Flaherty Primary School

 A Net Zero Energy Achievable Community Centered School

Flaherty Primary’s numerous energy efficient systems and strategies, earned the school a perfect Energy star performance rating of 100. The school’s extremely low rate of energy consumption (21.7 kBtu/sf) during its first year of operation designates Flaherty Primary as a “Net Zero Achievable” building, leading the school district to commission Sherman Carter Barnhart to design a solar array to be added to the school and for the District to pursue federal grants/incentives for Zero Energy buildings.

The New Flaherty Primary Center interior reflects both the school’s rural heritage and its proximity to Fort Knox Army Base. The media center features an agricultural theme, where students can share a book while sitting atop a “hay bale” (kiva blocks) below a central “tree of knowledge”. The walls of the media center are accented by a barn complete with barn doors, a silo, and fencing. The corridors and common spaces throughout the building embrace the Army’s influence in the Flaherty community; floor patterns are extractions of Army General badges and feature fifteen stars throughout the building corresponding to Kentucky’s entry into the Union. In the main lobby, eight banners are hung from the walls, coinciding with the eight Army service ribbons for various commendations. Each banner is accompanied by a dedicated plaque with a thorough description. Each of these features help to promote a culture of learning and utilize the building as a teaching tool.

Flaherty operates at 21.7 kBtu/sf/yr creating an average savings of over $82,300 a year in energy costs.