In many buildings, sustainability is invisible. It’s an unnoticed breath of clean air, the reduced use of water in the bathroom, or the history of the material you’re standing on while your attention is focused elsewhere. But at Pioneer Middle School in DuPont, WA, the value of sustainable choices and building features is not only visible, it is linked to everyday learning. The 106,000-square-foot facility serves 850 students in grades 6-8 and was completed in September 2008 at a cost of $23 million.

Outdoor learning patios provide additional learning resources for science and health classes. Students experiment with food and herb gardens and monitor plant growth and composting. Chris J. Roberts Photography

Ramping up for this design project included six design workshops, including an eco-charrette with the school district and patrons to develop design goals and an integrated, sustainable design program. The project team went one step further by collaborating with educators to develop specific sustainability curricula and ways to incorporate the building itself into students’ educational experience. Results included exposed building systems, lesson plans, teaching aids, and building signage.

Hands-on learning
Educating students, staff, and the community about energy conservation—specifically the impact of routine activities and individual habits on energy use—was a district priority. The design solution is an energy-measuring device that provides students with water, gas, and electricity data, as well as past and present weather information.

The device, a “green touch-screen,” is prominently positioned at the main public entrance to the school. A network of energy sensors throughout the building constantly streams energy consumption data to the touch-screen display, which is accessible to students, staff, and visitors. A graphic readout of building resource consumption allows teachers to conduct hands-on coursework and experiments so students can learn about responsible energy use within the context of a building. Students also compare current energy use data against past history and standard school energy use to understand how the school’s design positively impacts the environment.

Smart signs
Interior and exterior signage at Pioneer Middle School highlights sustainable features as well as general building concepts, which enhance the middle school curriculum. The signage demonstrates how the design reduces the building’s environmental impact and how students can further engage in sustainable practices.

Signage instructs visitors and students about how local resources were used to build the facility, ways to recycle and reuse everyday products, the educational performance and personal benefits of natural daylighting, and how to reduce waste through composting.

Outdoor opportunities
Students and visitors don’t need to step inside the building for lessons in sustainability; outdoor learning opportunities are everywhere. Students can experiment with food and herb gardens and monitor plant growth and composting in small learning patios just outside the academic wing. Drought-tolerant and native vegetation make up the school’s landscape. These local plantings reduce irrigation needs and the use of maintenance chemicals, helping keep water clean.

In addition, students and staff participate in a campus-wide recycling program with recycling stations located in each pod, in the commons, and in the cafeteria. The site plan also provides space for a food composting program, which is integrated with the science, health, and foods lab program.

The parking lot is another example of eco-friendly design that helps reduce pollution and improve air quality. On-site parking is deliberately minimal to encourage the use of alternative transportation, such as walking and biking, riding school busses, and using public transportation. Special parking also is assigned for carpool and alternative fuel vehicles.

From its design and building components to its curriculum, Pioneer Middle School is truly a lesson in sustainability. Students realize how small changes, such as minimizing energy use, recycling, and composting, can have a positive affect on the environment. The ultimate lesson at Pioneer Middle School is to teach students to become global citizens.

Craig Mason, AIA, LEED AP, is a principal with DLR Group and the Education Studio leader for the firm’s Seattle office. Reach him at cmason@dlrgroup.com.