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lp your school goeyond recyclingh this unique

ide!

e l co m e t o S o l a r On e

een D es ig n L a b ,

choo l Green in gide an d Curricu lum TM,

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Green Design Lab is a blueprint forning your school, allowing students

nderstand the connections betweenesources used everyday and how

impact the local environment.using on the physical school building,Guide aims to help students and

ty realize on-site projects. It providesds-on learning opportunities that bring

ainability to life in your school. Fromop gardens, building performance and

gy efciency, to schoolyard habitatsnon-toxic cleansers your schoole the perfect setting for addressing

vant issues that affect the sustain-y of your community. The objective iscilitate learning that allows students

faculty to think of their school build-s an organism connected to the local

ronment.

More Info Visitw.solar1.org

Grade Levels: 6-12Module Length: 2 weeksSubject Areas Included:

Science

Social Studies Mathematics Communications Technology

Language Arts Health

Business/Finance

Student Skills Developed:

Collaboration

Critical thinking Graphing Inquiry Problem-solving

Systems thinking Written and oral communication

Six M odu les to Explor e :

Cur r i cu lum De ta i l s :

out t he Gr een Des ign Lab

inted on recycled paper

Waste/Recycling

978-0-9822869-5-1

09 Solar One


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Solar Ones Green Design Lab,A School Greening Guide and

Curriculum

for exploring

sustainability in your schooland local community.

Thinking about a school building as an organismconnected to the environment is such a uniqueapproach to teaching about sustainability.

Its exciting. -NY City Teacher, 2009

Solar One 2009


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2009 Solar One New York, NY

ISBN 978-0-9822869-5-1

First Edition

the green design lab,a scoo g gu CucuumtMis a trademark of Solar One.All rights reserved.

Text and Content: Christopher Kennedy

Editor: Pauline AugustineDesign: Christopher Kennedy and Pauline Augustine

Layout: Gee Young Lee

All rights reserved. Except for Activity Worksheets, no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by

any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or any other information story and retrieval system, without writtenpermission from Solar One. Reproduction of Activity Worksheets is for educational purposes only.

Publisher: Solar One

so O: Green Energy Arts and Education Center24-20 FDR Drive, Service Road East

New York, NY 10010Tel: (212) 505-6050

www.solar1.org

Fo Mo ifomo o O O:www.solar1.orgor

Lulu Publishingwww.lulu.comSearch Title: The Green Design Lab

Multiple copies for schools and groups are encouraged and have special pricing.

For Bulk Orders please contact Solar One

so O p pop of w vo, kow ouc o mo vomy ou u fuu.

Logo and Building Deconstruction Illustration: Christopher Kennedy

Front Cover Illustration Nicemonkey-Dreamstime.com

V1

Printed on recycled paper

Credits


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green design labthe

Welcome to so O g d l, a scoo g gu CucuumtM, for exploring sustain-ability in your school and local community. The Green Design Lab is a blueprint for greening your school, allowingstudents to understand the connections between the resources used everyday and the how they impact the local envi-

ronment. Focusing on the physical school building, this Guide aims to help students and faculty realize on-site proj-ects and hands-on learning opportunities that bring sustainability to life in your school. From rooftop gardens, building

performance and energy efciency, schoolyard habitats and non-toxic cleansers your school provides theperfect setting for addressing relevant issues that affect the sustainability of your community. The objective is tofacilitate learning that allows students and faculty to think of their school building as an organism connected to the lo-

cal environment.

so O g d l, a scoo g gu Cucuum, allows students the opportunityto investigate issues of sustainability in 6 different focus areas: Materials, Waste and Recycling, Energy, Air Quality,

Water and Food. Each focus area provides a dynamic framework for understanding the hidden systems behind these

important areas and presents relevant connections to the lives of students and their community. Moreover, each focusarea offers great ideas for hands-on projects that can involve the entire school, one class or just an individual.

Why concentrate on the school building? Buildings consume more resources than you think! They consume massive

amounts of water and electricity and release millions of tons of carbon dioxide. Buildings are a perfect place to startin any greening initiative. Whats more, there are many tools we will use that help foster critical math, science andlanguage arts skills, using an easily accessible pedagogy of project-based and experiential learning.

Helping your school go green is a win-win for everyone involved. This Guide will provide ways to help your school

lower utility costs and involve vital members of your community. Students will be presented with physical ways tosee sustainability in action. so O g d l, a scoo g gu CucuumtM, usesyour school building as a demonstration for a greener, healthier, connected school community.

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Welcome


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2green design labthe

Solar One 2009

Module One: Materialsa. Welcome...............................................................................................................................22b. Objectives and Standards.....................................................................................................22c. Whats the Story?..................................................................................................................24

d. Lets Take a Closer Look!.....................................................................................................27! Activities........................................................................................................................... 29

e. Lets ReThink........................................................................................................................ 31! Activities........................................................................................................................... 33

f. Assessment...........................................................................................................................34g. Community Connection.........................................................................................................35

Module Two: Waste and Recyclingh. Welcome...............................................................................................................................38i. Objectives and Standards.....................................................................................................38

j. Whats the Story?.................................................................................................................40k. Lets Take a Closer Look!.................................................................................................... 43

! Activities...........................................................................................................................44l. Lets ReThink!.......................................................................................................................46

! Activities............................................................................................................................47m. Assessment...........................................................................................................................49n. Community Connection.........................................................................................................50

Module Three: Energyo. Welcome...............................................................................................................................52

p. Objectives and Standards....................................................................................................52q. Whats the Story?.................................................................................................................54r. Lets Take a Closer Look!.................................................................................................... 57

! Activities...........................................................................................................................59s. Lets ReThink!.......................................................................................................................62

! Activities........................................................................................................................... 64t. Assessment..........................................................................................................................65u. Community Connection.........................................................................................................66

Welcome ..........................................................................................................................................1Standards .........................................................................................................................................4How to Use .......................................................................................................................................6Introduction .....................................................................................................................................11

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Module Four: Air Qualityv. Welcome...............................................................................................................................68w. Objectives and Standards.....................................................................................................68x. Whats the Story?.................................................................................................................70y. Lets Take a Closer Look!.................................................................................................... 72

! Activities...........................................................................................................................73z. Lets ReThink!.......................................................................................................................75

! Activities........................................................................................................................... 77aa. Assessment..........................................................................................................................78bb. Community Connection.........................................................................................................79

Module Five: Watercc. Welcome...............................................................................................................................82dd. Objectives and Standards....................................................................................................82ee. Whats the Story?.................................................................................................................84ff. Lets Take a Closer Look!.................................................................................................... 86

! Activities...........................................................................................................................87gg. Lets ReThink!.......................................................................................................................89

! Activities........................................................................................................................... 90hh. Assessment..........................................................................................................................91ii. Community Connection........................................................................................................92

Module Six: Food jj. Welcome...............................................................................................................................9kk. Objectives and Standards....................................................................................................94ll. Whats the Story?.................................................................................................................96mm. Lets Take a Closer Look!.................................................................................................... 99

! Activities..........................................................................................................................102nn. Lets ReThink!......................................................................................................................104

! Activities..........................................................................................................................107oo Assessment.........................................................................................................................109

pp. Community Connection........................................................................................................110

FINAL PROJECT

A. Green Action Plan and Strategy..........................................................................................112B. 10 Simple Ideas..................................................................................................................113C. Community Projects............................................................................................................114D. LEED for Schools................................................................................................................116

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GRADE LEVELS: 6-12 MODULE LENGTH: 2 WEEKS

Subject Areas Included:

Science

Social Studies Mathematics

Communications

Technology

Language Arts

Health

Business/Finance

Student Skills Developed:

Collaboration

Critical thinking Graphing

Inquiry

Problem-solving

Systems thinking

Written and oral communication

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

ELA.1. Language or Inormation and Understanding

ELA.1a Listening and Reading - Listening and reading

to acquire information and understanding involvescollecting data, facts, and ideas.ELA.1b Speaking and Writing - Speaking and writing to

acquire and transmit information requires asking probingand clarifying questions, interpreting information in

ones own words, applying information from one contextto another, and presenting the information and interpreta-

tion clearly, concisely, and comprehensibly.

