LIST OF WINNERS 2006 - Click here!  Website featuring all entries - Click here!
 

2006 School Building Week -
Portable Classroom Design Challenge

Montgomery County Public Schools conducted a Design Competition for a green portable classroom unit in partnership with the Council for Educational Facility Planners International and the Emerging Green Builders of the US Green Building Council for School Building Week in 2006.

The winning entry in the manufacturers category was built in Massachusetts and is featured on this website: http://www.triumphsmartspace.com

The winning entry "Built to Learn" in the architecture students and young professionals category won 1st Prize at GreenBuild 2006 in the Annual Natural Talent Competition in Denver, CO. More info here.

All competition entries are documented HERE on this website, created in cooperation with the Emerging Green Builders of the National Capitol Regions chapter of the US Green Building Council. Special Thanks go to David Bloom and to Matt Zajac for the design of this website.

For questions about the competition please contact Anja S. Caldwell, Green Building Program Manager at Anja_S_Caldwell@mcpsmd.org

Below are the details of the Challenge:

Introduction

MCPS is committed to high performance and green (environmentally sustainable) school buildings to optimize student and staff’s health and comfort in maximizing our learning environments for performance excellence.

For this design competition as our contribution to the CEFPI’s School Building Week 2006 we chose one classroom unit type as a case study to incorporate all aspects of green school design, construction and pre-fabrication. Our goal is to give students and design professionals an opportunity to challenge and explore the parameters of this unique K - 12 building type on a tangible scale.

We ask competitors to challenge the status quo by submitting creative ideas for a schools’ smallest programmatic entity – the standard classroom.

Rationale:  Due to community growth and rapid changes in student enrollment, re-locatable, temporary classroom units, also called portables, are part of any urban and suburban landscape in the country today.

These units use about three times as much energy per area as the school building itself, and often compromise students’ and teachers’ comfort in terms of lighting, temperatures, acoustics, indoor air quality and connectivity to the main facility.

We are asking the design teams to develop a prototype for a prefabricated classroom unit that makes the learning cottage “the cool place to be” for students, staff and after hours community use. The design should further be in line with our strong commitment to environmental stewardship and high performance standards for durability, safety and health. We encourage concepts that also consider school siting issues, multiple building schemes and a good connection to the landscape or urban fabric.

The classroom unit or units should use the LEED NC (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Rating System by the USGBC (www.usgbc.org) as a roadmap for a sustainable design.

Contact:  Anja S. Caldwell, Green Schools Program Manager at MCPS, Anja_S_Caldwell@mcpsmd.org

Registration
Entry Categories
Submittals
Prizes
Schedule
Program
Jury
Entry Evaluation Criteria
Mentorships
Resources

Sponsors - Sponsorship Opportunities

Platinum Sponsors
     

Gold Sponsors
Grimm and Parker Architects
Samaha Associates P.C., VA

Silver Sponsors
Cooper Carry
Waterless Urinals

Registration

Final registrations are due on January 30th, 2006. There will be two meetings for Q&A. Only registered teams can submit an entry and will g in front of the jury. Teams should be not more than 5 students and two mentors.
Fax completed registration form to 301.279.3737 by 5 pm on January 30th, 2005. - DOWNLOAD FORM
Category 3 registrations must submit a $200 registration fee. Please mail check with form to Green Schools Focus, Suite 400, 7361 Calhoun Place, Rockville, MD 20015. Check payable to USGBC- NCR for EGB Competition.
Competitiors in Category 2 also need to register their entry with the USGBC at www.usgbc.org/egb.

Entry Categories
The competition is open to three entry categories with different submittal requirements:

1. K-12 with Mentors
2. Emerging Green Builders**
3. Manufacturers and/or Architecture and Engineering Professionals***

Submittals*

Each category has different submittal requirements as listed below.
All submittals anonymous with team name that does not indicate author on submittals.
Submit sealed envelope with copy of entry form, mentor evaluation form and CD of all digital material and graphics, including any logos.
Envelope marked with team name. Materials will not be returned.

