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Many of the 13,000 buildings in the school district’s second-largest in the United States, Los Angeles Unified School District, are in poor condition. Most of them built more than half a century had little or no renovation.
LAUSD school construction program of $ 20000000000 – planned to build 145 schools in 2012 – designed to eliminate is a neighborhood school for all pupils, involuntary buses and create small learning communities in schools page.
The program came to life in 1997 when voters allocated $ 2.4 billion for the modernization of facilities and additional classrooms. Measures need for new commitments in 1998 (4 billion), 2002 ($ 3.5 billion of the city and part of a bond of $ 13.05 billion nationwide), (adopted $ 9.2 billion) in 2004 and 2005 (3.99 billion dollars).
In addition, California voters approved in November 2006, a nationwide K-12 and the University Act binding system, which provides an additional $ 10.41 billion, including $ 100,000,000 for the construction of high-school performance (green) throughout the country.
To date, 67 new LAUSD schools and 53 additions completed, again 136 schools for 180 days, full calendar year and the provision of more than 68,000 new classroom seats for students throughout the district.
In the midst of building boom LAUSD decided that all new schools, high performance schools. The LAUSD Board of Education recognized these benefits in its October 2003 performance of schools in high definition. The resolution directed staff “will continue its efforts to ensure that each school district and new modernization projects at the beginning of the design process, integrate the criteria of high academic achievement as much as possible.”
The Guide 2007 LAUSD Design School requires that any new school “to assert must address long-term concerns of environmental impacts and energy savings. LAUSD to sustainable development and is committed to” building and renovation of existing buildings, high performance “in its schools. A well-designed to improve high-school teacher and student performance, reduces operating costs and protects the environment. “
High Performance Schools have the following characteristics:
* Optimal lighting and natural light: daylight and electric light must be integrated and eliminates glare. The lighting should be “designed”, not just specified.
* Healthy indoor air: The most important factors are also filtered with outdoor air, ventilation and low-emitting materials such as tiles to the ceiling, and painting.
* Energy efficiency: air conditioning in the equipment room must be used with high efficiency, with the “right size” for the estimated demand and are controls that boost system performance lighting systems, lamps should be used. High-efficiency ballasts and to optimize the number of devices to ensure its peak performance of the operating system, and to successfully integrate electric lighting and daylighting. Building envelope must integrate and maximize insulation, glazing, shading, thermal mass, air-air and outer surfaces of light color.
* Save water: Reduce water consumption at home and landscaping at the use of this scarce resource to be minimized and saves money. Strategies within the water-efficient toilets, faucets, shower heads and appliances. Development strategies include drought-tolerant plants and efficient irrigation systems.
* Rain water management: minimizing waste and to further reduce demand for water and help clean up the Pacific Ocean.
* Materials for the Environment: Schools materials and products that are durable, non toxic, grown to incorporate a sustainable manner should have a high recycled content and can be easily recycled.
* Waste management: The schools are provided with suitable facilities for the storage and collection of recyclable materials designed. Construction and demolition waste should be recycled when its always possible.
Source: LAUSD Design School Guide 2007
There are many reasons for schools to go green in their design and construction. Students learn best in an environment that is comfortable, healthy, naturally lit and well maintained. Studies have shown that students’ performance and more participation is higher when these conditions are met. An integrated design approach can often take advantage of energy savings are possible if the interaction between the individual components are viewed as windows, lighting and mechanical systems. Building or renovating a school provides a unique opportunity to move beyond standard designs to measure educational institutions, their benefits in the form of increased participation of students, higher, lower operating costs, a professor create high employee retention and improved indoor environment by providing cleaner air, better acoustics and natural light.
LAUSD is just one example of schools and districts across the country are to provide high performance design and construction elements rotate in order to increase student performance and saving energy costs. The conditions for the area of ??high performance can be used as a model for schools in the United States to go green and save you “green” in return serve.