ELA.2 Language or Critical Analysis and EvaluationELA.2a Listening and Reading - Listening and readingto analyze and evaluate experiences, ideas, informa-tion, and issues requires using evaluative criteria from a

variety of perspectives and recognizing the difference inevaluations based on different sets of criteria.

ELA.2b Speaking and Writing - Speaking and writing forcritical analysis and evaluation requires presenting opin-

ions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information,and issues clearly, logically, and persuasively with refer-

ence to specic criteria on which the opinion or judgmentis based.

ELA.3 Language or Social Interaction

Oral communication in formal and informal settings

requires the ability to talk with people of different ages,genders, and cultures, to adapt presentations to

different audiences, and to reect on how talk varies indifferent situations.

ELA.4 Communication Skills

Students adjust their use of spoken, written, andvisual language to communicate effectively with a variety

of audiences

ELA.5 Applying KnowledgeStudents apply knowledge of language structure,

language conventions, media techniques, gurativelanguage, and genre to create, critique, and discussprint and non-print texts.

ELA.6 Evaluating Data

Students conduct research on issues and interests bygenerating ideas and questions, and by posing problems.

MATHEMATICS AND TECHNOLOGY

MT.1 Analysis, Inquiry, and Design

MT.1a Scientic Inquiry - The central purpose of

scientic inquiry is to develop explanations of naturalphenomena in a continuing, creative process.MT.1b Engineering Design - Engineering design is an

iterative process involving modeling and optimization

nding the best solution within given constraints.

MT.2: Inormation Systems

Information technology is used to retrieve, process,and communicate information and as a tool to enhance

learning. (Contd)

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MT.3 Data Analysis and ProbabilityMT.3a Formulate questions that can be addressed with

data and collect, organize, and display relevant data toprovide answers MT.3b Apply transformations and use

symmetry toanalyze mathematical situations

MT.3c Develop and evaluate inferences and predictionsthat are based on data

MT.4 Connections

Recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside ofmathematics.

MT.5 Representations

MT.5a Create and use representations to organize,record, and communicate mathematical ideas;MT.5b Select, apply, and translate among mathematical

representations to solve problems.

MT.6 Basic Operations and Concepts

MT.6a Students demonstrate a sound understanding ofthe nature and operation of technology systems.

MT.6b Students are procient in the use of technology.

MT.7 Social, Ethical and Human IssuesMT.7a Students understand the ethical, cultural, and

societal issues related to technology.MT.7b Students practice responsible use of technology

systems, information, and software.MT.7c Students develop positive attitudes toward tech-

nology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration,personal pursuits, and productivity.

MT. 8 Technology Research Tools

MT.8a Students use technology to locate, evaluate, andcollect information from a variety of sources.

MT.8b Students use technology tools to process data

and report results.MT.9 Technology Problem Solving and Decision

Making

Students use technology resourses for solvingproblemsand making informed decisions

SCIENCE

S.1: The Living Environment

S.1a Organisms maintain a dynamic equilibrium thatsustains life.

S.1b Plants and animals depend on each other and theirphysical environment.

S.1c Human decisions and activities have had aprofound impact on the physical and living environment.

S.6: Interconnectedness: Common Themes

S.6a: Systems Thinking - Through systems thinking,people can recognize the commonalities that exist among

all systems and how parts of a system interrelate and

combine to perform specic functions.

S.6b Models - Models are simplied representations of

objects, structures, or systems used in analysis,explanation, interpretation, and design.S.6c Patterns of Change - Identifying patterns ofchange is necessary for making predictions about future

behavior and conditions.

S.7: Interdisciplinary Problem Solving

S.7a Connections - The knowledge and skills ofmathematics, science, and technology are used together

to make informed decisions and solve problems.

S.7b Strategies - Solving interdisciplinary problems

involves a variety of skills and strategies, including effec-tive work habits; gathering and processing information;

generating and analyzing ideas; realizing ideas; makingconnections among the common themes of mathematics,

science, and technology; and presenting results.

S.8 Science and Technology

S.8a Abilities to understand technological designS.8b Abilities to understand science and technologyS.8c Abilities to distinguish between natural objects and

objects made by humans

S.9 Science as Inquiry

S.9a Abilities necessary to do scientic inquiry

S.9b Understanding scientic inquiry

S.10 Personal and Social Perspectives

S.10a Personal and community health

S.10b Natural resourcesS.10c Environnemental quality

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Overall Goals/Objectives

The Green Design Lab is a Guide that develops acomprehensive school greening strategy, and encourages

students to understand how their building works.It helps students discover ways to make building

operations more sustainable. The objective is to ndcreative and simple ways to engage both your school

community and local neighborhood through a threefoldfocus: (1) local ecology, (2) building performance, and(3) overall sustainability.

Systems Thinking and Relationships

One of the main goals of this Guide is to provide aframework for students to understand and think aboutthe systems behind many of the basic things we take for

granted. It poses the questions such as where does ourwater come from? where is our food grown? and where

does our electricity come from? By thinking about thesystems and relationships between our built and natural

environments, students gain a greater understanding of thepossible solutions and problems that affect our local andglobal sustainability. (Photo: Looking at a CSO) ;

A Real World Design Lab

The Green Design Lab frames your school as an

interactive, real-world design lab. What better way toaddress sustainability than through the spaces thatstudents interact with 5 days a week! They will look atthe boilers in the basement, consider the potentials for

gardens and solar panels on your roof, and scour thecontents of the janitors closet. Relevance is oftentimes a

missing element in understanding sustainability. The GreenDesign Lab encourages teachers and students to take lo-

cal and immediate action in the very building bothparties call home.

Creative Problem Solving

Sustainability is inherently about creative problem solving.

The Green Design Lab provides a strategy for studentsto think creatively about problems that affect them in theirvery own classrooms and neighborhoods. Using design

as a tool to cultivate creativity, teachers and students, alike,are encouraged to learn practical skills such as how to

grow food, insulate a building, and basic carpentry skills.When students have a basic understanding of these

practical skills, creative interpretations are allowed to cometo fruition. (Photo: Watching a solar car in action!);

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Format and DeliveryTime or Each Unit: 1-2 weeks

(2-3 hours or each Session)

The Green Design Lab uses an investigatory model to helpstudents discover ways they can make their school more

sustainable. Each of the six Modules included in this Guideprovides a framework for analyzing the systems connectedto each focus area. There are three main parts to this

analysis for students:

Hands-On Activities

Hands-on activities accompany each Module; activities

meant to address your physical school building.

These activities use an experiential eld-study approach,framing students as designers, allowing them to useobservation and critical thinking skills to discover how theirschool works. The activities let students explore possible

solutions for improving the schools sustainability.

Activities encourage an active and creative approach toproblem solving with an emphasis on collaborative and

cooperative team-building. Most of the activities suggeststudents be grouped into Design Teams, mimicking how

designers, architects and engineers work in the real worldIf this does not t with your classroom, please feel free toadapt each activity to be more individualized.

Assessment

After learning the basics of each focus area, students wilbe asked to answer a few questions to make sure they

were paying attention! Use this as a loose indicator on ho

well your students are absorbing the content and systemsexplored throughout each Module.

Community Connections

This nal section of the Green Design Lab provides ideasand activities for involving your schools extended com-

munity and the students families. A truly green strategyfor your school will involve everyone in your local andregional community. These communities provide invaluab

resources, ideas, and help in realizing many of the projecsuggested throughout this Guide. Use this as an opportu-

nity to reach out and connect with your neighborhood andyour students families. Help make your school an ancho

for your community.