Submittals Category 1 – K-12 and Mentors:
Required: up to two boards 24x36”, 2 pages 8 ½ x 11 of project description, Model
Optional: PowerPoint Presentation, Video or other art work

Submittals Category 2 – Emerging Green Builders**
Required: Up to three boards 24x36”, 2 pages 8 ½ x 11 of project description, up to 5 pages 8 ½ x 11 of outline specifications, LEED Scorecard, JPG of Submittals on CD
Optional: Energy Model, Cost Estimate, Computer Model, PowerPoint, Video

Submittals Category 3 – Manufacturers and/or Architecture and Engineering Professionals***
Required: Up to three boards 24x36”, 2 pages 8 ½ x 11 of project description, 8 ½ x 11 of outline specifications, LEED Scorecard, JPG of Submittals on CD
Optional: Energy Model, Cost Estimate, Computer Model, PowerPoint, Video, Model, Computer Model, PowerPoint, Prototype

*The competition committee reserves the right to adjust the submittal requirements for team members or programs with special needs or capability issues. Please contact us directly to discuss details. Exceptions need to be granted in writing by the end of registration and will be public at the Q&A session.

**EGB Membership is open to college students and professionals with less than 5 years in the field after graduation
EGB Annual Membership fee is $25 ($20 for participants of this competition) -  www.usgbc.org – EGB

***To cover expenses the teams in category 3 are required to submit a registration fee of $200 with their registration.
Check payable to USGBC- NCR for EGB Competition - see Registration

Prizes
Scholarship details will get posted on the website mid January 2006.

Category 1 - K12 with Mentors:
1^st Prize – $1000
2^nd Prize – $500
3^rd Prize – $250
Honorable Mention - $100

Category 2 - Emerging Green Builders
1^st Prize – $1000 +
GreenBuild November 2006 National EGB Competition Finalist Entry, Denver, CO
2^nd Prize – $500
3^rd Prize – $250
Honorable Mention

Category 3 - Manufacturers and A/E Professionals
1^st Prize – 2^nd Prize – 3^rd Prize

All submittals in category 3 will be evaluated for realization and will be included in the competition exhibit and catalog. To cover expenses and sponsor the student awards the teams in category 3 are required to submit a registration fee of $200.
All competition entries will be exhibited and an online catalog on the website will show the digital submittals.

Schedule - PDF of Agenda                               

Program

Current Design Standards:
Portable Classrooms cost about $1/sf more to operate than regular school buildings (which cost about $1.50/sf/year), even with remote HVAC controls, like piloted by MCPS in 2004 (see Rebuild Publication).
MCPS owns 819,000 sf.

Most existing portables are lightly insulated buildings similar to mobile homes, have T-12 lighting, four small residential double-hung windows, 10 to 15 kW of electric resistance heating, 1 ½ ton AC, two metal doors.

More recent upgrades of MCPS guidelines for new purchases specify an electrical heat pump, T8 lighting and controlled ventilation.

Current specification of a portable classroom from the Division of Construction at MCPS can be found under Resources.

New Program:
Design of one classroom unit, app. 900 sf , ceiling height of 9’8” feet.

The classroom should be able to accommodate five computer workstations.
Classroom requires approximately 30 to 35 linear feet of magnetic white and 20 to 24 linear feet of tackboard with tack strips and map rails above the all of the boards.  The whiteboards should be located so as to reduce glare.

A small teacher’s lockable wardrobe should be provided and should be able to accommodate a 4-drawer file cabinet.  100 sq. ft. of general storage should be provided and should be built-in and accommodate 24‑ by 36‑inch paper. Each classroom must include 48 linear feet of built-in adjustable shelving.

Each classroom should be equipped with window treatments and a retractable projection screen.  The projection screen should not be mounted near any emergency lighting tracks.  All areas of the screen should be illuminated and readable when the lights are dimmed. 

Shelving or cabinetry should be provided in every teaching station for the VCR and television. 

Night time security is an issue that needs to get addressed.

Light should be 30 fc for the students desks, acoustics design for 35dbA.

Classroom shall optimize indirect daylight, insulation, indoor air quality and acoustics.

Use of recycled and local materials, optimized insulation and good passive solar design are desired.

Current designs need excessive and costly ramps for accessibility. A solution on grade would be preferable. Portability is preferred for flexibility and relocation, but should not compromise functionality and comfort.
A life-cycle analysis and rationale should be provided if a permanent or semi-permanent design is proposed. MCPS currently budgets about $125.000 to move a portable classroom, which is just about the cost of a new one. So relocation of portables is very costly and labor intensive. A life cycle analysis and research that considers overall lifespan, terms of use and durability should be part of the design and material selection.

A site plan and diagram should show the optimum solar orientation and grouping options in relation to the school and community.

Vegetated roofs, renewable energy source, like wind and solar, and other green building components are welcome.
The classroom unit or units should use the LEED NC (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Rating System by the USGBC (www.usgbc.org) as a roadmap for a sustainable design. A template for a LEED Scorecard reflecting current MCPS design goals can be downloaded under Resources. A LEED 2.1 scorecard for the design entryis a required submittal for the categories 2 and 3.

