According to DoDEA, 21st Century Teaching and Learning is a student-centered approach to learning that builds on Responsive and Inclusive Teaching to engage students through technology and the environment. As such, project architect RS&H of Columbus, Ohio designed the building’s renewable energy technologies and sustainable features and systems so that they serve as a hands-on learning tool for all students.

Upon completion, the single-story school complex will house learning hubs with flexible studios, a central commons area with performance stage, and both indoor and outdoor classrooms. A gymnasium, cafeteria, specialist rooms, music and art rooms, a learning impaired room, counseling areas, an information center will round out the student-occupied spaces. Meanwhile a new administrative, supply and storage areas, a state-of-the-art kitchen and teacher workrooms, will improve overall operations. Various related infrastructure such as the construction of new parking areas, a parent loop, bus loop, mechanical rooms, delivery areas and playgrounds.

Kingsolver-Pierce Elementary will also include multiple high-efficiency building systems, renewable energy technologies and sustainable features. According to RS&H, the 115,000-square-foot school will utilize a geothermal heat pump system, solar water heaters, clerestory windows, and solar tubes, as well as photovoltaic powered parking lot lights. These renewable sources coupled with energy efficient systems yield a net-zero energy “achievable” design. Additionally, the school’s design includes classrooms extending into outdoor space, energy dashboards, a green roof and ample daylighting. With all of these sustainable elements, the facility is on track to earn LEED for Schools Silver certification.

In keeping with the surrounding environment, the new $32 million school will feature a brick and limestone façade with site features that complement its context. Exterior projects and site improvements will also include new parking areas, mechanical rooms, delivery areas, and playgrounds.

The joint venture team of S. M. Wilson of St. Louis and AWA Business Corporation of Cincinnati has been selected by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District to build the new 115,000 square foot elementary school, which will be located in the Ft. Knox Historic District. The AWA Wilson JV, a SBE 8(a), HubZone-approved Mentor-Protégé joint venture, will provide general contracting services for the $32 million project.

As the new school will be constructed on the site of the current Kingsolver Elementary, work will also involve minor demolition of the existing structure, which will remain open through the construction process. The original structures will be demolished following the transition into the new school. Construction will begin in June 2014 and is expected to last through November 2015.

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The $23.3 million phased project will include construction of a modern, two-story, 66,400-square-foot facility with plenty of flexible and adaptable spaces. Woolpert North Carolina PLLC of Charlotte provided planning and design services for the new school, which is part of the DoDEA 21st Century Education Initiative.

According to Woolpert, this initiative focuses on “providing students with school environments that support flexible and adaptable spaces that are critical for teaching and learning.” Woolpert adds that these cutting-edge schools take into consideration innovations in education, curriculum delivery, use of technology and growing expectations for sustainability and energy conservation.

In keeping with the initiative’s goals, the new Delalio Elementary will include several 21st century learning neighborhoods, an information center, a centralized commons/dining/performance space, and an art studio. The school will also offer a number of general purpose classrooms, a technologically-driven computer lab, and a special education classroom. New counseling areas, teacher work rooms and supply areas, and administrative offices will further improve operations and functionality.

Several related infrastructure projects, such as the addition of new parking areas, playgrounds, mechanical rooms, delivery areas, covered walkways, landscaping and utilities will also be included in the construction process.

The new school will connect to the recently constructed gymnasium and music room addition. However, all other existing facilities will be demolished. The current Delalio structure is nearly 50 years old, and offers cramped classrooms, inadequate facilities and a poor overall configuration. The inefficient design fails to meet current DoDEA Education Facilities Specifications, and utility and maintenance costs are excessive. With numerous ADA code violations and no fire suppression system, the building poses numerous risks for students and staff, and many maintenance issues are no longer repairable.

Luckily, the current school site is large enough to accommodate new construction with minimal impact to students and staff. The older facility will be demolished upon completion of the new, allowing crews to then wrap up any necessary connection or site work.

Construction for the new school, which was designed to meet LEED Silver certification requirements, began in April 2014. It is scheduled for completion in May 2017.

