Carl Sandburg / DCS Green Schools in Kirkland, WA. The environmentally-friendly construction of our new school.

1. Carl Sandburg/DCS
Green School
The environmentally-friendly construction of our new school

2. Landscaping
There’s a plan behind all the plants on our school grounds.

3. Rain Garden
A rain garden naturally holds and filters storm water before it
reaches the watershed (a drainage area leading to rivers).

4. Native Plants
Native landscaping won’t require on-going irrigation, so we
save water. Plants from our area grow here naturally.

5. Geothermal Energy
The natural temperature of the earth beneath us heats and cools our
school, so we use less energy from power plants.
.

6. The Heat Pump
Pipes of water run through
the ground and use the steady
heat of the earth beneath us.
Heat pumps use the water from the pipes to
heat and cool our building, adding heat in
the winter and taking it away in the
summer.

7. Automation
Our heating and cooling system takes care of itself!
Variable Frequency Drive:
it automatically adjusts the
speed of the fans blowing air.
Hot water loop drives: control
the speed of the heat pumps to
give us enough hot water
Direct Digital Control System:
the brain of the system that
makes everything work.

8. The Water Heaters
Condensing hot water tanks
use 30% less energy than normal
tanks, so the water to our sinks
costs less to heat.

9. Solar Power
Using the sun to help power our school

10. Solar Panels
Wall-mounted solar panels turn sunlight into electricity for our school.

11. Solar Panels – How They Work

12. Curtain-wall
Windows and
Skylights
Large walls of windows and skylights
let in daylight and reduce the need for
electric lights.

13. Energy Conservation
Ways we use less power in our school
It might look like any other wall, but our gym is made with insulated
concrete forms, meaning less heat can escape, saving energy.

14. Low Power Lights
Dimming light switches
allow us to turn the
lights lower and use
less power.
The outside LED lights
are 70% more efficient
than the old lights.
The inside LED lights
are 20% more efficient
than the old fluorescent
lights.

15. Smart Sensors
Smile! The school is watching, looking for ways
to use less energy.
Can you find these in your classroom or shared
learning space?
Occupancy sensors turn off the lights if
they sense nobody is in the room.
Photo cells measure the light
and turn the lights up or
down depending on sunlight.

16. Efficient Appliances
Our school is full of energy efficient appliances, from the offices to the cafeteria

17. Smart Use of Water
Our sinks and our toilets are made to use less water, reducing waste.

18. Watch Our Waste
Do you part! Make sure you put your waste in the right bin.

19. Turn those engines off!
Keep the air in our school and our
neighborhood cleaner. Turn off
car engines while waiting.

20. We can be proud to be a
Green School!
Think about other ways that you can help around school, at home,
and in your community.