(Day) Lighting the net-zero energy classroom building

Solatube 

Solatube Daylighting Systems helped the Lenawee Intermediate School District to create a net-zero energy classroom building, completed in June 2013.

The Lenawee Intermediate School District (LISD) has installed numerous Solatube Daylighting Systems made by Solatube International, Inc., the worldwide leading manufacturer and marketer of Tubular Daylighting Devices (TDDs), in its groundbreaking Center for a Sustainable Future (CSF) in Adrian, Mich. The CSF features 21 Solatube 750DS-C units and five 750DS-O units, which were designed for school and commercial applications.

The Solatube Daylighting Systems were installed in the new 8,600-square-foot, state-of-the-art, net-zero energy classroom building, which was completed in June 2013 and targeting LEED Platinum certification. The facility is designed to produce as much energy as it uses, a first for a K-12 building in Michigan. The state-of-the-art educational campus embodies environmental sustainability and offers hands-on learning experiences in agri-science, biology, alternative energy, and strategies to reduce reliance on non-renewable resources. The team responsible for this innovative design was a combination of SHW Group, The Collaborative, Inc. and CMTA Engineers. Architectural Building Products, a Solatube Commercial Distributor for Michigan, provided the Solatube units.

“The use of Solatube Daylighting Systems is an integral part of our energy management system providing natural light which is very conducive to the learning environment,” says Jim Philp, Lenawee Intermediate School District superintendent. “Solatube products are a cost-efficient solution to provide lighting to classroom and office space. The district is currently looking into using Solatube Daylighting Systems in existing buildings, as well.”

Solatube Daylighting Systems are available through factory trained Solatube Commercial Distributors. For more information, please visit http://www.solatube.com/commercial.

solatube.com/commercial

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management October 2013 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • North Dakota State University Completes Music School Renovation

    North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D., recently announced that construction on the Challey School of Music has finished, according to a news release. The university partnered with Foss Architecture & Interiors for design and Kraus-Anderson for construction services, and construction began in July 2024.

  • Anderson Brulé Architects Rebrands as ABA Studios

    Anderson Brulé Architects, based in San Jose, Calif., recently announced that it is celebrating 40 years of service by rebranding under a new name, according to a news release. The architectural, interior design, and planning firm will now be known as ABA Studios to refresh its identity underneath a new generation of leadership.

  • Empowering People Through Smart, Sustainable Campuses

    Sustainability is facing increasing scrutiny, with some questioning its costs and priorities. Yet for universities, it remains an essential driver of resilience, operational efficiency and long-term competitiveness. At the same time, there is a growing recognition that sustainable transformation is not just about reducing energy consumption and emissions to comply with tightening regulations ‒ it’s about creating vibrant, comfortable environments where people can thrive, innovate and connect. For university leadership, this is a complex balancing act, with rising energy costs and limited budgets only adding to the challenge.

  • KI Launches K–12 Classroom Furniture Giveaway

    Contract furniture company KI recently announced the launch of its fourth-annual Classroom Furniture Giveaway, which awards $50,000 each to four K–12 educators across the U.S., according to a news release. The goal is to address decreasing student engagement and increasing teacher burnout numbers by updating learning spaces to accommodate modern needs.

Digital Edition