1. Whats the Story?

This rst introductory section sets the stage for eachtopic, giving students background information and

historical context on each issue providing key wordsand summaries. Helping to set the scene, studentsgain a broad knowledge of some key issues associatedwith topics like renewable energy and water quality.

2. Lets Take a Closer Look!

This section prompts students to investigate andexplore the hidden systems connected to each re-source found in this focus area. The idea is to allow

students to pose simple questions like where doesmy water come from? and how does food get to my

cafeteria? They will then investigate further through

hands-on activities, projects, research and eld stud-

ies. This self-directed process allows students to gaina better appreciation for each focus area and takeownership of a space they use 5 days a week. We will

guide them to think of ways to make this space moresustainable.

3. Lets ReThink!

Finally, students are given the opportunity to be

creative and to rethink how their school is designedand operates. Lets ReThink provides students with

valuable tools, applications, examples, and casestudies to help inspire them to think differently aboutbuildings and their systems. At the end of this

section, students will have re-designed their buildingwhile addressing the issues in the particular focus area

all the while being encouraged to think about how allthe issues interrelate.


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Section SummaryMaterials:

Slam! Ever wonder what your school building is madeof? Or when it was built? Why is there only baby blue paintin the hallways? Who decides what desks to order? Our

school buildings are made of hundreds of different materi-als coming from all corners of the world! The materials thatare chosen affect all sorts of things including people, the

local neighborhood, and the environment. In this Module,students will learn about some of the common materials

that are used in your school building. They will nd out howthese materials affect the community and the environment.

But thats not all this Module will give students ideas

and opportunities to re-design the school from the groundup using materials and design principles that make their

school healthy and sustainable.

Waste and Recycling

Crunch! How much garbage does your school createeach day? Each week? Each year? Whats in your garbageanyway and where does it go? This Module will explorethe variety of wastes your school creates each day. It will

look at the connections that waste has to your communityand environment. More than this, students will learn about

what they can do to encourage recycling, composting andre-use of things in your school to help make the building as

efcient and sustainable as possible!

Energy

Zap! Our school buildings consume a massive amountof electricity and heating fuel each day. Consider for a

moment just how many lights, computers, radiators, airconditioners and other electronics are in your school! How

much energy is your school using in just one day and howis this connected to your students? This Module will exploreanswers to these questions. It lets students explore where

the electricity comes from in your school and the impactsthis use has on your community and environment. More-

over, students will investigate ways to save energy, andeven create energy, using renewable sources and tech-

nologies.

Air Quality

Phew! Do you smell that? Its not what you think. Thatsmell may be coming from all the chemicals inside the

janitors closet, from the copy room and the computer lab.

Have you ever thought about the air inside of your school?Is it clean and easy to breathe? In this Module, we will lookat the air quality inside of your school. Students will inves-

tigate if there are toxins coming from substances insideand emissions coming from outside the building. At the end

of this Module, students will be able to breathe a little better

by proposing non-toxic cleaners and nd natural ways toventilate their school building.

Water

Flush! How many bathrooms does your school have?How about kitchen sinks and lab sinks? How much wa-

ter do all of these sources use every day? Where does itcome from and where does it go after use? In this Module,

students will explore where drinking water comes fromand where wastewater goes. Also, they will look at waysto reduce water consumption in your school building. From

green roofs to low ow toilets, saving water can be easy

and it all helps your local environment. Lets nd out how.

Food

MMMM! Lunch time! Sloppy Joes, French fries, chickenngers who makes this stuff anyway and where doesit all come from? School cafeterias have to provide food

for everyone in your school! Thats a lot of food everyday!Because of the massive amount of food needed most

school districts provide pre-cooked and frozen foods thatcome from far away. This isnt good for the environment or

our bodies. In this Module, students will learn about food inyour school and ways that they can improve the amount oflocal and sustainably grown food in your cafeteria. This is

something we can all chew on!

(Photo: Collecting water sample)

(Photo:Checkingthe boiler)



green design labthe

Final ProjectIntroduction

Bringing it All Together

After looking at the six important focus areas, students willbegin to connect each issue back to the central themes

of interconnectivity and systems thinking. Each Modulesfocus area will be fused together providing a new schoolblueprint for sustainability.

Pedagogies/Teaching Styles

Experiential Learning

Experiential learning encourages the use of non-formal

learning environments to structure a lesson or subject.

A streetscape, park, grocery store, or local communityorganization can be an amazing tool for real-world learning

and student engagement. Experiential learning is a cre-ative strategy for absorbing knowledge. It brings relevance,

participation and engagement into an otherwise structured

world. The benets of this kind of learning style areexponential, providing direct contact with community mem-bers, peers, and local environments. It helps students formmemories that lead to life-long empowerment and contextu-

alization of knowledge.

Project-Based Learning

Project-Based Learning structures learning around a

discrete project where students have to apply their knowledge of a subject by doing instead of just thinking. Eve

more, its a framework for cultivating applicationsin critical thinking that gives students an opportunity toapply a skill to a real-world problem. Project-Based

Learning allows opportunities to connect students to locacommunities and address real-world problems. It provide

students with the ability to engage physically in a task allthe while learning about subject focus.

T h e G r e en D e s ig n L a b u s e s ap r o j e ct -b a s e d le a r n i n g a p p r o a c h

t o g r e e n i n g y o u r s c h o o l . B y

m a k i n g y o u r s ch o o l s s u s t a i n a b i li t

a specic and physical project,it allows your local communities,students, faculty, and familiesto help dene parameters andd i sco v e r w a y s t o b e in c lu d e d i n t h e

process of retrotting andr e -d e s ig n i n g y o u r s c h o o l.

The Green Design Lab encourages an experiential

learning approach to sustainability, an approach

that helps students connect abstract issues to

real-world situations and problems. To know

something is a great frst step. To experience this

knowledge frst hand is a whole other world.(Photo: Measuring for installation


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how o U

Excited solar racer, CSO view, Solar building model , Furnace exploration, Measuring for installation, Water sample collection Solar One/C. KennedyGreen House Antishock - Dreamstime.com

ioucoGreenhousesCammerayda-Dreamstime.comSmoke Stacks@Feldor SIderov Fotolia.com

Landll@bilderbox - Fotolia.comGreen Floorplan Nicemonkey - Dreamstime.comLettuce@Hans Slegers - Fotolia.comSchool living system diagram Solar One/C. Kennedy

Mou O: MSchool exterior Sebcz - Dreamstime.comCitymap , Cement, Glass,Vinyl, Wood, Brick, Cob, Mosaic - WikipediaWood processing diagram Duettograph - Dreamstime.comSchematic design , LEED Sign, Building model Solar One/C. Kennedy

Schematic Deskcube - Dreamstime.comEcofootprint Nicemonkey - Dreamstime.com

Mou two: W/rcycLandll, Trash, Plastic, eWaste -WikipediaStory Of Stuff Annie LeonardRecycle sign, Recycle bins, Recycle sign-making Solar One/C. KennedyRecycling_symbol, Trash can icon, House/recycle icon Nicemonkey - Dreamstime.comRecycle symbol Grafoo - Dreamstime.comSelf-watering plastic bottle greenscaper.com/insideurbangreen.org

Mou t: eySolar windows Jewhyte - Dreamstime.comkwh Dgilder - Dreamstime.comMultimeter - WikipediaPower plantAnyka-Fotolia.comBoiler furnace, Furnace exploration, Measuring electricity, Solar racers Solar One/C. KennedyWindpower@Alphasprin Dreamstime.comBuilding performance equipment - Community Environmental CenterCFL lightbulb installation Grafoo - Dreamstime.comSolar panels Dreamingof - Dreamstime.comAccueil Illustration- Wikipedia

