Skip Navigation to main content U.S. Department of Energy U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Building Technologies Program

EnergySmart Schools

Designing and Building EnergySmart Schools

Energy-efficient schools use less energy, cost less to operate, use fewer natural resources, and impact the environment less than conventional buildings. The greatest opportunities for incorporating energy efficiency and sustainability into a building come in the design phase. During construction, there are additional opportunities to reduce the project's impact on the environment. Renovating an existing building rather than building a new one benefits the environment even more and does not require new infrastructure.

Designing, constructing, or renovating an energy-efficient school requires a "whole-building" approach. This approach differs from the traditional design/build process, as the design team examines the integration of all building components and systems and determines how they best work together to save energy and reduce environmental impact.  This process helps the project team realize, for example, that the desire for daylighting will determine both the site and window placement to take full advantage of the sun—and that using daylighting will reduce the need for lights and wiring. A project team with energy-efficiency experience can ensure that the right decisions are made from the beginning of the process.

Refer to the Whole Building Design and Construction Checklist for an overview of the process.

EnergySmart Schools Design Elements

  • Daylighting is simply the use of natural light in a building to reduce electric lighting loads.
  • The best HVAC design considers all the interrelated building systems while addressing indoor air quality, energy consumption, and environmental benefit. Energy-efficient designs often need smaller HVAC systems from the outset.
  • Photovoltaic cells or panels are almost maintenance-free, produce no pollution and can make use of free solar energy. Overall, the longevity, simplicity, and minimal resources used to produce electricity via PV systems make this a highly sustainable technology. For more information about solar power, visit the Department of Energy's solar page.
  • The building envelope is a major factor in determining a building's energy use. The components that make up a building envelope include: windows, insulation, the foundations, walls and roofing. Innovative building envelope technologies available today make buildings more efficient, durable, comfortable, and adaptable than ever.
  • By using water conservation fixtures, implementing graywater or rainwater catchment systems, and using xeriscape practices, schools can easily reduce their municipal water consumption 25%–75%. By saving half of the 1 million to 3 million gallons that each of the 90,000 public schools consume every year, more than 200 million gallons of treated water could be saved each day.
  • There is no shortage of renewable energy. Renewable energy can also contribute to reduced energy costs and reduced air pollution. More importantly, your school’s renewable energy systems will demonstrate 21st century technology to the students. The cost of renewable energy systems has dropped dramatically. The Department of Energy also has information about geothermal energy and wind power.

The Design Team
A multidisciplinary project design team will lead the EnergySmart school design and construction effort.  Key team members include architects, engineers, and other specialists in areas such as indoor air quality, materials, and energy use.  If the school district will employ a commissioning agent to evaluate performance once the school is built, it is best to include the agent on the design team early on.  Some school districts also employ a project manager to oversee the entire design and construction process and to coordinate the selection and management of the project design team.

Select professionals who have experience incorporating energy features into their building designs. Once the team is selected, consider conducting a design charrette (a specialized design workshop) to define goals and how they will be met. A commissioning plan will help verify that the goals were met, once the project is completed. A cost analysis method to guide decision making may also be helpful.

When interviewing design professionals for the project, ask about specific expertise and experience in integrating energy and environmental considerations into school designs, and in working collaboratively on whole-building design.  The team members must keep one another up to date on design decisions so the team can evaluate the consequences up front and make modifications to the design before it is too late. The whole-building design process depends on strong ongoing communication among the team members.

Selecting the Professional Team for an EnergySmart School Project

The composition of a project team depends on whether a school uses the design-build process or the design-bid-build process. Under the former, a school contracts with a designer-builder team, often a partnership between a general contractor and a design firm. That team designs the facility and then implements and manages the construction. This design-build process cuts out the lengthy process of bidding out the project to a general contractor. The design-bid-build process, on the other hand, begins with the selection of an architect, whose plan is put out for bid to general contractors. This process is lengthier but also gives the school more control over the project.

The members of a professional project team
The project team will coordinate and execute a school's high-performance construction or renovation project, and the team's makeup will be determined by the size and nature of the project. Building an entirely new school would likely require a number of design, architectural, and construction professionals. While a major renovation project might need a similarly-sized team, a scaled-down team could manage a smaller renovation. 

An architect designs buildings, additions, and major renovations. This team member merges the project's electrical, mechanical, and structural requirements into a schematic design that reflects the owner's vision. An architect is required for new construction but may be less involved in a smaller renovation project.

A project manager can be especially helpful in a renovation project that does not require extensive input from an architect. The project manager can be a real estate professional, an architect, or a school official, but needs to be involved from beginning to end to represent the school's interests.

A designer plays a key role in interior space planning as well as finishing and other details. Many designers also have expertise in a specific area, such as bathrooms or computer rooms.

A general contractor manages all facets of the project—including hiring and supervising subcontractors, obtaining building permits, and scheduling inspections—in coordination with the architect and designer.

An engineer handles the project's electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems, including structure analysis and design.

The commissioning agent tests the building's key systems to ensure they operate as designed and serve the needs of teachers and students. This testing includes features such as the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system; the building envelope; and the electrical system.

Hiring an architect
The school's project team first needs to agree upon several key issues: the functional requirements of the new building; a possible site; approximate budget; and a general timeline.  A good resource for finding an architect knowledgeable about green building design is The American Institute of Architects (AIA) online database.  AIA recommends that three to five architectural firms be interviewed, depending upon the size of the project. Each candidate should be provided with the same estimates and information so that the bids received are comparable.

Here are some questions to ask:

  • What experience does the architect have in designing energy-efficient schools?
  • What kind of training do the firm's architects have in high-performance design? Is the primary architect on this project experienced in whole building design?
  • Which member of the firm will communicate with school district personnel? Who will design the project? Are they the same person?
  • How will the architect establish priorities and make decisions?
  • How interested is the architect in this project? How busy?
  • What is the architect's fee structure and what is the fee for this project?
  • What are the steps in the design process and what is the school project team expected to provide?
  • What is the architect's design philosophy?
  • What is the architect's track record with cost estimating?
  • If the scope of the project changes, will there be additional fees? How will those fees be justified and handled?
  • What will the architect provide to explain the project?  Will there be models, drawings or sketches?
  • What services does the architect provide during construction?
  • Can the architect provide client references?
  • Does the architect have a good working relationship with a particular contractor or other construction specialists?

Choosing a general contractor
The general contractor will work closely with the architect and designer and will be responsible for hiring all subcontractors.

Here are some questions to ask:

  • How long has the contractor been in business? (Look for a well-established business with a good track record and no legal complaints against it.)
  • Is the contractor licensed and registered with the state? (Each state and municipality has different licensing standards. Find out what they are and if the contractor has a current license and registration.)
  • How many high-performance school projects has the contractor worked on?
  • Will the contractor be using subcontractors? If so, on which parts of the project? Do the subcontractors have current licensing and insurance coverage?
  • What types of insurance coverage does the contractor have? (They should have personal liability, workers' compensation and property damage coverage.)
  • Does the contractor have a good working relationship with an architect who designs high-performance schools?
  • Can the contractor provide a list of references?

The members of the project team must work together effectively. Whole building design happens when each design and construction professional contributes throughout the project. With this interaction, a high-performance school will be greater than the sum of its parts.

Front cover of the ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings.

The new ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings helps school districts save money that can be devoted to educational resources. It features easy-to-follow recommendations for various climate zones, and how-to tips using real-life construction case studies of schools around the country that have achieved or exceeded a 30% energy savings (compared to the minimum requirements of ASHRAE Standard 90.1-1999). Download it for free.