For those of us who walk around every night turning off lights and unplugging appliances to reduce our electric bill and keep our carbon footprint low, the opportunity to start from scratch and install energy-saving technology during the construction process would be invaluable.
And that very opportunity has been made available in the construction of the new Carthage High School.
Dr. Mark Baker, assistant superintendent of business for the Carthage R-9 School District, has been involved in the construction process since its groundbreaking in January 2007. During a recent interview, he was happy to share information about some of the new features being implemented in the building.
A number of the incorporated energy-saving features focus on reducing the strain to the heating and air system—a hefty goal, when you consider that the building is 241,000 square feet in size.
Insulated and tinted windows are geared at reducing heat loss, according to Baker. They will also provide important natural lighting inside the structure. The HVAC unit itself is integrated into a computerized system. Instead of using a standard thermostat, the system can be programmed to operate on a schedule.
The same computer will even send notices to staff members if there are any malfunctions in the inner-workings of the heating and air units.
“We’ll be able to catch it before it becomes a big problem,” Baker commented.
Lighting inside the building employs motion sensor technology to reduce wasted energy after-hours by turning off lights in unoccupied rooms. The lights in the hallway are connected in banks to allow for partial lighting. Baker said this would also be useful for maintenance purposes.
The gymnasium lights will be programmable for different activities, including a bright-light setting for sporting events, and a variety of lower settings for daily use and physical education classes.
Bathroom fixtures will be geared toward water conservation.
“We’re trying to find these different ways to conserve energy during the construction process,” said Baker, “instead of afterwards.”
When talking about the general progress of the construction, Baker said the original timeline for building completion is still on schedule. The school is intended to be ready for full occupancy by December 15th of this year. Baker said he hopes that by mid-November that the building will be ready for partial occupancy, so that the moving process can begin with plenty of time.
The construction of the new Carthage High School is funded by a $30 million bond which was approved by voters in April 2006. It is estimated that the building will house up to 1,500 students, including ninth through 12th graders.
Architectural designers for the project was Hight Jackson Associates of Rogers, Ark. Crossland Construction of Columbus, Kan., is in charge of the construction of the facility. The new high school sits on an eighty-acre tract of land, to accommodate future plans for constructing a new technical center and developing athletic fields.
PROFiLES
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September 23, 2008
“E” is for Energy, Education: New High School Includes Features to Lower Electric Bills
By Leighton Cordell
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<img src="http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/extra.gif" border=0> Eyes on the Audience <font color="#ff0000">w/ John DeHoyos performance videos and audio interview</font>
About a dozen hearty souls, including myself, braved the elements one recent wintery afternoon to listen to the musical stylings of a 28-year-old Southern California native named John DeHoyos.
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“E” is for Energy, Education: New High School Includes Features to Lower Electric Bills
For those of us who walk around every night turning off lights and unplugging appliances to reduce our electric bill and keep our carbon footprint low, the opportunity to start from scratch and install energy-saving technology during the construction process would be invaluable.
- Over the River, Through the Woods “How can the long distance runner ever get lonely?” asks Snoopy in a 1978 Charles Schultz comic strip. In context, Snoopy poses the question following an ongoing series of complaints from his aching limbs; but the question is valid in reality as well.
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Home Town Inspired: Young Entrepreneurs Invest Time and Energy
From the courthouse to the beautiful Victorian homes, Carthage is a unique and lovely town, full of surprises and its own quiet charm. It’s a town that not only supports local entrepreneurs but also encourages them, as evidenced by the many flourishing locally-owned enterprises.
- MGA Boasts Dedicated Director Thirty-one years establishes an event as generational. And for 30 of those years, the Midwest Gathering of the Artists has been growing its roots ever deeper with the culturing oversight of Sandra “Sandy” Higgins.
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British Invasion: Annual Car Show Gets Bigger Every Year
Although the songs of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Kinks were blaring through the sound system, Carthage’s recent British invasion wasn’t about the music. . . . It was about the cars.
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Light, Color, Composition
She calls herself an “impatient realist.” When you see her art, you recognize immediately the realist part. But “impatient” …?
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Welcome Babies: McCune Brooks Brings Forth Spradling Birthing Center
“Women will be pampered unmercifully,” said Pam Barlet, director of community relations and program development at McCune Brooks Regional Hospital in Carthage. “The new Spradling Birthing Center is opening on September 2. We are so excited to be welcoming babies back to this hospital.”
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Cards, Yards, and Bards: Duo Decorates Lawns for Special Occasions
Congratulations in 3-D. Happy Birthday in moos, baas, or vrooms. Be My Valentine in multiple hearts.
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Girls Night Out
Girls Night Out, LLC, a non-profit organization to benefit women in need, is proud to announce that our inaugural empowerment event, the red carpet movie premier of “Sex and the City”, on June 2, 2008 was a huge success.
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