School shines light on eco-friendly design Certified green building. Early Childhood Learning Center earns building certification. Wednesday, October 31, 2007 • By ANDREA EILENBERGER • The Express-Times PHILLIPSBURG | Phillipsburg's Early Childhood Learning Center has so much green that it earned some silver. Its energy-efficient and environmentally responsible design and construction made it the first public school in the state to achieve silver certification through the U.S. Green Building Council. It is home to about 475 pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students, who Principal Judith Leh said are already benefiting from the unique building. "The light coming in, I think, keeps them positive," Leh said Monday. Daylight shines through the windows, some of which look out onto the two enclosed courtyards and the outdoor eating area. Sunshades hanging above windows seem simple, but their design and placement maximize the daylight and minimize direct sunlight. Methods such as using products with low volatile organic chemicals and a detailed computerized building management system earned credits through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. The school, which opened in 2006, nabbed 33 out of a possible 69 credits. Going green adds costs, provides future savings Certification is proof the project met its green goals in every step, said Phillip J. Cacossa, principal of Design Resources Group Architects, the firm that designed the school. The state Schools Construction Corps. picked up the project's $20 million tab because Phillipsburg is an Abbott district, or one of the 31 neediest in the state. Building it to silver standards added $450,000 total onto upfront costs, and $260,000 of that was covered by a state Board of Public Utilities grant. The grant paid for the 26-kilowatt solar panel system on the gymnasium roof. Cacossa expects the district will see a net savings of at least $20,000 each year because of the green technologies. Throughout the process, the district fought to prove to the state that certain aspects of the project were benefits and not luxuries. School board President Paul Rummerfield said the district embraced the project and was determined for it to be built per certification standards. Benefits go beyond finances Studies show green buildings are healthier environments for students and teachers, Cacossa said. "It is really an unbelievable building," Superintendent Gordon Pethick said. He said the school is incorporating its lessons into the curriculum. Rachel Gutter, schools sector manager for the U.S. Green Buildings Council, was excited to hear the district's youngest students have the facility as their first school. "Those are the true sustainability natives," she said. The Early Childhood Learning Center has a building management system that shows users all aspects of the airflow system. A color-coded graphic shows each room's temperature. Users can focus in on specific parts of the system so close they can see fans turning and coils working. A thermal storage system makes ice at night, when energy costs less, and uses it during the day to cool the building. The school has five modular boilers, which are more efficient than one large boiler. The school was built with recycled steel and other materials, and 80 percent of the construction materials were recycled. Reporter Andrea Eilenberger can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at aeilenberger@express-times.com.