Gila Ridge High School
Gila Ridge is a 274,000 square foot high school completed in 2007. Located in the Yuma Unified High School District. Funding totaled $4.5 million. The site layout of the school works very well with the hot desert climate of the area.
Green Features include:
Green Features include:
- Utilized new technology to prevent outdoor light pollution
- Accent lighting designed with time clocks to shut off lighting after hours
- Computer room receptacles for computers and monitors designed with manual shut off controls to allow for nightly shut down
- Vendor, Arizona School Furniture, recycled cardboard
- Two “breezeway” corridors linking music rooms with the auditorium and dressing room with gymnasiums buffer cooling losses from fully air conditioned spaces
Results achieved include:
Water Efficiency: Urinals have flush sensors that are battery operated.
Energy Efficiency: Lighting in the gymnasiums I controlled by occupancy sensors and has three different circuits to permit manual 30% to 70% reduction in lighting levels.
Materials and Resources: The carpet has recycled content and is totally recyclable.
Indoor Air Quality: All entrances to classroom buildings have a six-foot walk off carpet.
Sustainable sites: The football field is used jointly with the Community College and the auditorium is shared with the community.
Innovation: Student circulation and outdoor seating is on the North side of 2 story building to take advantage of shade.
Savings: New school, as of the time of this report the savings have not been calculated.
Benefits: We are certain the green projects included in the design and operation of this school will improve the overall efficiency of the campus.
Advice:
Building orientation is the single most important step in the design process. Placing 90% of the windows to the North or South so that direct heat gain and glare can be controlled is so simple and if done early absolutely free.
Water Efficiency: Urinals have flush sensors that are battery operated.
Energy Efficiency: Lighting in the gymnasiums I controlled by occupancy sensors and has three different circuits to permit manual 30% to 70% reduction in lighting levels.
Materials and Resources: The carpet has recycled content and is totally recyclable.
Indoor Air Quality: All entrances to classroom buildings have a six-foot walk off carpet.
Sustainable sites: The football field is used jointly with the Community College and the auditorium is shared with the community.
Innovation: Student circulation and outdoor seating is on the North side of 2 story building to take advantage of shade.
Savings: New school, as of the time of this report the savings have not been calculated.
Benefits: We are certain the green projects included in the design and operation of this school will improve the overall efficiency of the campus.
Advice:
Building orientation is the single most important step in the design process. Placing 90% of the windows to the North or South so that direct heat gain and glare can be controlled is so simple and if done early absolutely free.
Download the case study for this school