Monday, February 23, 2009

[NORTHERN GUILFORD MIDDLE/HIGH]

Today, we were given 2 tours: one for N.G.M. and N.G.H. The schools are LEED certified and feature a variety of unconventional design areas that promote a different type of learning. For example, the high school equipping all teachers with laptops for easy travel, not designating one particular room for a designated teacher, more-so seen on the collegiate level where professors have designated offices & not classrooms.

A few fun facts that help qualify the schools as LEED buildings are there exterior architecture. The middle building sits on a 10 degree angle to assist with the diffusion of natural light within the space and the overall construction contains a build up of angles to always ensure adequate distribution of light for the interior of the spacing. The larger interior spaces [auditorium, cafe, gym, media center] are built with "light shelves". These light shelves are also used to deflect the sunlight @ times for those rooms that receive maximum sun exposure. There is a raised floor system, NO DUCTWORK! so air flows freely under the surface that the users walk on, the reason being is to naturally heat and cool spaces that have higher or lower occupancy.

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