CEFPI Awards Students for Green Designs at School Building Week
Arizona Middle School Takes Top Honor
WASHINGTON — The winners of a green school design competition for middle school students were announced at School Building Week, the annual event organized by the Council for Educational Facility Plan-ners, International.
The annual competition challenges teams of middle school students to design green schools that enhance learning, conserve resources and engage the community. The contest requires students to submit a project model made with recycled materials, a 750-word narrative description and a short video or PowerPoint presentation that documents the planning process.
Imago Dei Middle School of Tucson, Ariz., received the Award of Excellence; Explorer Middle School of Everett, Wash., was named second place; and Seneca Middle School of Macomb, Mich., and the Gereau Center of Rocky Mount, Va., tied for third place.
Students from Imago Dei chose an abandoned neighborhood site for their school and created their own bricks using sand and other materials from the location.
The students researched their local desert climate before they decided on building orientation, gardens and energy-efficient echnologies.
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The winning team considered their local climate before selecting materials, energy systems and landscaping components. |
The Seneca Middle School project provides computers to every student, while utilizing smart-glass room dividers and access cards with a GPS chip.
The Gereau Center project incorporated recycled materials, geothermal heating and air conditioning, solar hot- water heaters and triple-pane glass.