Mou Fou: a QuyWindsock , Cleaning products - WikipediaLungs Portiaremnic - Dreamstime.comDaylighting Indykb - Dreamstime.comCleaning surfaces Yuri Arcura - Dreamstime.comAsthma Pelvidge - Dreamstime.com

Map search Iofoto - Dreamstime.comAersol can Nicemonkey - Dreamstime.comDaylight - WikipediaBioregion map Vectorminam - Dreamstime.comGreen cleanser Destinyvision - Dreamstime.comSmoke stack Passigatti - Dreamstime.comPhotosynthesis Trombax - Dreamstime.comNatural cleansers Pauline Augustine

Mou Fv: WWater tap, Watershed map WikipediaGlass of water , CSO, Rainwater harvesting Wikipedia

Safe Drinking Water Act Diagram, Green Roof- EPAWatershed Toynutz - Dreamstime.comMap search Iofoto - Dreamstime.comRainwater barrel, Water lters, Water quality testing Solar One/C. KennedyWater drop Nicemonkey - Dreamstime.com

Mou sx: FooSalad Nicemonkey - Dreamstime.comWater quality testing, Garden containers, Garden 1, Garden 2, Vermicompost bin Solar One/C. KennedyIndustrial farm, Groundwater pollution diagram, Agriculture pollution - WikipediaCorn harvest - USDAFarmers Market, Chicks, Cooking in Class Aubin Pictures

F PojcInvestigation Community Environmental CenterClass meeting, Working on garden, Making plans Solar One/C. KennedyWorm, Garden WikipediaGreen roof Green Roof Service LLCLEED sign C. Kennedy

Picture Credits



Green DesignLabAn Introduction to Greening Your School

Introduction

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Introduction (or Students)

bckou ifomo:

The environment is everyones issue!

We live on such a brilliant planet, and it contains amaz-

ing diversity! Millions of species of sh, birds, mammalsand insects all live together in a close web that brings usall together. However, as we spread across the globe newchallenges arise that push the limits of this diversity and

connectivity on the planet, challenges that are affectingeveryone and everything in some form.

For instance, across the world, greenhouse gas emissions

like C02 grew by 80 percent between 1970 and 2004 andcould double again by 2030. These are gases that are

beginning to inuence the climate patterns of our entireplanet! This will affect how we get our food, where we live,and how much we pay for the products and services we

use everyday. So this is a big deal!

The planet is something we need to keep in balance withwhat we do every single day. To get you started thinkingabout how we can regain this balance, this resource guide

is going to look at an approach called Green Design thatmay provide you with some ideas on where to begin. Why

design? Because design, and more particularly greendesign, addresses many issues that intersect when we look

at issues of sustainability.

W you kow o o, you ! -a designer that has the knowledge to begin applying greensolutions today and in the future. The next step is knowingwhere to start!

W o expc:Welcome to the Green Design Lab: a toolkit for re-design-ing your school to be more green and sustainable! Follow

along as we explore some major ecological issues in yourown school and neighborhood! Remember, your schoolisnt going to become green overnight thats why we

need you -- thats right you -- to be a green designer,architect, planner and visionary for a school that is more

in balance and healthier for your community and your ownbody. We are going to explore six main Sections.

The Green DesignLabntroduction

Learning Objectives Module Overview

This Introduction will introduce students to major conceptsused throughout this Guide including sustainability, green

design, and biomimicry. This is a beginning primer that canbe used to introduce students to the individual focus areasthat are explored in each Section. The idea is to start a

dialogue about issues of sustainability in your communityand in your school. Use this as an opportunity to start an

ongoing list of projects, needs and ideas you and studentsmay have about re-designing their school to be greener,

healthier and more in balance with your local community

and environment.

Students will better understand the concepts of

sustainability and green design as tools they can

apply to make their school their own Students will learn about major ecological issues

facing communities nationwide Students will learn how to think critically about

their own school building as an organism that

uses resources

Students will begin to use green design strategies

to solve problems in their own school



green design labthe

The Green DesignLabIntroduction

M:What is your school made of anyway? In this Section,

we are going to look at how your school building affectsyour environment. We are going to explore materials

that will be more sustainable and green for your schooland think of ways to integrate them into classrooms,cafeterias, and libraries all around the school.

Waste/Recycling:How much garbage does your school create? Ever

wonder whats in all that garbage and where it goes?

This Section will help answer some of these questions.It will also help you and your school create a recycling

and waste management plan that works for everyone!

Energy:

Where does the energy for your school building comefrom and how does it affect your local environment?

This section will nd out where your electricity comesfrom, help you determine just how much energy youare using and explore ways to save energy and create

it in a more sustainable way!

Air Quality:Phew! Whats that smell? What kinds of cleaners does

your janitor use and how does that affect your air qual-ity? In this Section, we will explore the air inside your

school. Well look at how the indoor air quality can af-fect your health and how outdoor emissions affect your

local environment.

Water:How many bathrooms and sinks do you have in your

school? Ever wonder where that water goes after youush? Well in this Section we will nd out just wherethat water goes, where it comes from. Well determineways in which you can help save water and use it ininnovative ways!

Time for lunch! But where does that food actually come

from? In this Section, well concentrate on the cafeteria.Well look at where your food comes from and how thisaffects your health and your local environment.


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1. W ?(a focu o u )

Using too much too ast! What this means or you and

your community.

So how did we get into this mess of pollution, trafc, highgasoline prices, and energy crunches? And why does itseem like things are getting worse?

A good place to start is to look back in history to a timecalled: The Industrial Revolution. This movement, geared

toward manufacturing and production, was initiated in theU.S. and other countries at the end of the Eighteenth

Century. When this movement was set into motion,factories began to open up across the country. Thefactories required fuel and other resources to make their

products. Most factories used resources like coal, freshwater, and iron to create electricity, to heat up furnaces

and used water to cool down these manufacturingprocesses.

At rst it seemed like a great idea! America had so muchroom, so many resources, and a craving for consumergoods like more clothing, more electronics, household

items, building materials etc. However, with all thisdevelopment, very little was been done to think about the

impact it may have on the natural world. As a result, theindustries that helped us create the economy that we

have today, have also damaged many of the majorecosystems. We are now seeing and feeling the effectsof this damage worldwide.

From falling water tables to soaring oil prices and collaps-

ing sheries, the ecological systems that provided materi-

als for these factories are now the systems that we need topreserve most!

Even though we have realized the impacts of the way wemake and use things, many countries still push forwardwith the same strategies, strategies that are affecting ev-

erything from our global climate, to the water quality in yourtown, to the very air you are breathing right now!

So whats the big deal? The very way in which we have

designed our modern system of living is slowly harming

the very people it is meant to benet. We dump pesticidesand chemicals on our food. We emit harmful air pollutantsthat cause some of the highest rates of asthma anywherein the world. We dump waste into our waters and develop

land into strip malls and housing developments so fast thatwe have little more than a moment to think what kinds of

effects it may have on the local environment.So yes, this is a big deal because it affects you right here

and now. It affects your family, and the family you hope tostart. However, it doesnt have end up this way. You and Ihave the collective power to change this system toward a

more sustainable future, on that understands how to designwith the systems of the earth in mind. When we do this, we

can reverse even the largest of environmental concerns.The tricky part is getting everyone onboard.

So its up to you to spread the message, not by yelling atpeople or pointing ngers, but through creative action andapplication of the solutions that already exist all around

you. All you have to do is start thinking like a designer.

Connections and Relationships:Our shared home, the Earth, may seem big, but it isalso connected to everything we do. The water, the air,

the land are all connected through vast climatepatterns, geologic activity and ocean currents.

