Center For Innovation

Optimized Flexibility To Adapt To The District and Community Needs

“The Center for Innovation is fantastic! This investment will ensure our students will excel in college or career opportunities …This center is another example of our school district doing great things for our children to succeed.” – Dr. Doug Bennett, Superintendent , Laurel County Schools

The Laurel County Center For Innovation is a two story facility with 6 academic houses, featuring a Presentation/ Conference Room, two Media Cafes, Administration, and Catering Kitchen. This unique facility, offers specialized spaces to provide optimal flexibility to adapt to the needs of the school district and community.

Working closely with the school district, Sherman Carter Barnhart designed the school to provide an optimal learning environment with extensive daylighting and state of the art technology. The entire curriculum is online and supported by a digital research library, and “live” laboratories for hands on learning. Outside the classrooms, continued learning is encouraged with numerous interactive and collaborative learning spaces for student to student and student to faculty engagement. There is also numerous areas for students to display their work.

Energy reduction was also a major focus during the planning and design of the school. A solar panel powers the lighting system for the school, to reduce energy demands, to operate at 25 EIU’s or less annually, thereby reaching “Net Zero Energy Achievable” performance. A geothermal HVAC system and a super insulated building envelope also advance the reduction of energy demand. The building is also equipped to expand the solar power installation to one day reach Net Zero Energy.

To facilitate flexibility and future growth, the building structure is steel columns with load bearing exterior walls. Two centrally located media cafes with vertical openings visually connect the floors and academic houses.