New Wisconsin Middle School Designed to Save Energy, Water

MILWAUKEE — Officials at Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District held a dedication ceremony Sept. 6 for the new eco-friendly East Middle School, which will serve 1,000 sixth through eighth-grade students.


Students, parents, staff and community members were invited to tour the facility, which was designed by local firm Eppstein Uhen Architects, and learn about several sustainable design elements incorporated into the school to help it preserve energy and teach students about energy efficiency.


Green features include storm-water retention ponds, outdoor classroom areas for science studies and high-performance glass to allow natural daylight and reduce glare in all instruction areas.


A combination of mechanical and lighting systems are expected to reduce the school’s energy use and annual operating costs with sensors in all regularly occupied rooms to control lighting and HVAC functions. Heat-recovery units that will reclaim energy from exhaust air.


Low-flow sensors on all plumbing fixtures and waterless urinals are designed to reduce the school’s water use and teach students about water conservation strategies.


Other sustainable design elements include carpet made of recycled materials in offices and multipurpose spaces and low-VOC paint.


In addition to providing regular programming space for middle school students, East Middle will house the district’s entire cognitive disability program. Additional features include educational houses, encore areas, instructional media center, an 800-seat gym and an auxiliary gym.


Architects designed the building using several sustainable elements incorporated into the district’s Deerfield Elementary School, a two-story, 60,000-square-foot school also designed by Eppstein Uhen. The school’s environmentally friendly features helped it perform 38 percent more efficiently than the national average for K-12 buildings, officials say.