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UC Santa Barbara’s Institute for Energy Efficiency is dedicated to researching and developing technological solutions for a sustainable energy future. Upon completion, the three-story Henley Hall building will provide a new home for the renowned institute, which was created in 2008. It will primarily include a 125-seat lecture hall, 17 laboratories, 34 faculty and postdoctoral offices, nine administrative offices and ample group office space. An estimated 50 faculty members and 120 graduate and postdoctoral students collaborating on energy-efficient technologies will occupy the new structure.
Designed to create prime research space and leading paradigms in energy efficiency, the new institute building will also feature adaptable laboratory space for evolving research needs. According to the school, the addition of this new structure will go a long way toward addressing the high priority, campus-wide need for more quality lab space. Though UCSB has made concerted efforts to upgrade and expand its facilities to match their academic goals, the school reports it is still significantly under-resourced in this area.
Along with increasing lab and research space, the new facility will also be a showcase of the schools’ commitment to environmental sustainability, and a strong reflection of the research being conducted within. According to a release by the university, the building will be as close to zero-net energy as possible, incorporating numerous state-of-the-art technologies and design features. The $38.5 million facility will include a variety of efficient systems and building materials, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) with low-voltage wiring, intelligent energy monitoring and control systems with interactive displays, and extensive natural lighting.

The Henley Hall Institute for Energy Efficiency will be named for 1966 UCSB grad Jeff Henley and his wife Judy, who contributed $50 million to the school’s capital campaign in 2012. Nearly $30 million of those funds will be dedicated to construction, and toward faculty recruitment for both the institute and the school’s College of Engineering.

University leaders named award-winning architectural firm Kieran Timberlake to design the Institute’s new home in August 2012. According to a release issued by the university, the firm was chosen through a highly selective review process by a team of Institute and UCSB faculty and staff. The team reviewed more than 30 proposals, met with nearly a dozen firms and visited some of the finalists’ buildings. Kieran Timberlake was ultimately selected for its experience with energy-efficient lab buildings, innovative design, and for the firm’s close client-architect design process. The San Francisco office of environmental design, engineering and consulting firm Atelier Ten also provided support and expertise.

Sundt, one of the country’s largest general contractors, has a strong track record in higher education construction. The company has completed multiple higher education builds, including the University of California, Merced’s Social Science and Management Building, and the University of California, Davis’ Veterinary Medicine 3B Building.

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Williams Scotsman, a provider of modular space and storage solutions in North America, was recognized for its relocatable modular project at the Potomac Shores Welcome Center in Dumbries, VA, as well as its work with Saltar’s Point Elementary in Steilacoom, Wash. The Saltar’s Point Elementary project in particular featured development and installation of a permanent, two-classroom modular education facility to accommodate the school’s growing population.

Workers completed the Saltar’s Point Elementary modular addition in fall 2013, adding more than 2,000 square feet of learning space to the school campus. The building comprises eight modular sections, with four on the lower building layout, and four size-matched roof sections. Those roof sections were factory complete with windows, exposed trusses and most mechanical systems. The pre-fabricated building was largely constructed off-site, allowing for a quick on-site installation process. All finishing work was conducted over the summer of 2013, and was completed in time for fall classes.

The facility’s yellow and grey exterior was specifically designed to compliment the existing school aesthetic. It features a front clerestory design with east-facing fixed windows, and a high, sloping shed-style roof. The two classrooms are joined by an angled entry porch, which both compliments and contrasts the angled roof.

The Modular Building Institute is a non-profit trade association that represents the manufacturers, dealers, and suppliers of commercial factory-built structures. MBI member companies manufacture, install, and service virtually every type of building application, for both temporary and permanent use.

An impartial panel of experts served as judges for the commercial building awards, and based their reviews on architectural excellence, technical innovation, cost effectiveness/energy efficiency, and calendar days to complete. To be considered, projects had to be intended as commercial structures, and all had to be of mobile or modular construction.

“The MBI awards provide an opportunity to showcase some of our recent innovations in modular space solutions from the past year,” said Brad Soultz, president of Williams Scotsman. “We enjoy a long history of serving the education sector, and we’ve proven again this year that we are a leader in that category. Williams Scotsman is proud to deliver permanent modular and temporary classroom solutions to accommodate any project need.”

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