Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects received a national award this month for its zero energy design of Jennings Creek Elementary in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
The award, 1st Runner-Up in the 2020 Heavy Commercial Category, was highlighted along with a profile in the May issue of Insulating Concrete Forms Magazine.
The article also highlighted Richardsville Elementary, another Sherman Carter Barnhart project:
“Not long ago, zero-energy construction was thought to be unattainable in a cost-effective manner. That changed when Richardsville Elementary was built. Located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and completed in time for the 2010-2011 school year, it was the nation’s first net-zero energy (NZE) school.
Designed by Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects and built with Nudura ICFs, it changed what was thought possible. Richardsville—with 77,000 sq. ft. of conditioned space—was at least ten times larger than the average NZE structure at the time, and was built at a cost comparable to any other new school project. In fact, it generates more electricity than it uses, and receives annual energy rebates in excess of $30,000.
Now the same team that built Richardsville Elementary has created something even more remarkable.
Like Richardsville, Jennings Creek Elementary was commissioned by Warren County Public Schools, designed by Sherman Carter Barnhart, and used Nudura ICFs as the exterior wall system.
Kenny Stanfield, lead architect at Sherman Carter Barnhart says, ‘To achieve zero energy, all aspects of the design had to focus on energy reduction strategies. An ICF building envelope provided not only superior insulation, but also an unmatched thermal mass. The final design solution was compact in both height and volume, and featured a ‘clerestory spine’ to bring natural daylight into the interior great hall and media center.’ ”
Jennings Creek Elementary was commissioned by Warren County Public Schools, designed by Sherman Carter Barnhart, and used Nudura ICFs as the exterior wall system. The school opened in August 2018 and achieved third-party-verified net-zero energy status in its first year of operation.
” ‘We’re in climate zone four, and the average school would use an (Energy Use Intensity) of 73…(but) we’ve gotten it down to 15.5, which we never thought would be possible,’ Stanfield said. That’s more efficient than Richardsville. While the projected annual energy cost for an equivalent school is $195,000, Jennings Creek had an energy bill of $51,000, which was then “zeroed-out” by the solar array, which generated more energy than the school required, selling the excess back to local utility.”
For more of the article, be sure to check out ICF Magazine. Questions about ICF or zero energy design? Call Kenny Stanfield at 859-224-1351.