Design Matters:

When we design against these natural ows andpatterns, our earth can be affected negatively, inuenc-

ing the habitats, food systems and the life of every livingthing on the planet.Buildings Consume:Americas buildings consume 45% of the nations

energy, including about 75% of the nations electricityand 7% of water while contributing to massive amounts

of CO2 emissions. With over 60 million students andfaculty in millions of school building across the country,

these environmental impacts add up!



green design labthe


Some examples:

WOur bodies are nearly 75% water. The average human

consumes 2 liters (less than a gallon) of water each day.What would we do without it? Well we wouldnt be around

for much longer. Heres the problem: Only 1% of the wateron the Earth is fresh water, good for drinking. Yet most

of the world lives next to oceans, which you may haveguessed are salty. Nearly 20% of the population does nothave access to clean water and that number is expected to

increase exponentially. Soon we wont have enough water.

Feeling thirsty anyone?

FoodFood isnt getting to where it is needed. How we grow our

food is harming the planet. Although we have enough foodfor everyone on the planet right now, almost a quarter of

the worlds people do not get enough food to eat. Whatsthe deal? The rst problem is distribution and the second isthe way in which we produce our food and trade it. Large-

scale farming takes large amounts of resources, while atthe same time damaging the land where the food is grown,

so much so that the topsoil can erode and taint our water.Another important fact is that because of some free trade

agreements, most food is not even eaten in the countriesthat actually grow it. Moreover, we havent even mentionedshifting climate patterns that may begin to affect farmers

worldwide!

EnergyA new infrastructure is needed! Youve all been told to turnoff the lights or use CFL light bulbs. But really, what is the

deal with energy? Why cant we just make more powerplants? Well the key resources used in these power plants

are fossil fuels that are expected to be gone soon. So nofuel = no power. What about nuclear power? These plants

require loads of fresh water to operate, and as weve al-ready seen, we dont have a drop to spare. So what do wedo? Well, the sun, the wind, and the earth all provide free,

clean energy sources. The problem is getting these energysources set up and switching over to these alternative

powers. Although solar panels exist, the cost of this tech-nology is high and we need more incentives and laws fromthe government to help us switch. So where does design

come in? Well the next step is to gure out a renewableenergy infrastructure than can replace the old power plants.

Up for the challenge?

Waste and RecyclingO.K. -- recycling -- youve got that down, right? But weve

been recycling for over 40 years. Well, the problem is thawe are buying more and more stuff. Not only that, we are

producing stuff that cannot be recycled. What happens toall that stuff? You guessed it. It goes into landlls and isburned. Plastic bags have gotten so bad, for instance tha

the polymer strands in the material are being found in thebodies of animals all over the world. The design challeng

we are facing isnt recycling. The problem is bigger thanthat. Its a genuine challenge to re-think how we make stu

Still think you need that plastic bag?


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2. Sustainability and Design

1. Sustainability (Introduction)

What is this word sustainability anyway? Youve seen it

before on the news, in books even in TV commercials. Itsa word that can easily loose meaning if you dont know alittle bit about what this word actually means. So lets take a

closer look!

Sustainability literally means to keep constant. Unless wehave a focus its just a term. So lets talk about ecological

or environmental sustainability: the idea that a communityor individual is trying to keep an ecosystem (a place where

plants and animals live) in constant good health. We canapply this word to so many things! Here we are applyingthe concept of environmental sustainability to your school!

So in this discussion lets think about sustainability as ablueprint for a school building that doesnt harm your

local environment or community. Sustainability is all aboutbalance, creating a balance between the resources your

school and your body needs, and the impact this balance

has on your neighborhood and local environment. So startthinking in terms of strategies that could last or impact your

community for 5 or 10 years to come!

Still not sure what this word means or has to do with you?Well lets look at some examples:

Zero-energy, Zero-carbon, Zero-emissions,

Zero-waste: For everything from buildings to municipal

wastewater treatment facilities, communities arethinking about ways to bring their wastes down to zero.

Sound impossible? Well, consider that most ecosystemsrecycle over 98% of their own waste to make into food. Hu-

mans recycle on average 4%. Any improvement throughefciency and feedback loops would make ahuge difference.

Local Economy: Smaller Footprints, Cooler Stuff andMore Cash: More and more communities are using creative

strategies that keep things local and are re-imagining howwe buy and sell things. In Ithaca, NY, residents can use

time to buy and sell goods, offering their time in return forservices. In localities all over California, local goods andservices are given discounts so that people buy locally.

These community efforts reduce carbon emissions andtypically save people money.

Local Food: The local food movement is gainingpopularity all over the country as people realize the

importance of local and organic farming practices. Smallfarms, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operationsand farmers markets are springing up at exponential rates

all over the country! Renewable Energy: California just passed a renewable

energy law increasing the amount of money it gives toparticipants in programs. It is making a commitment to

renewable energy sources statewide. The trend continuesacross the country as coal and natural gas power plantsbecome too expensive to operate, and fossil fuels diminish.

K e y w o r d s Green Design: Green Design is a design process

that considers the impact of design on our localenvironment.

Environmental Sustainability: Sustainability is a

blueprint for planning an equitable future for people andlocal environments. Sustainability is balance.

Ecology: Ecology is the study of nonliving and living

things, that is, how people, animals, plants, andeverything interact with each other. Ecosystem:An Ecosystem is a community of livingthings and the environment in which they live.

Green Design and Innovation: Green design isdesign for people and our shared home the earth.

Innovation comes from understanding the processesand relationships between each of these elements,

because they are always connected.

K



green design labthe


2. Green Design

Everyone designs; it is basic to all human activities.How we design the things we use every day affects our

home, our families, and our health. In fact, as more andmore people are born and populate communities on theearth, the way we design and consume things becomes

increasingly important.

There are now over 6 billion people living on the planet andpredications from scientists around the world expect that

number to keep going up over time. Thats a lot of people!

All of these new people coming into the world need stuff tolive, like shelter, food and clothing. Where is it all coming

from, and does it make a difference how we make it andget rid of it? The short answer to that is yes, it does matter.

We are nding this out the hard way.

Our current design, construction, and manufacturingprocesses are based on linear (straight) systems,from production, to use, to waste. A linear system is one

where the relationships and connections to our sharedenvironment and communities are not included in the

planning and design process.

This linear design system prompts us to build disposablebuildings and products. We pump energy in and CO2 out.We pipe water in and sewage out. Now does that make any

sense? Construction consumes 40% of materials produced,and accounts for 40% of our waste stream. Of materials

used to create products, 6% ends up as the productitself, and 94% ends up as waste material and 80% of all

products produced end up in a landll within 6 weeks. 80percent of the environmental impact of the products, ser-vices, and infrastructures around us is determined at

the design stage. (Source: U.S. Green Building Council)

Thats right, 80%! Additionally, the majority of environmen-tal impacts are locked into design before the pencil touches

the paper. If we can make decisions about our design inthe initial stages, then we can avoid all the unnecessaryenvironmental impacts. So perhaps there is hope after all.

Green Design is a design process that considers theimpact of design on our local environment. By using gree

design techniques, we can lessen ecological impacts and

nd sustainable ways of designing products, services,buildings, and everything else. Ecological Design is allabout using the environment to inspire and drive a design

In this Guide, we are going to be talking a lot about desig

the different approaches, and denitions of design andwhat all of this means. However, the way we describe

and talk about design changes, based on whom you talk

to and in what context. But the best denition of all isgoing to come from you. So keep this in mind as weexplore some concepts of design and get closer to

understanding it a little bit better. Here are some guidingprinciples to get you started:

Place - Innovative designs consider the local, cultural,and historical context of where the design will be used or

installed. Listening to the people and understanding spacof a certain place is crucial to develop a good and green

design. Cycles & Process - Green design must work withthe cycles and loops within nature. If a design is not

inclusive of these natural systems, efciency will decreasand your design will not work in relationship to your

local environment. Keep it Local - Keeping materials, production, and use

of a design local increases the sustainability of a projectsubstantially. If we use local materials, we minimizetransportation and support the local economy.

