Perspectives Green Schools Summit, Recap

This month, several of the BranchPattern team attended the USGBC Colorado Green Schools Summit in Denver, CO: including Dannie DiIonno, Omar Tlamcani (Associate Principal), Patrick Carttar, Carina Medsker, Matt Coulter (Associate Principal), Scott Hornick, Miles Dake (Associate Principal) and Marcel Harmon.

In this blog, Miles Dake, Associate Principal and Engineering Team Leader, and Marcel Harmon, co-lead of our Research and Development team, reflect on their experiences at the conference. (Side note: Miles co-presented on Using Radiant Heating and Cooling in Schools; Marcel co-presented on the Link between Ventilation Strategies and Academic Achievement.

Initial Conference Takeaways

Marcel: We heard from and interacted with a variety of designers, manufacturers, educators, policy makers, researchers and students who are all focused on creating healthy, sustainable school environments. Topics ranged from the next generation of sustainable schools and policies/legislation in Colorado to case studies of healthy, low energy schools that integrate sustainability within the curriculum.

Miles: In addition to being reminded of the importance of sustainability in K-12 schools, this conference was a great opportunity to connect face-to-face with clients.

Presentation Review:

Marcel: I co-presented with Cuningham Group and a representative from Boulder Valley School District on how people can create thermally comfortable spaces using radiant heating/cooling and achieve good Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) with increased ventilation, while also achieving Net Zero or Net Zero Ready schools. Current and future generations of students will be the leaders guiding us through the challenges of climate change adaptation and mitigation. It’s important they’re educated within facilities reflective of the values and solutions needed to guide them through those challenges.

Miles: I co-presented with representatives from Boulder Valley and Cannon City School Districts, as they told their Radiant Heating and Cooling (RHC) success stories. As the MEP engineer on both projects, it was important that BranchPattern meet the districts’ energy goals while reducing energy consumption. We were able to accomplish both by implementing an RHC mechanical system as an alternative to forced air. Many of the attendees were considering implementing RHC in their projects and appreciated the technically detailed testimonials, especially the drawbacks and opportunities the districts faced within their own systems.

Favorite Presentations:

Marcel: One of my favorite presentations was by a group of educators & students who spoke on the World Affairs Challenge (https://www.worldaffairschallenge.org/), a program that helps develop middle and high school students’ skills in collaboration, communication, cognitive complexity and problem solving around issues of sustainability. To provide audience members a feel for the program, we were given a challenge that students might see and then each table worked through it as a group, with a student at each table to guide us.

Miles: I was impressed and fascinated by the presentation of closing Keynote Speaker, Hunter Lovins, President & Founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions. She spoke about “designing for the future,” and her vision for pushing the industry to move away from gas and fossil fuels and towards renewable-based electricity. She also discussed making a business case for sustainability, which was encouraging because our team actively advocates for clients in this area. Hunter inspired us to continue pitching sustainability to our clients, to continue to include Net Zero solutions in education facilities and not to take the easy way out when planning and designing.