The project team includes Watertown, Mass.-based Joslin, Lesser + Associates (an NV5 Company), serving as the owner’s representative, and architect DiNisco Design Partnership of Boston. Locally based W.T. Rich Company served as the project’s construction manager. Angier Elementary School’s educational program and concept design will become a model for planned upgrades to all of the Newton elementary school facilities, according to the Joslin, Lesser + Associates website.

The original Angier Elementary School was, prior to construction of the new facility, the oldest school building in the community. It was originally constructed in 1919 and spanned 40,000 square feet. A more than 10,000-square-foot addition was completed in the mid 1930s. However, it was determined during the current project’s preliminary design program that the existing school footprint was 50 percent smaller than the required program area, according to the DiNisco Design Partnership website. Renovating or expanding the existing structure was deemed impractical, costly and ineffective in meeting modern educational program requirements.

Today, the new Angier Elementary School boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, classrooms equipped with new technology and dedicated areas for breakout instruction and special activities. Where students once had to meet with specialists in converted storage spaces, they now have proper offices and spaces for collaboration and specialized instruction. Color-coded floors assist in wayfinding. The new building is situated around an open plaza that serves as both an outdoor classroom and a gathering space. For security purposes, administrative spaces are located near the entrance (through which visitors must be buzzed in), with kindergarten, first and second grade classrooms on the second level. Upper grades are located on the third level.

Designed to achieve LEED Silver certification, the building includes energy-efficient windows and ample insulation as well as motion censor lighting that also adjusts to daylighting conditions. Outside, the school offers plenty of green space and two playgrounds for different age groups.

While time and budget didn’t present any significant barriers to the project, the slim 1.9-acre site did require the team to raise the grade level of a wedge of land to the rear of the property, which sloped steeply down to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority tracks. This aspect of the project also required the construction of a new retaining wall. Additional site, traffic and parking improvements required Angier Elementary School students to be temporarily relocated to Carr School for the duration of the construction project.

The project was funded partially the Massachusetts School Building Authority and partially by a voter-approved tax increase. It was completed within the anticipated budget and timeframe, however owner training and commissioning of the systems is ongoing, according to an update published by the project team. Playground equipment installation will continue through the end of the month and minor work, such as the installation of metal panels, will continue into February.

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Craig Phillips, manager of environmental services for the Community Consolidated School District (CCSD) 15 in Palatine, Ill., oversees the operation and care of all district facilities. The third largest pre-K-8 school district in Illinois, CCSD encompasses 21 buildings across approximately 1.7 million-square-feet.

Among Phillips’ numerous responsibilities are purchasing and maintaining the district’s plumbing systems, while keeping student needs and efficient use of taxpayer and community funds top of mind. When the time came to replace aging fixtures and equipment, Phillips selected durable, reliable plumbing products.

The Research

Phillips, a registered architect with his own practice since 1987, researched several brands, developing a rigorous set of standards to compare products. “The reality is we need responsible, practical, economical choices that make sense for the long term,” Phillips said. “If we’re investing in new equipment, we need to know it has a long life cycle, with minimal maintenance requirements.”

After extensive research and a meeting with a Moen Commercial representative, the school district began replacing its existing faucet and flush valve fixtures with the company’s M•Power sensor-operated flush valves and faucets in four buildings.

“I was familiar with Moen from residential projects I had completed at my own firm,” Phillips said. “Once I learned about the value of Moen Commercial’s offerings, including their lower lifetime cost, I knew they were the right choice.”

The Solution

The district’ first installation took place in 2012. To date, approximately 480 Moen Commercial products have been installed throughout four buildings, with additional installations planned for the remaining buildings over the next two years.

Phillips chose Moen Commercial for the quality and durability of the flush valves, and its self- cleaning piston technology. “M•Power doesn’t have a rubber diaphragm or other components that will wear out and need to be replaced, which can save the district money over the life of the flush valve,” Phillips said. “Since the M•Power flush valves function at a variety of water pressures, I never have to worry about costly sewer backup problems. Because the flush valves can accommodate such variances, we know we’ll be able to push everything out of the system and keep our lines clear.”

The sanitary protection — and environmental benefits — of M•Power were a deciding factor for CCSD 15, as well. Since the flush valves and faucets utilize advanced sensor technology, students don’t have to touch the fixtures to activate them, helping to keep restrooms cleaner. According to Phillips, with more laws requiring water conservation, facilities are placing greater emphasis on installing water-efficient products.

The Results

Since the first installation, Phillips and the district have been pleased with the performance of Moen Commercial’s products, especially the financial benefits. M•Power has provided significant savings on the district’s sewer and water bills — reducing their monthly costs by nearly 50 percent, compared to the previous fixtures.

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The 36,632-square-foot renovation and 59,865-square-foot expansion at the school was built by Neenah, Wis.-based Miron Construction Co. according to the LEED for Schools program, which takes into account classroom acoustics, master planning, mold prevention, community space sharing and indoor quality, among other factors that "directly affect the health and well-being of children," according to the United States Green Building Council.

The school earned the certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use, along with incorporating the sustainable strategies into the classroom curriculum.

"The Lake Mills Middle School project efficiently uses our natural resources and makes an immediate, positive impact on our planet, which will tremendously benefit future generations to come," he said council founder and president Rick Fedrizzi.

Dean Sanders, Lake Mills’ district administrator, said the students have taken a great deal of pride in understanding how sustainability was integrated into the building.

"Teachers talk about how much quieter the building is, making it much easier to communicate with students," he said. "Many have commented on the significantly reduced respiratory illnesses and no longer need to take asthma or allergy medication."

The school’s total annual energy savings of $85,000 was a result of a high-efficiency building envelope, energy efficient lighting and controls system, and a geothermal heating and cooling system, according to company officials.

The school also added windows to increase day lighting and exterior sun shelves to reduce heat gain and glare.

Through the energy saving efforts, the school was able to return about $700,000 to taxpayers, according to the officials from the construction company.

The ventilation system is filtered by MERV filtration, which is designed to contribute to high indoor air quality and enhance the health and well-being of the staff and students, according to Theresa Lehman, director of sustainable services for Miron Construction, who served as the LEED project administrator.

The building was constructed with low emitting materials to further enhance air quality, and acoustically modeled for communication between the staff, students and the natural environment.

Company officials said 63 percent of the materials were regionally harvested and manufactured, and more than 68 percent of the wood bought for the facility was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

The district was able to reuse and refurbish existing classroom furniture, which saved thousands of dollars that went toward an underground stormwater retention system and window wells in the lower-level classrooms that originally had no natural daylight, officials said.

Vegetation and bioswales were also added to create an outdoor classroom, providing hands-on teaching opportunities on biodiversity and ecology.

Planting native vegetation and "low-mow" grasses eliminated the need for irrigation systems and low-flow plumbing fixtures were installed, resulting in a 42 percent decrease in water usage compared to a code-compliant school, officials reported.

Miron superintendent Jay Kuhlman implemented a construction indoor air quality plan and a construction waste management plan that resulted in diverting 77 percent of waste from the landfill, reintroducing the construction materials into the manufacturing process.

"The project drivers included teacher interaction, unique learning spaces, improved accessibility, connection to the neighborhood, cost efficiency, replacement of outdated and inefficient systems with high efficient systems, and integrating sustainable features," said Greg Douglas, vice president of design-build services for Miron Construction.
    

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