Minimize Impacts - An innovative and green designconsiders the impacts on the local environment and build

ways to minimize these impacts right into the design of thstructure or item itself.

Waste is a Good Thing - When considering greendesign strategies, waste is not a negative thing. In fact,waste is something to recycle and use as energy. Waste

denitely a good thing and an essential consideration in agreen design.

The Longer the Better - A green design plans forlong-term use and durability and asks: how long will my

design be standing? How long will it take this product to brecycled and returned into the earth? These areessential questions to consider.

t oo w: ou of , com-p, v wo cou v o-gether to address these problems and fnd solutions

O of ouo c ign!


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3. School as an organism

ioucoOne of the main objectives of this guide is to start thinking

about your school building as a living organism. Soundcrazy? Well it can be a great way to help us think aboutsome complex design strategies and problems that you are

going to face as you begin to green and re-design yourschool. To get us started lets think about a word called

ommcy: a method that uses nature as inspiration tosolve problems and help us design more sustainably.

The natural world provides some of the most ingenious

designs on the planet: beetles that can pull water out of fog,chameleons that can change their body color in an instant,

camels that can store water in their bodies andlizards that can regenerate their broken tails - and thats

just the beginning. Biomimicry allows us to take some ofthese ingenious designs and apply them to your school and

your community.

Sounds great right? However, where do you start? And

how do designers actually use this idea of sustainability?Well lets look at two ways of thinking that will help us

understand just how to get this started: Systems thinkingand closed-loop modeling, two important and often used

thought processes that can help a designer consider alocal environment in his/her design process.

Systems thinking Systems thinking is a unique approachto problem solving, looking at every element of a design

as a series of systems: everything is connected. Think of asystem like a community. In a community there are a lot

of people, buildings, services, and elements all interactingin the same space. A lot of stuff is going on, right? Thiscommunity acts like a system. Everyone is a part of

the community because they are in the same space orattached to that space in some way.

When we talk about a community, we cannot isolate one

person or one thing, because then the entire communitywould not be included. So its everything and everyone allat once!

To set up a design model that uses systems thinking, start

out with a Ven Diagram. Consider all the elements thata design may affect like a particular neighborhood, people,

plants, or animals. Place each element in a circle anddetermine where these elements overlap. For instanceif you want to design a pair of shoes you will have to

consider the air pollution produced by creating the rubber,the land used to grow the cotton used in the shoe or the

animals used in the production of leather used.

Once you have these relationships down, you can beginthinking about how each process affects another. You canthen begin to design to avoid harming all the elements.

Closing the loop - closed-loop modeling. Now that wehave a better understanding of Systems Thinking, lets look

at another way in which designers visualize this kind ofapproach to design. Closed loop modeling is a way of or-

ganizing the ow of inputs and outputs of our design, mak-ing sure that everything we design considers the waste,

energy, and overall efciency of our process. By planningand mapping out this input/output ow, we can then ndways to connect these two elements so they are connected

like a loop. Our rst step is to create an input/output owdiagram like this:

The next step then is to take this input/output model and to

connect the outputs back to the beginning again - closingthe loop.

In order to achieve this, designers build systems modelsto chart out exactly what is going in and out of a design.

This aids in creating a closed loop, a system in whichwe can model and track everything coming in, like raw

materials, and everything going out, like waste frompackaging and disposal. This is NOT easy to do.

Designing a model that includes everything is nearly im-possible. However, the closer we get to closing our loop,the better our green design will be.



green design labthe

Unit Overview

MaterialsThis Module provides an introduction to green designand sustainable materials that could be integratedinto the design of your school building. A backgroundwill be supplied for students to understand the basics ofhow most schools are constructed and how this im-pacts their local communities and environment.

EnergyThis Module will focus on energy use and efciencyin your school building. Students will be encouragedto think critically about how their school buildingconsumes and uses energy and the resultant impactsthis production/use has on their local community

and environment.

WaterThis Module will concentrate on water-use andconservation. Students will be encouraged to thinkabout how water is used in their school, where it comesfrom, where it goes and asked to createoriginal designs that can help conserve and usewater in innovative ways.

2

FoodIn this Module we will explore issues related to food,how it gets to your school and the environmentalimpacts of this process. Students will be encouraged toinvestigate the source of their food and consider

alternative ways of creating a more sustainable andlocal food system for their school.

Waste/RecyclingIn this Module we will explore ways in which your stu-dents can take the lead and start thinking creativelyabout how to implement and maintain a functional recy-cling system. They will also be shown how to educateothers about the need to reduce their overall consump-tion.

Air QualityThis Module will focus on issues related to indoor airquality and health inside school buildings. A numberof environmental and health issues will be presentedstudents with an aim to facilitate critical thinking abou

how to address issues related to air quality.

R

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Notesb



Materials

Module One

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Materials

Objec t ives To understand the impacts

of building material choices

and design on the environment

To think critically about

materials and designs that

will make your school more

sustainable

To understand the life

cycle of common materials

and resources used in school

buildings

W e lco m e:A background will be supplied for students to understandthe basics of how most schools are constructed and how

this impacts their local communities and environment.

This Module provides an introduction to green design and

sustainable materials that could be integrated into the

design of your school building.

S t a n d a r d sWhats the Story?English Language Arts: ELA.3Mathematics and Technology:MT.1aScience: S.1b, S.1c, S.9a,S.10b

Lets Take a Closer LookEnglish Language Arts: ELA.6,ELA.3Mathematics and Technology:MT.5a, MT.4Science: S.1d, S.7b, S.10b

Lets Re-ThinkEnglish Language Arts: ELA.5,ELA.6Mathematics and Technology:MT.3a, MT.1bScience: S.8a, S.8b



green design labthe

MaterialsModule Overview

1. Whats the Story:This section will explore

issues related to building

performance and sustain-able materials.

2. Lets Take aCloser Look: Studentswill be encouraged to

analyze the overall design

and materials choices in

their school building. A

series of activities and an

investigatory worksheet

will help students explore

some of these issues.

3. Activities: Room by Room:

A School Blueprint

Materials Library!

Footprinting

Investigation Worksheet

4. Lets Rethink:Now that students have a

basic grasp of sustainabil-

ity and materials choices,they will be asked to

rethink the design and

materials used in their

school to make the

building more sustainable.

5. Activities: ecoFlip your School

Cob Sculpture

Prole: Clearview

Elementary School in

Hanover, Pennsylvania

Assessment

Community

Connections

Recycled mosaic with

community members

M os t s c hoo l bu i ld i n gs

a r e m a d e o f h u n d r e d s o f

d i ff er e n t m a t e r ia l sco m in g f r om a ll co r n e r s

o f t h e w o r ld !

The kinds of materials we choose

affect all sorts of things including your

students and their local neighborhood

and environment. In this Module, your

students will explore some of the

common materials that are used in

your school building. In addition, they

will nd out how these materials

affect your community and your

environment. The goal for this Module

is to give students ideas and

opportunities to re-design your school

from the ground up using materials and

design principles that make your school

healthy and sustainable.


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T h e b ig Q u e s t io n s

Whats The Story?

B u ild i n g s a n d

Co m m u n it ies

Since the 1950s the United States has

undergone a sweeping transformation inhow we live and build communities. The

country was once a mix of rural country-side communities of farms and large

cities. Can you imagine that most of NewYork used to be farmland!? And that mostof Los Angeles was in fact a part of the

desert valley? As time went on, cities gotbigger, people started spreading out, and

we began to transition to what is nowpredominantly suburban and urban ways

of living.

