ASI Controls value-added resellers Digital Control Solutions, Inc. (DCS) of Gilroy, CA and N-Control, Inc. of Northbrook, IL worked together with Val’s Plumbing & Heating of Salinas, CA to design and install the building control system for the Chartwell School, the first complete educational campus to ever earn a US Green Building Council LEED-NC 2.1 Platinum rating.
The school, located in Seaside, CA, had to score 52 or more out of a possible 69 points to achieve Platinum status. Some of the green features of the 20,000 square foot Phase 1 project include:
• Daylighting/lighting controls – incorporates natural light to save electricity, reduce HVAC equipment, and contribute to an enhanced learning environment.
• 32kW photovoltaic system – generates onsite electricity that cuts electric bills by more than half, and avoids 54,000 lbs of C02 annually.
• Water saving features – reduces campus water use by 60% by using waterless urinals, dual flush toilets, and an 8,700 gallon rainwater cistern.
• Sustainable framing design – Twenty-four inch (rather than 16”) framing reduced wood use by 30%, and the majority of the wood purchased was certified for sustainability by the Forest Stewardship Council.
• Construction waste diversion – Eighty-two percent of construction waste was diverted from landfills and recycled.
• Waste reutilization – inclusion of slag (iron-ore byproduct) improved concrete quality while reducing C02 emissions.
• Improved indoor air quality – selection of paints, finishes, and furnishings with no VOC content reduced likelihood of irritating or toxic fumes that can trigger allergies or other negative health effects. Indoor CO2 monitors adjust ventilation rates.
• Designed for disassembly – partnered with Environmental Protection Agency to incorporate features enabling cost-effective disassembly for classroom relocation or campus enlargement.
About Chartwell School:
The mission of Chartwell School is to educate children with a wide range of language-related visual and auditory learning challenges in a way that provides them with the learning skills and self-esteem necessary to return successfully to mainstream education. Chartwell also helps individuals with specific learning challenges access their full potential by providing leading-edge education, research and community outreach.
More information at www.chartwell.org
Project profile: www.usgbc.org/LEED/Project/RegisteredProjectListDetail.aspx?ID=10000863
