This month’s Insulating Concrete Forms Builder magazine highlighted Sherman Carter Barnhart’s Kenny Stanfield, AIA and two Kentucky elementary schools he designed using ICF and Zero Energy design principles.
The article focuses on Alvaton and Richardsville elementary schools in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and the process that led to their innovative designs. The article also highlights the trailblazing attitude of school officials and board members in Warren County.
Alvaton was the first project to gain international attention. But with Richardsville, the second elementary school designed with ICF technology, the addition of a solar array made a huge difference. Richardsville has been toured by education officials from around the globe.
From the article:
” ‘The challenge (with Richardsville) was to bring the school in for the same per square foot cost as a conventional school. This meant finding $2.8M in savings to offset the solar array. Comparably, the solar on the latest school we opened was about $400,000. The cost per watt has dropped from around $7.90 per watt to around $3.00. While still significant, this is equivalent to the type of roof system we use or the floor finish on the project,” says Stanfield. “Dramatic energy reduction coupled with onsite renewable energy and a net zero design means that every time you bring a school online that has the capacity to produce its equivalent in green energy, we’re kind of like a micro green energy plant.’
Applying the lessons learned in the Alvaton project, the Richardsville project was the culmination of years of work; an 80,000-sq.-ft. net zero school that generates more energy than it consumes. The resounding success is reflected in the EUI of 25 and the school has collected an average of more than $30,000 each year from the utility company adding to the bottom line.
This project was built for the same cost as conventional construction and brings with it the added benefit of disaster resilience and enhanced life safety. Through design and other construction material savings, in most cases, it’s cheaper to build these schools with ICFs than with conventional masonry.
This project and its design methodologies laid the groundwork for the more than 156 net zero education facilities that are underway across 36 states with more to follow.”
Read more in the magazine below or visit ICF Magazine’s website.
