1
Asthma Reduction / $3
Cold and Flu Reduction / $5
Teacher Retention / $4
5. Extension Find out the total area in square feet (ft2) of your school. Use the data above to calculate how much your school would save over a span of twenty years if it were to “go green.” Write an editorial, for your school news or a local news source, on the potential value of adding green features to your school or of building a new greener school.
Environmental Science • Lab Manual
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