manassas park case study 1

8/13/2019 Manassas Park Case Study 1

1/9

MANASSAS PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOMANASSAS PARK CITY SCHOOLS


2/9

ANASSAS PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLASSAS PARK CITY SCHOOLS

12

3

57

8

PROJECT OVERVIEW

In 2009, the City of Manassas Park, Virginia, ambitiously expanded their existing K-

school campus. Two new building projects unite the campus and forge a strong re

historic Camp Carondelet. The new 128,343 GSF Manassas Park Elementary Scho

can house up to 825 3rd, 4th, and 5t h grade students. The new 12,120 GSF pre-K

an independent wing of the existing Cougar Elementary School. Cougar Elementa

accommodate grades pre-K through 2nd. The result is a consolidated campus serv

from age 4 to 11, many of whom live within walki ng & biking distance. The school

curriculum draw from the educational and recreational opportunities of Camp Caron

oak deciduous forest. The entire project, i ncluding all site work, was built for $200/

SITE

Built on an existing impervious parking lot, MPESs primary focus is Camp Carondencampment site of a Louisiana regiment during the Civil War. By nestling tight t

the building preser ves open space and creates a school in the woods. Native pla

no-mow meadow grasses become low impact educational spaces, echoing the fl

Camp. The outdoor classr oom pictured to the left doubles as a storm water bio-r

This educational and environmentally functional feature contributes to post-develo

water run-off rates for the site that are actually lower than storm water rates befo

buildings were built! Geothermal well fields installed beneath existing playfields

preservation of the open play spaces for generations to come.

1 MANASSAS PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (MPES) - 2009

2 COUGAR PRE - K - 2009

3 COUGAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - 2001

4 RELOCATED PARKING LOT

5 CAMP CARONDELET

6 MPES GEOTHERMAL WELL FIELD

7 PRE - K GEOTHERMAL WELL FIELD

8 RAINWATER CISTERN


3/9


CULATION

udents move through the building during

chool day and school year, they follow

rogression of the seasons. The school

starts in summer, and students enter

uilding in the morning near the Summer

e. Moving down the corridor, children

entially experience the Autumn House,

Winter Commons, and finally the Spring

e. These themed houses are denoted

signage and unique color schemes.

g marks the end of the school year

he end of the day, as students leave the

ng near the Spring House.

CANOPY

UNDERSTORY

FOREST FLOOR

ng horizontally in the school reflects

assage of time, moving up and

n stairs represents moving vertically

gh the northern Virginia deciduous

t like the nearby Camp Carondelet.

hree floors of the school correspond

e levels of the forest. Signs on

hree school floors depict flora and

that students will likely see out the

ows. Wooden trees along the walls

ch house hallway, pictured above,

ge from trunks to limbs to branches

level to level.

SPRING HOUSE AUTUMN HOUSE SUMMER HOUSE

WINTER COMMONS


4/9


CREATING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS

Unlike a typical green building, a green school should carry the additional

obligation of creating environmental stewards out of its occupants. MPES

is designed around the premise that people cant be expected to preserve

and protect something they dont understand. Each classroom is themed

after a local animal or plant with ground dwelling creatures on the first floor,

mid canopy flora on the second floor, and treetop/sky inhabitants on the

third floor. Way finding signs throughout the building highlight facts specific

to seasons and creatures. The trees in each hallway are random patterns

of clear finished Poplar, Cherry, Ash, Oak and Maple planks mixed with

full length mirrors giving students the abstracted effect of walking in the

woods. Each species can be found growing in the adjacent forest.

STUDENTS AS ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS

IN CONSERVATION

Natural ventilation in the classrooms is encouraged by a green

light system. When the green light comes on, students know that

windows may be opened in order to substitute natural ventilation for

mechanical conditioning. Compressors in the heat pumps turn off,

and natural convection currents circulate fresh air through the room.

When the light turns off, students are quick to remind the teacher

that any open windows need to be shut tightly once again.


5/9

ASSROOMS THAT BRING

E OUTSIDE IN

n to increase student achievement, daylight floods

classroom. Bookshelf-to-ceiling glazing allows

en to see out and others to see in. In south facing

ooms (pictured above), exterior sunshades block

sunrays, while clearstory light louvers redirect

ht to the ceiling. Acoustical ceilings slope to

t more ambient light while absorbing more noise

a flat ceiling. The result is a glare-free teaching

with no artificial light! When the lights are needed,

rows of florescent fixtures, each with their own

sensor, automatically dim to adjust to changing

or light conditions. Vacancy sensors automatically

ghts off, but occupants have to consciously flip a

h to turn them on.


TRANSPARENCY

Properly oriented or shaded insulated

glass provides a high degree of

transparency. Whether reading in the

corridor, working on group projects in

breakout spaces, or studying in the

courtyards teachers can easily keep

an eye on whats going on. Large

expanses of mirrors in the corridors

reflect ambient light and views, while

also encouraging student self esteem

and proper behavior. There is a pervasive

sense of openness and students

naturally assume the responsibility that is

expected of them.

