Homer Building Tour – Greenbuild 2012
Michael J. Homer Science and Student Life Center
Saturday, November 16, 2012
Format of the Tour
- Student guides arrive @ 1:45 pm (front of Homer Building)
- Encouraged to wear SHP clothing
- Tour participants arrive about 2:00 pm
- Group broken into three groups – one adult and two students per group
- Tour Leaders: Bill Leddy (LMS), Ted van der Linden (DPR), Colin Quinton (SHP)
- Tour ends about 3:00 pm in Harman Assembly Hall
- Q&A with Tour leaders and students
- Finish by about 3:30 pm
- Students will share candidly and informally throughout the tour
Student Reflection Points
- What does it mean to you to attend a school that built this as “Green”?
- What do you notice about the building that “speaks” to you, inspires you?
- What was it like to attend classes here, as compared to other buildings?
- Does this building make you think differently about classrooms can be?
- The school promotes “building as teacher.” What do you think about this?
Building Highlights (to think about)
- Ceiling fans / windows enhance the natural ventilation system
- Radiant (floor) heating throughout the building (low electricity)
- Recycled cotton/denim used for insulation (interior walls)
- Low-water usage bathrooms
- 73 skylights throughout the building – Natural Lighting
- Fast-growth wood used for construction
- Solar panels located above assembly hall – reduce electricity load
- Bioswale can support wildlife, vegetation – slows drainage – natural filtration
- Water efficient landscaping – reduce outdoor water usage by 50%.
- Each classroom has a window indicator – maximize heat and air flow.
- South-facing classrooms built-in light shelves to block / move direct sunlight
- Organic gardens adjacent to the building – built into the curriculum
- APES students grow “test plots” adjacent to the building
- APES course started to coincide with the opening of the building
Tour Cycle Rotations (all tours end @ Auditorium)
- Tour A: Outside, 2nd Floor, 1st Floor
- Tour B: 1st Floor, Outside, 2nd Floor
- Tour C: 2nd Floor, 1st Floor, Outside
Further Reading
Chemteacher 
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