Sustainable Design in K-14 Learning Laboratories
Issues for Integration of Sustainable Furnishings and Systems Planning
The Center for High Performance Learning Environments at Virginia Tech—a Labs21 Center of Excellence—in cooperation with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), developed this half-day workshop that addresses recent and emerging issues associated with energy-efficient and sustainable design, and links them with learning laboratories in schools that cater to kindergarten through community college students, or K-14 learning laboratories. This workshop is intended to be a first-of-its-kind offering for the concept of “buildings that teach.”
“Buildings that teach” is a philosophy whereby the design team uses the architecture of the facility to engage users in learning, both directly and indirectly. Through the presentation of issues associated with energy use, learning and teaching styles, and building monitoring and data processing, design strategies that link these three domains will be discussed. In addition to the presentation of the fundamental overlapping opportunities for these three domains, case studies of projects that demonstrate the concept of “buildings that teach,” will be presented. The workshop will:
- Provide designers of schools and laboratories with a better understanding of the issues and opportunities for architecture to play a broader role in learning, and
- Promote the concept of “buildings that teach,” particularly as it relates to energy conservation and renewable technologies.