At the November 28th Northampton Board of Supervisors work session, the need for a new school complex was discussed. While the Board of Supervisors have begun to float a number of scenarios for funding, Chairmain Spencer Murry was quick to remind the Board that potential tax increases, the total cost of the new complex, how much will have to be spent to keep the existing complex in operation, the timeline for staging the new complex, as well as infrastructure needs are all in flux.
During the work session, Supervisor Bennett stated that the citizens need to understand that what is being considered is far more than a brick and mortar complex, and that new and modern schools are necessary to attract young families to move and invest here, to increase learning opportunities, and to be the driver and cornerstone of an economic revitalization.
Bennett is correct, and while funding and other issues may be unknown, the County still has the opportunity to create a design that will do the right thing for not only our students, but for the County and the Eastern Shore in general. Ultimately, the new school complex should be built to be carbon neutral, a place that not does not pollute the environment, but creates a process that continues to enhance and improve it.
Leveraging advanced engineering design principles, the complex could go carbon neutral by improving energy efficiency through insulation, double glazing, using low energy equipment and encouraging a strict “turn off policy”. The School should generate its own heat and power by installing solar panels (farm), geothermal wells and wind turbines.
As Andy Teeling has been saying for some time, the schools, students, government and business are uniquely entwined. Re-thinking the new school complex should involve a ‘whole-school’, ‘whole-community’ approach. Becoming carbon neutral should leverage those in the community that are passionate about the environment and that can help the students and faculty turn Northampton into a leader in sustainability and environmental education – the seed and driver for this should be the new school complex.
The GlaxoSmithKline Carbon Neutral Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry. The structure will incorporate the latest technologies to allow it to be carbon-neutral over its lifetime. The laboratory will be built from natural materials and energy required to run the laboratory will be met by renewable sources such as solar power.
Environmental care and justice should be part of the entire educational learning spectrum, and be embedded in the school curriculum. A focus on sustainability themes in math and science, marine and estuarine research, and Earth and Environment studies could be part of the process. Providing qualifications and formal hands on experience in conservation through community service with the help of partners like the Nature Conservancy is another way to provide focus and momentum. Core to the process should be integrating the curriculum with aquaculture and sustainable agriculture, as well as environmental geospatial studies, geodesign and sustainable development practices, involving students in this holistically so that they can apply their learning in meaningful ways inside the school and outside in the community.
This effort will not be trivial, and will have to reflect a commitment and vision from the community at large. Managing data and conducting energy audits as well as accessing technical advice and support will also not be trivial.
As Supervisor Bennett noted, our investment in the school complex should be more than just brick and mortar, more than just another stop along life’s treadmill. It should be a self-actualized investment in the sustainable future of an environmentally, economically and socially sustainable Northampton County. Integrating carbon neutrality into an environmentally friendly design from the start will in the long run be cheaper and more efficient than attempting to retrofit the structure in the years ahead, when these measures will be officially mandated.
Didn’t know Supervisor Bennett was so big on Carbon Neutrality. He hides it well.
As the Northampton County Board of Supervisors begins the process of conceptualizing a new School complex, I have several recommendations.
1. Analyze both the costs and the tangible and intangible benefits of conforming to arbitrary constraints such as carbon-neutral, low carbon or other frameworks. In other words, how much more money will it cost to build a “carbon-neutral” or “low carbon” versus a conventional building with current technology to reduce energy and water consumption?
2. Include a projection of operating costs for a 25 year period to gain a real understanding of the tangible benefits. In other words, practice good stewardship of these assets and analyze the tangible costs just like you would if you were paying the bill yourself (because you are!)
3. Quantify the intangible benefits of incorporating “carbon-neutral” or “low carbon” technologies. In other words, if you think that a building with these attributes will make a measurable difference – prove it! Find a county in the U.S. that built a new school with these technologies and find out what the tangible, measurable benefits are. Finally, please don’t allow our supervisors to believe that there’s some kind of virtue or benefit to being “first” in applying some technology. History has shown that the “first in” for new technology seldom returns the expected benefit – why? Because there’s always risk in being the “early-adopter” of technology – and these risks always translate into cost to the owner (the taxpayer).
Finally, Supervisor Bennett, both I and the Board of Supervisor need the data – the studies, data and actual experiences of counties where a carbon-neutral school building and a curriculum that has a focus on environmental sustainability has actually “driven economic revitalization.” I don’t believe that it’s that simple to raise the economic fortunes of the Eastern Shore.
“…that new and modern schools are necessary to attract young families to move and invest here, to increase learning opportunities, and to be the driver and cornerstone of an economic revitalization.” (quote by Supervisor Bennett)
Note: To clarify, Supervisor Bennett is only talking about the benefits that a new, modern complex would bring to the county in general. The Cape Charles Mirror is promoting a carbon neutral building. Also, the concept of carbon neutral in not new, see: South Fremantle School