School Planning and Management, 2015
Many standards and point systems exist to help designers facilitate a sustainable school facility or campus. Not all of them, however, define characteristics of lasting value, as viewed through the lens of the student or community member.
There are two sides to this issue: the first cost and the long-term value. First costs can be impacted through the designer’s specifications, but how can we impact the efficiency of the school building and health of its occupants to add long-term value? As sustainability becomes more closely tied with resiliency, we should consider methods to enhance the design process through collaboration and planning. Resiliency is the relative capacity of any facility to adapt to changing environmental conditions while maintaining functionality and vibrancy. In other words, can it adapt?
