Newest school shines with energy efficiency

Deirdre Newman

Fresh air and natural light infuse the classrooms at Newport Coast

Elementary School in Newport Beach.

On Friday representatives from the state and Southern California

Edison honored The Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s newest

school, which opened in February 2001, for its environment-friendly

features.

Principal Monique VanZeeBroeck said the recognition enabled the

staff and students to reflect on how lucky they are to reap the

rewards of environmentally conscious planning.

“I forget sometimes how fortunate we are to be at this school, to

be healthy and have natural light so [the students] can learn

peacefully and quietly,” VanZeeBroeck said.

Edison’s Design and Engineering Services provided consulting

services to the school’s construction with the intent of creating a

showcase project for the district and the county.

Drawing on the sunny, temperate, coastal climate of Newport Beach,

the goals included reducing the need for electric lighting while

minimizing solar heat gain and using natural ventilation to provide

thermal comfort when possible.

This was achieved by exterior corridors and classrooms clustered

around courtyards, interior and exterior light shelves for

daylighting and increased roof and wall insulation. Recycled

materials were also used, sending less waste into local landfills.

In the process, the district reduced energy costs for the school

by 45%, saving $15,000 a year, said Linda Moulton-Patterson, chair of

the Integrated Waste Management Board in Sacramento.

Moulton-Patterson added that the green, high-performance design

has also been shown to improve test scores in reading and math by

25%, according to recent studies. Moulton-Patterson encouraged

students to be environmental emissaries, spreading the philosophy

their school was built on to their parents.

“I hope you all do your part to protect our planet,”

Moulton-Patterson said. “You are the best role models.”

Many students said they appreciated the recognition their school

received for being so environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient.

“I think it shows our school is special,” said fourth-grader

Monica Phan, 9. “I really like the lighting because it’s so bright.”