Page 6 - School Planning & Management, December 2017

INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS
myriad of industries and government entities, are respond- ing. The stage has been set for low-carbon buildings; and schools with sustainability and high-performance attributes are increasingly common place. Zero Net Energy (ZNE) build- ings, while still the exception, are anticipated to become the new normal we can all embrace.
School buildings (including new construction, remodel- ing projects, and existing structures) are rapidly becoming more intelligent—a movement that will continue. An intel- ligent building is designed to flexibly meet needs and utilize technology and procedures to provide a highly effective learning environment, indoor environmental quality, safety, and efficiency in energy and water use. These smart facili- ties are designed to provide an optimal learning and working environment for students and staff alike. Additionally, lower
operating costs are a great byproduct that administrators and tax payers can all appreciate.
BUILDING INTELLIGENCE
Utilizing building intelligence has become increasingly com- mon, including the ability to monitor activities and perfor- mance. With today’s technology, adjustments based on moni- toring are automatically made and/or manually adjusted to provide a healthier and more productive environment and re- duce expenses.
Northland Pines School District’s (NPSD) high school in Eagle River, Wisc., was the first LEED Gold certified public high school in the United States. The 250,000-square-foot facili- ty—now known as the Middle & High School—was innovative at the time of its completion (2006), incorporating many intel- ligent building features to monitor and fine-tune for optimum comfort, health, and cost savings. Examples include sensors to reduce electric lighting when daylight is sufficient, automat- ic shut-off lighting when no one is using a specific space, and adjusting heating, cooling, and ventilation to non-occupied settings when no one is present.
The NPSD Middle & High School provides daylighting in almost all classrooms. To take advantage of daylight harvest- ing, sensors were installed to control the outer row of lights (those parallel to the windows). When sufficient daylight is present, the outer row of lights is turned to 50 percent of output. Motion sensors provide further control. When no one is present, lights are turned off and the HVAC system is set to a non-occupied mode.
EMERGING TRENDS AND HOW TO ENHANCE BUILDING INTELLIGENCE
There are many ways to enhance building intelligence ca- pabilities, whether you’re building a new facility, significantly remodeling an existing structure, or just updating your cur- rent property. Sensors and management software are ways that you can quickly and proactively improve operations and reduce facility costs. Emerging opportunities for improve- ments continue to be introduced, such as demand manage- ment strategies to reduce peak demand charges. For exam- ple, the direct linkage of the electrical meter to the building control system can provide significant cost savings by se- lectively limiting chiller operation and/or HVAC fan power as peak demand approaches identified thresholds over the course of the year. Most electric utilities charge their com- mercial customers, such as school districts, forty to fifty percent of their electric bill cost based on the monthly peak demand in kW (kilo-Watts). Studies have shown that build- ing occupants will typically be unaware of small, short-term temperature adjustments—if they even occur—due to these measures.
This kind of building operation adjustment will be en- hanced as utilities introduce smart grids that provide a price
A 30’ CEILING AVERAGES A
15°F
TEMPERATURE DIFFERENTIAL
RESULTING IN A
26.3% PROJECTED ANNUAL WASTED HEATING COST
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