With aging facilities and limited resources, the Butler County Board of Education made the difficult decision to close two of its existing schools and build one new facility—North Butler Elementary School. The new facility had the challenge of maintaining the history and heritage of two distinct schools while forging its own new identity.
The facility was built to accommodate 450 students in preschool through fifth grade, and includes standard features such as classrooms, media center, cafeteria, gymnasium, and administrative and support spaces. It also includes specialized classrooms for art, music, computer, science and special education.
Unique features of the facility are a large mechanical mezzanine for easy access to equipment as well as a stage between the cafeteria and gymnasium that allows for community events and meetings.
Numerous high-performance features were also included in the design. A highly-efficient geothermal HVAC system provides thermal comfort while natural daylighting and energy efficient lighting limit the electricity needed for interior lighting. High-performance insulated wall systems and energy efficient windows help to further reduce the building’s energy consumption. The outstanding performance of this facility earned it the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s prestigious ENERGY STAR®.
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