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SCC marks Earth Day by
announcing plans to launch 21st Century Schools Design Manual
Event on May 15 will bring focus to
environmentally friendly, cost-effective schools
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| Trenton, NJ (April 20, 2007)
- To mark Sunday's Earth Day celebration, the
New Jersey Schools Construction Corporation is announcing plans to launch its
new 21st Century Schools Design Manual, which establishes high-performance
standards for an effective, sustainable approach to building quality schools
for New Jersey students.
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The event will be held on May 15, at 1 p.m., at Rutgers
University's Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy in New
Brunswick.
The SCC is inviting architects, engineers and various school-district officials
to attend the event, which will provide an introductory overview of the manual.
Earth Day was first held in 1970 to bring a global focus to environmental
issues. The SCC's Design Manual is focused on ensuring holistic,
high-performance and quality design that incorporate environmental objectives,
such as minimizing use of energy and fossil fuels, as well as providing a
healthy learning environment and cost-effective approach to building.
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For example, a high-performance HVAC (heating, ventilating and air
conditioning) system can be beneficial in numerous ways. Through efficiency, it
can reduce electricity usage and save money. It can also enhance indoor air
quality, while noise-reduction features mean a better learning environment for
students.
Geothermal systems and solar panels are other ways to reduce the use of fossil
fuels, the combustion of which contribute to global warming.
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Photovoltaic Panels
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The updated manual was the result of comments from the
de sign and education communities, who said the existing version was too
prescriptive and cumbersome. The SCC partnered with the New Jersey Institute of
Technology to create a manual based on performance standards instead of
prescriptive ones.
"This document is the result of a collaborative effort involving NJIT, using
the input from stakeholders ranging from architects and engineers to
educators," said Scott Weiner, chief executive officer of the SCC. "This effort
has produced a manual that sets required results, rather than methods. It will
be a living document, updated as SCC project teams and other stakeholders learn
more ways to design and construct schools that are good for the environment and
New Jersey students."
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The Design Manual is part of the SCC's effort to focus on a school project's
costs during the entire useful life of the facility, translating into decreased
utility bills for school districts as a result of higher standards of design.
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