The
Rainbow Elementary School in Coatesville, Pa., is a virtual study in sustainability for education facilities. The 113,695-square-foot (10,562-m2) facility is expected to gain LEED Gold certification. It is the first school to apply for it in Chester County. Coatesville is also the first district to take advantage of Pennsylvania’s School Design Clearinghouse Program which ensures a design that meets cost efficiency and design standards set by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and which earn the Coatesville district a 10 percent increase in state construction reimbursement rates.
The architect, Gilbert Associates, Lancaster, Pa., is known for setting standards for sustainability in school facilities in Pennsylvania. An UltraCOOL
standing-seam metal roof from Perth Amboy, N.J.-based Englert Inc. was chosen for the project. According to the architectural firm, the heat island effect for the building has been reduced through the use of a highly reflective roof. The firm notes that the material and color of the roof allow most of the sun’s energy to be reflected rather than absorbed, thereby reducing cooling costs. The project features 6,500 square feet (604 m2) of Englert 2500 Series profile in Slate Grey for the roofing material and 9,000 square feet (836 m2) of Englert 4000 Series profile in Sandstone and Slate Grey for the soffit material. Both materials are LEED and Energy Star compliant. Lobar Construction, Dillsburg, Pa., was the general contractor, and ADPI, Avenel, N.J., was the roofing contractor.
The school is being used as a teaching tool with its design construction methods. The Englert standing-seam metal roof came from within 500 miles (800 km) of the school and has a high recycled content, qualifying for LEED credits for recyclabiity and nearby manufacturing. The architects also considered the amount of pre- and post-consumer recycled content of the materials being used. The architects also specified low-flow toilets, urinals and faucets to be installed throughout the building, in addition to filtration beds, swales and water quality structures to improve the quality of the storm water runoff. A geothermal ground source heat pump system makes use of the ground’s constant temperature to assist in providing heating and cooling in the building, reducing energy needs and more than doubling the life cycle of a traditional HVAC system. Occupancy sensors are also used to control lighting in most spaces.
Englert Inc., www.englertinc.com
