NTD’s Sustainable High School Design Earns $650,000 in Incentive Grants
July 17, 2008
Murrieta Mesa High School will open its doors to students in the fall of 2009, and when it does it will provide them with more than just an education: it will also offer them a healthy and sustainable environment in which to learn. NTD Architecture’s design of the new school boasts an energy efficiency that exceeds California’s Title 24 energy requirements by up to 40.57% in the classroom buildings and has earned the maximum amount of incentive grants from Southern California Edison’s Savings By Design (SBD) program.
"With every project, we strive to ensure that our clients get the maximum benefit from working with NTD Architecture. In this case, the District will get a school with the character and facilities they envisioned, but the high performance design considerations have resulted in the District getting paid for their efforts and will continue to save money on energy and operations for years to come," says Richard Nowicki, AIA, Partner at NTD Architecture.
The amount of incentive grants earned by Murrieta Mesa’s sustainable design totals $650,000 – $150,000 from SBD and $500,000 from Proposition 1D funding for environmentally friendly projects. Based on the SBD formula for determining grant money, the project would exceed the $200,000 mark were it not for the $150,000 cap. It is estimated that additional costs associated with the sustainable elements included in the design will be paid off through energy savings in just over six years.
Factors contributing to the energy efficiency surplus at Murrieta Mesa High School include an energy efficient building shell, high efficiency lighting and mechanical systems, daylighting, cool roofing, superior acoustics, a Variable Volume Temperature system, and low emitting materials. Heat islands will be reduced through the use of shade and lightened impervious areas, and 75% of construction waste will be recycled. A superior indoor environment will provide thermal comfort and increase student productivity.
Construction on Murrieta Mesa High School began in March of 2007 and is scheduled for completion in August of 2009. The 256,988 SF school sits on a 62-acre site and houses 82 teaching stations. It is the third comprehensive high school for the Murrieta Valley Unified School District and will accommodate a student body of 2,200. Edge Development, Inc. is serving as the General Contractor.
Publications
- NTD Architecture Acquires HBFL Architects, Strengthens Presence in California’s Central Coast July 26, 2010
- Murrieta Mesa High School, CASH School Profile January 2010 January 1, 2010
- Final Steel Beam on New San Bernardino Valley College Building Makes 260 Tons August 11, 2009
- Lancaster’s Newest Comprehensive High School Ready for Students August 11, 2009
- Construction Comes to a Close on Murrieta’s Newest High School July 29, 2009