Jury

Submittals will be judged by a jury of green building experts, school facility managers and designers, school staff and community members within the North Capital Region at the beginning and end of the CEFPI’s School Building Week in April of 2006 (www.cefpi.org).

Entry Evaluation Criteria
Designs will be evaluated according to the 20 categories below. There are up to five points in each category, so the maximum score is 100 points.

0                   1                      2                      3                      4                      5

Not addressed     addressed             good                       very good              exceptional           best of show

1. Accessibility

2. Site Design

3. Connection to the Outside

4. Stormwater Management

5. Portability

6. Daylighting

7. Acoustics

8. Recycled Materials

9. Ease of Maintenance

10. Security

11. LEED Rating

12. Energy Efficiency

13. Renewable Energy

14. Program Compliance

15. Cleanability

16. Innovation

17. Regional Context

18. Cost Effective

19. Fun Factor - Appeal to Kids

20. Comfortable Learning Environment

The point system will be used to indicate how design criteria and the program have been addressed, but will not necessarily reflect the jurors final vote.

Submittals will be judged by an independent jury on April 16^th 2006, and by vote of the jury amongst finalists on April 21^st 2006.

Mentorships

Category 2 and 3 participants are encouraged to establish a mentorship with the K-12 teams of category1.

Colleges, architecture school, professional firms or manufacturers are asked to host at least one open house in their facility or studio for a K-12 team in their region.

The competition committee will help with partnership contacts and schedules if needed. Please indicate any partnerships on your registration form.

With registration all teams agree that their participation will be made public and that they will participate in the mentorship program. A mentorship evaluation from the K12 teams will become part of the final entry submittal for categories 2 and 3.

Mentorship Registration Form
Mentorship Evaluation Form
CEFPI Mentoring Guidelines

Resources

FOR THE TEAMS:
Google Group for Q&A:
Group name: PortableClassroomDesignChallenge
Group home page: http://groups.google.com/group/MCPSDesignChallenge
Group email address MCPSDesignChallenge@googlegroups.com

MCPS RESOURCES

www.GreenSchoolsFocus.org

Competition Announcement - Flyer
Montgomery County Public Schools - Standard Portable Classroom Specifications
Montgomery County Public Schools - Portable Classroom Green Specs
Montgomery County Public Schools - Portable Classroom - Remote Energy Management Pilot
Montgomery County Public Schools - Standard Facilities Design Guidelines
Montgomery County Public Schools - Green Specs
Montgomery County Public Schools - LEED 2.1 Scorecard 2005
Montgomery County Public Schools - Discussion Thread on Portables between IAQ and Energy Management

CEFPI RESOURCES
www.cefpi.org
CEFPI - School Building Week
School Building Week Flyer
School of the Future Competition
Mentoring Guidelines

USGBC RESOURCES
www.usgbc.org –LEED  (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) - US Green Building Council
USGBC - Chapter of the National Capital Region NCR
USGBC - EGB Competition Guidelines

MBI RESOURCES
Common Design Considerations for Architects

OTHER DESIGN RESOURCES FOR PORTABLE, MODULAR AND GREEN SCHOOL DESIGN
CA Portable Classrooms Study
Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) - Preliminary Evaluation of Performance - Enhanced Relocatable Classrooms in Three Climates
www.CHPS.net - Collaborative for High Performance Schools
Interactive Classroom Demo - CHPS
Energy Star for Schools
Energy 10 - Energy Modeling Software
Calculator for Life-Cycle Costing
Better Bricks – High Performance Schools
National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities – High Performance School Buildings
National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities – Portable Classrooms and Modular Construction
www.SBICouncil.org - Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC)
www.schoolfacilities.com
Classroom Shape -
Northeast Sustainable Energy Association - NESEA - Building Green Schools Resource List
Rebuild America - EnergySmart Schools - Department of Energy
Green Schools Energy Project: Step-by-Step Manual - Youth for Environmental Sanity
Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy
Million Solar Roofs Solar Schools Success Stories - Department of Energy
Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) - Schools Going Solar
Solar Energy Goes to School
SolarQuest™- Solar Schools
SolarAccess.com
Daylighting and Productivity Study
Cost Effective Daylighting Design Strategies
EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit.
Life-Cycle Costing
School Planning and Management Magazine
Massachusetts Healthy Schools
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships – NEEP High Performance Schools
Low cost solar at Mother Earth News: Solar Heating
German Center for Applied Energy Science  (Bavarian ingenuity for buildings)
Modernist prefabricated Homes galore - FABPREFAB.COM
Prefab Portable Schools - designmobile.com