FLEXIBILITY

The entire campus is wired for WiFi

access, and all 59 instructional classrooms

are equipped with overhead projectors

and SMART boards. Since each teacher

is provided a professional workstation

outside of the classroom, their classroom

desks can be minimal, further encouraging

rearrangement of furniture to suit the needs

of each class period.

LIGHT

89 solar-tubes are used throughout

MPES to bring natural light into interior

spaces. In the Media Center and Gym, the

tubes can be dimmed to accommodatespecific lighting needs. Abundant signage

encourages students to always be aware of

wasteful electricity usage.


6/9


VELOPMENT OF THE ENTIRE STUDENT

vative teaching techniques combine with a sustainable building to

de opportunities not found in traditional schools. Spaces are tailored

commodate the innovative parallel block academic system used

anassas Park. Each school day, all students receive large and small

p instruction in language and math, while full ti me specialists teach

ce and social studies. Small group instruction is targeted at specific

evels, while large group instruction allows for guided practice,

ssion, and group projects among heterogeneous groups of learners.

ad of separating the 3rd, 4th, & 5th graders into the three houses of

uilding, grades are evenly mixed in each house - allowing the teachers

ld a multi-year relationship with a smaller number of students.

alized instructional spaces were custom designed to the specific

s of art, music, PE, and technology programs. Every 5th grader

PES learns an instrument, with plenty of space for practice and

rmance.


7/9


STAINABLE DESIGN

GOLD certified

ERIALS & RESOURCES - More than 75% of construction waste was

ed from landfills during the schools construction, and 20% of the materials

to build the school are recycled products. The school even reduced its trash

t by changing from disposable sporks to real silverware in the cafeteria,

ng the students active in recycling even at lunchtime. All millwork is

ructed with wood native to Northern Virginia. A polished concrete floor

ed raw material and maintenance requirements.

OR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY- Good IEQ doesnt stop with elimination

ergens, VOCs and formaldehyde. Children are highly susceptibl e to harmful

ts from ethanol and ether found in many conventional school cleaning

rials. The buildings high performance flooring tiles never require stripping,

g or polishing the leading cause of poor indoor air qual ity in schools. The

enance staff uses green cleaning products and procedures.

wintersun

ummersun

harvestedrainwaterflowground-sourcepip

ingtowellfield

GROUND-SOURCE WELL FIELD

HEAT PUMP

FOR EACH CLASSROOM

SLOPED

CEILINGS

NATURAL VENTILATION EXHAUST

THREE AUTO-DIMMING

LIGHTING ZONES

NATURAL VENTILATION

LIGHT

LOUVERS

GREEN LIGHT

MODE

INDICATOR

ENERGY USE - Designed to meet the 2030 Challenge, the two buildings

are designed to use 50% less energy than a typical code-compliant

school. A spray-foam insulated envelope significantly surpasses the most

stringent energy code requirements for insulation and air tightness. 221

closed loop geothermal wells use the Earth as a central plant to heat

and cool each building. Ground source heat pumps housed in penthouses

provide conditioned air to each individual classroom only when needed.

Energy modeling predicts an EnergyStar rating of 88, although the natural

ventilation capabilities are expected to increase that number. Predicted

energy savings will result in a 37% reduction in CO2emissions. Utility bills

collected since the April 2009 opening suggest that the facility will use

approximately 36kBTUs/GSF a year, compared with a national average of

70kBTUs/GSF per year for K-12 buildings.

WATER- Rainwater is harvested from every roof surface of both buildings

(61,500 sf total) and diverted into a 79,000 gallon rainwater cistern built

to potable water standards. Captured water is used for toilet flushing and

irrigation - which will conserve an anticipated 1.3 million gallons of water

each year. The Virginia Department of Conservati on & Recreation awarded

the project a $50,000 grant for the projects positive contribution to water

quality improvement. Utilit y bills have shown that neighboring Cougar

Elementary uses a monthly average of 570% more water than the new

Pre-K and Manassas Park Elementary buildings.


8/9


E-KINDERGARTEN

nally planned to be built as part of the Cougar Elementary project in 2000, the new

Kindergarten (Pre-K) building is located between Cougar Elementary School and the

Manassas Park Elementary School. The Pre-K ser ves 70 students, including special-

s individuals. Spaces are custom sized for 4 & 5 year olds, including a 4 foot high

ance door and cave-like window reading nooks oriented with views towards the

wood forest. Built using the same sustainable techniques as MPES, 100% of this

story building can be naturally day lighted during 90% of the average weather days

year. A separate geothermal well field was drilled exclusively for the Pre-K.


9/9

You cant stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others

to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.

Winnie The Pooh

MANASSAS PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOMANASSAS PARK CITY SCHOOLS

manassas park case study 1

Documents