As this trend spread across the country,

designers and architects who were usedto building in small city spaces now had

the opportunity to create buildings and

communities that were much larger andbuilt around cars. This meant more roadsand bigger houses. Our towns becamefarther and farther apart. During the past

20 years more and more stores, in theform of strip malls, have been built alongmajor highways and major roads.

Now, almost 50 years later, we are

starting to see problems resulting fromthese kinds of designs. Big houses andlarge buildings use lots of energy, water

and other resources. Getting from thestore to your home in a car requires gas.

Also, these resources are becoming a lotharder to acquire and are beginning to

cost more money.

With almost a billion people expected to

move into the worlds already crowdedcities, how are we going to ensure that

we have clean water, enough energy, anda way to get people around? Sustainable

community planning may offer us somesolutions. Lets fnd out more...

The materials typically used for a newbuilding have classically been chosen

based on cost and not necessarily on

location or the sustainability of a material.Common materials like cement, steel andglass require massive amounts of energy,water and other resources to make. Then

there is the other issue of transporting thematerials to the site where the building is

located. All of these processes can havenegative impacts on your environment.

(For instance, the air emissions releasedfrom transforming raw materials into build-ing materials contributes to air and water

pollution. (Contd)

Material

K e y w o r d s Renewable

Material

A material that comes

from a local source or

from a resource that

can be easily and

sustainably re-grown

or sustained.

Fly Ash

Waste from power

plants used to create

more sustainable

concrete.

VOC

Volatile Organic

Compound a toxic

gas that can be found

in some common housepaints.

Cob

a building material

consisting of clay, straw

and water.

1. Sustainable Materials

Why should we worry

about what materials are

used in a building? What is a

sustainable material?

2. My School Building

Whats your school made of

anyway? Where do building

materials come from? And

how do they impact your local

environment and community?

3. A Sustainable School

What would your school look

like if it were constructed

from sustainable materials?

How would it be better for

your environment?

M a t e r i a ls a n d t h e E n v i r o n m e n t K



green design labthe

(Contd) Also, the methods in which

many manufacturers and companiesextract raw materials like wood,minerals and oil to make building

materials can harm ecosystems inmany ways, such as deforestation,

water pollution and mining.

W h a t s t h e

I m p a ct ?

So what does this have to do withyou? The ways in which your school

and community are designed, and thematerials chosen for those designs,

have a big impact on you and yourfamily from air pollution to land useissues. Consider for a moment your

school and community as a livingorganism! In order to think of the

school in terms of sustainability,we must rst imagine the school

building as a living organism. Just asan animal or our body needs water,food and a habitat, or a home to live,

a building also requires inputs inorder for it to function properly and

be healthy. If the building is healthy,the communities in that space will be

healthy also. The materials we chooseto build new schools, homes, andbuildings inuences how these inputs

are transformed! A conventionalbuilding, constructed with materials

that may not be sustainable, will

be more difcult to make moresustainable. Green buildings anddesign techniques however decreasethe impact on our local environment

and allow buildings to save costsrelated to everything from water

to electricity.

In this section, we are going to lookat the materials used to construct yourschool and consider the environmental

and social impacts of these materials.The idea is to design a school care-

fully, choosing materials that have a

low impact on your environmentand your community.

A n a t o m y o f

Y o u r S ch o o l

So whats up with your school build-

ing? Have you ever considered justwhat kinds of materials go into making

a building? How do you think this mayaffect your community and yourenvironment? To answer some of

these questions lets look at whatkinds of common building materials

you will see throughout your school:

Cement - Cement is made by

heating limestone with small quantitiesof other materials (such as clay)

to 1450C in a kiln! This is thencombined with gypsum into a powder,

creating Ordinary Portland Cement(OPC), the most commonly used typeof cement. Limestone is a sedimentary

rock composed largely of the mineralcalcite (calcium carbonate: CaCO3).

Limestone can be found in states like

Indiana, Alabama and Texas althoughmost cement now comes from Indiaand China where a building boom hasresulted in a massive need for new

cement. Cement is one of the mostunsustainable materials used in build-

ings resulting in 5% of humankindscarbon dioxide emissions. Cement

relies on the decomposition oflimestone, a chemical change thatfrees carbon dioxide as a byproduct.

Concrete is the second most usedproduct on the planet, after water, and

almost half of

it is producedin China(where 540

million tonsof C02 was

released justin 2008).

Glass - Glass is made primarily of

a substance called silica (SiO2)(very much like sand you nd at the

beach!). To make most of the glasswe now use in buildings, silica ismelted to temperature of over 2300

and then other substances like sodiuand lime (sodium carbonate (Na-

2CO3) and calcium oxide to be exac(CaO)) are added to the melted silicAfter preparing the glass mixture, th

raw materials are brought to a furnawhere bubbles are removed and the

glass is formed. The amount of fuel heat glass furnaces is immense! All

this heat requires phenomenal energconsumption resulting in greenhousegas emissions that some calculate

could be as much as 2 tons of CO2,per 1 ton of glass. In addition, the

extractionsilica (san

for the glais incredibtaxing on

anyenviron-

ment.

Steel -Steel ismade up

of primar-ily iron.

Iron canbe found in the earths crust only in

combination with oxygen or sulfur.To make steel, manufacturers use aprocess called smeltering, which me

the iron and other additives to 1370 (Contd)

Whats The Story?Material


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Whats The Story?This allows the iron to combine with

other elements like martensite, whichincreases the strength of the ironcomposite (a mixture of different

substances). The smeltering processas well as obtaining iron ore has an

incredible impact on the planet! Largequarries are formed around mountains

and other natural areas around thecountry to extract this raw material

and then transport it to a smelter plant.The process of smelting creates many

byproducts including emissions thatcould be toxic to surrounding air qual-ity if not properly contained or treated.

Vinyl Flooring - Vinyl ooring is made

of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), with vari-ous compounds added to change thecolor, exibility, and hardness. To

produce this, manufacturers take thevinyl as a liquid, creating a mixture

that can be spread into a thin layerby a rolling process. Then the liquid

plastic is dried through an applica-tion of heat and air. PVC production is

the largest use of chlorine gas in the

world, consuming 40 percent of totalchlorine production, (16 million tons/year) worldwide. Making PVC createsmillions of tons of organochlorine

byproducts that can seep into watersystems next to manufacturing facili-

ties. Burning PVC or vinyl materialscan be even more hazardous by

releasing toxins into the air. Exposureto PVC can be lethal, contributing tocancer, reproductive impairment, and

neurological problems.

Wood - Wood used in a building is

called lumber. The type of wood useddepends on the purpose. Older build-ings were constructed with balloon

framing, using wood to frame wallsand rooms inside a building. New

home construction alone consumestwo-fths of all lumber and plywoodused in the United States, and a

typical 1700 square foot wood framehome requires the equivalent of clear

cutting one acre of forest. Within U.S.national forests alone, at least 70,000

acres of old-growth timber (a kind oflumber that comes from trees thathave been growing for a substantial

period) have been harvested eachyear since the mid-1980s.

Brick - A brick is made from red clay

and secured with mortar, a kind ofglue agent made of cement, sand, andwater. Bricks are an ancient building

material dating back to the communi-

ties in ancient regions of the MiddleEast! To make a brick you need someraw materials kaolin and shale these

materials are crushed, combined withmortar, and then red in a giant

furnace. Most bricks are produced inthe Southern and Midwestern part

of the United States because thatswhere you nd the most shale and

clay. Each brick requires a lot ofenergy to make. In addition, lots of

gasoline is needed to transport eachbrick to another location!

T h e s e a r e ju s t s o m eo f t h e m a jo r p a r t s

o f y o u r s ch o o l

bu i ld i n g . B e g i nt o t h in k a b o u t t h e

k in d s o f m a t e r ia ls

y o u n o t ic e in y o u r cla s s ro o m a n d y o u r

s ch o o l . W h e r e d ot h ey co m e fr o m a n d

h o w a r e t h ey m a d e?

Material



green design labthe

Lets Take a Closer LookMaterial

W h a t s t h eim p a ct ?

Now that we know about some of

the major kinds of materials used toconstruct your school we can beginto think about the impacts this

process might have on your local com-munity and environment. The process

of constructing a building has manysteps! Building materials begin as a

raw material from the earthusually deep in the earths crust.These materials are extracted and

then transformed into steel, glass, andcement. Finally, the building materials

are transported to a site and used toconstruct a building like your school.

Lets take a closer look at this processand consider how these steps impactthe environment. Remember also to

think about ways we could rethink thisprocess to be more sustainable.

Harvesting Think about wherethe raw materials are coming fromand what it takes to get these rawmaterials to a manufacturing facil-

ity. Lumber requires logging a forest,bricks require clay that comes from

the earths crust and concrete requiresmassive amounts of limestone found

in mineral deposits, mountains andother geologic formations. Its nevereasy to extract raw materials from

anywhere. Extraction disrupts the

animals and plants that call thesespaces their home.

Production Now that we have a raw

material its time to transform that intoa building material like glass, cementor lumber. Each material requires a

massive amount of energy and waterto create a nal product. In addition,

the production and manufacturingprocess typically creates a massive

amount of byproducts like carbondioxide (a greenhouse gas that con-tributes to climate change),

wastewater, and nasty air emissions.

Transportation Most buildingmaterials are transported huge

distances to get to the nal site whethey will be used. Many materials

come from long distances sometimes from the other side of theworld! The transportation process

requires one main thing: fuel. Wheththe fuel is gasoline, diesel or biodies

(fuel that is plant-based), the use offuel takes a toll on our environment.

Gasoline and diesel release emissiointo our air and biodiesel requiresmassive amounts of water and

land-use to produce.

Construction and

Disposal

Ok so weve made oumaterials and wevegotten it all to our site

Now its time to build!Sounds simple enoug

right? Well the con-

struction process canbe very taxing on ourenvironment. Largemachinery, wastewa-

ter, and lots of wastematerial are generate

from most constructioprojects. These waste

end up in local eco-systems, landlls andsometimes in the very

air you breathe.

T h e b i g I d e a s1. Raw Materials

Building materials start with a

raw material such as oil, sand or

limestone

2. Production

Raw materials are transformed

into building materials

3. Consumption and Use

Building materials are nally

used and consumed in the

construction process

I n v e s t i g a t i n g Y o u r S ch o o l s M a t e r i a l s


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Solar One 2009

Lets Take a Closer Look!l

W h e re to S t a r t?

OutsideWhat materials are used in the outside of your

building? Brick, glass, steel?

CaeteriaLook at all the materials used in your cafeteria

from ovens to dishwashers.

ClassroomsThink about all the materials used in your

classroom: computers, desks, chairs and

ooring.

Gymnasium/AuditoriumThink about what materials are used to make

the bleachers, chairs, ooring and windows.

LibraryConsider all of the materials you need to make

the shelving, tables, carpeting and other kindsof ooring.

Once you have started this list, turn to the next

section where were going to think about

replacements for these materials with ones

that might be better for your environment.

Building Use Now that we nally have a

building, our impact isnt over in fact, it usually neverends. Buildings use resources such as electricity, water,and heating fuel. Just like in the production process many

byproducts are created from the building wastewatercoming from bathrooms and sinks, air emissions like C02

coming from the use of electricity and sulfur and nitrogenoxides coming from the burning of fossil fuels to heat the

building.

Le t s In v es t iga te Y ou r

S c h o o l

Now i t s t i m e t o t ak e t h i s

in f o r m a t io n a n d u s e i t in y o u r o w n s ch o o l ! B e g in t o c r ea t e a

ca t a lo g o f m a t e r i a ls u s e d i n

y o u r s ch o o l. Es t im a t e w h a t t h e en v ir o n m e n t a l im p a c t s o f

t h e s e m a t e r i a ls ch o i ce s m ig h t

be . Use t he i n v e s t i ga t i onw o r k s h e et t o r eco r d y o u r

a n s w e rs a n d r e s u lt s .



green design labthe

Lets Take a Closer LookMaterial

Materials: Large pieces of paper,compass, markers, tape measuresTime: 50-60 minutes

Procedure: In this activity studentswill learn how to make a oor plan

of their school and compare to a realblueprint. Obtain a blueprint of your

school from a janitor or schooladministrator. All schools are required

to have these available at all timesfor re code reasons. Lead adiscussion about architecture and

a general description of blueprints.

Ask what is their purpose and howarchitects create them. As an opening

activity, divide students into designteams of 3-4. Hand out materials

including measuring tapes, compassesand paper. To start, have students

create a oor plan of their classroom.

Students should rst measure all waand create a log of measurements.

Then using a ratio of 10:1 or 5:1 havstudents create a blueprint of the roo

on a large piece of paper.

Continue with this blueprintingprocess as long as necessary to get

a sense of the layout and overallsquare footage of the school. When

completed, handout ofcial blueprintfor students to compare. Note theactual square footage and compare

to estimates.

Material

R o o m b y R o o m : A S c h o o l B lu e p r i n t

Materials: clipboards, blank sheet of

paper, pencil, tracing paper, hand lensTime: 50-60 minutes

Procedure: Divide your students into4-5 teams with 3-4 students in each

group. Review some of the majormaterials you will nd in your school.

Discuss some of the ecologicalimpacts of these materials. Consider

some bioregional characteristics of

the school location, such as climate

and weather, land-type and use andproximity to other natural areas.

Explain to students that they are goingto be investigating the materials used

in the structure of their schoolbuilding via an on-site eld study. Us-ing the oor plans produced in the pre-

vious activity, have students exploredifferent areas of their school. Have a

chaperone guide 2 groupsoutside of the school while you guide

2 groups inside hallways, bathrooms

and other communal spaces. Of

course, encourage students to respeother classes going on. Encourage

students to make rubbings of materials they use.

Hand out hand lenses so they can ga closer look at some of the materia

Have students record the location antypes of materials they suspect they

are identifying.

M a t e r i a ls L i b r a r y !

Materials: calculators, scrap paperTime: 30-40 minutes

Procedure: Use this activity to uncov-

er the carbon footprint of some of themajor materials used in the infrastruc-

ture of your school building. Usingyour oor plans and estimates of how

much of certain materials are used,we can calculate an estimate of thecarbon footprint created by these ma-

terials. For this exercise concentrateon the three most common elements

found in a school: cement, wood and

steel. Using the formula and variables

below, have students calculate thecarbon footprint for each.Carbon Footprint = Material in SquareFeet x Carbon Footprint constant

Carbon Footprint Constants(From the Footprint Network)Cement/Concrete:

0.012 tons of C02/ft2

Wood: 0.002 tons of C02/ft2

Steel: 0.0092 tons of C02/ft2

If you cant nd the specic amounts

for each material, make estimates!

The important thing is that students

understand that building materials corespond to a certain footprint that cotributes to greenhouse gas emissionand consequently, climate change.

When nished, lead a discussion onwhat the impact of these footprints

may have on your region and state.

F o o t p r i n t i n g


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Solar One 2009

Worksheet

LInvestigationName: Date

Focus Area:

School Name:

Use this worksheet to record the re-sults you get after investigating the eco-impacts of the materials used in yourschool!

Bas ic In fo :

Blueprint:Draw a blueprint of one of the rooms you measured or of yourentire school!

Materials Archive:Write down a list of materials you identied throughoutyour school.

Footprint:Write down the resultsfrom calculating thecarbon footprint ofmaterials used in yourschool.

d a t a + S k e t ch es



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