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Tag: Schematic Design Phase

July 11th Focus: Building Envelope & Sustainability

EUI = Energy Use Intensity

We have ambitious goals! How do we minimize energy consumption and maximize sustainability? Answering that question requires careful attention to the building envelope.  The “envelope” is comprised of the walls, roof, floor, and windows.  Decisions about each of these has a direct impact on the long-term energy use of the school. Please come to the July 11th SBC meeting for an in-depth discussion! For more information about sustainability, visit the sustainability page of the SBC website.  SBC meeting is July 11th, 7:00pm, Hartwell multipurpose room.

Up Next:
  • July 25th – Building Exterior & Site Plan Charettes; review updated Hubs and Commons designs
  • August 8 – Focus on Systems and Photovoltaic Panels; review updated Site Plan & Floor Plans; Exterior Elevations; PV Layouts and Energy Model; Construction Phasing & Swing Space
  • August 22 – Interior Spaces & Security Charettes; review of all other updated plans

Remember: SBC meetings are being televised and are available on the web, https://lincolntv.viebit.com

Come Together – Hubs and the Commons

Wow! About 50 people gathered for last Wednesday’s SBC meeting – We were so excited to have this kind of participation, and impressed by everyone’s fortitude in sticking it out until 11:30pm! It was an action-packed evening that included a presentation by students from the Boston Architectural College (BAC), and a “charette” style conversation about the hub spaces and central commons. Here’s a recap:

BAC Presentation: Rashmi Ramaswamy, faculty member, came with three BAC students and presented the work they did with Lincoln School students.  The BAC students held sessions with both elementary and middle school students to teach them about the purpose of architecture, the design process, and elements of design.  Here are the slides from their presentation.  Our thanks to SBC member, Craig Nicholson, middle school Principal, Sharon Hobbs, and middle school Art teacher, Pam DiBiase for making this collaboration happen!

Charette: Hubs and the Commons: After SMMA made a presentation showing different configuration ideas for the hubs and the commons, small groups spent about an hour and a half examining the options, sketching, posing questions, and sharing out their ideas. This feedback will be used by SMMA/EwingCole to further develop the plans, which will be brought back to the SBC on July 25th. (We hope you’ll join us at 7:00pm, Hartwell multipurpose room!)

Site Planning: SMMA reviewed concepts for site circulation.  Figuring out how to safely move cars, delivery trucks, buses, pedestrians, and cyclists around a campus bordered by wetlands is a complex task! The site plan will be the focus of the July 25th charette.

Up Next on July 11th – Building Envelope Charette: At the next SBC meeting, the charette will focus on the components of the building envelope (windows, walls, roof), which is a major component of what will make the building sustainable.  If sustainability is important to you, NOW’s THE TIME TO COME!

Want to be inspired? A community member found this video about the Welkes Elementary School in Bainbridge Island, Washington. Enjoy!

Look! We’re on TV! (or the Web): We will be filming SBC meetings from now on. Last week’s meeting was filmed in two parts:

Join Us! – Focus on Hubs and Commons

Lincoln School Project (June 9, 2018)

Interested in the configuration of Hub Spaces and the Commons? 

Come to the SBC meeting on Wednesday, June 27th! As mentioned in last week’s blog post, over the next few months each meeting will feature a mini “charette” focused on a particular aspect of the design. Unless otherwise noted, all SBC meetings start at 7:00pm, Hartwell multipurpose room.

What is a “charette?” 

  • SBC members and audience members will be put together in groups to focus on and discuss a specific topic (this week – Hubs and the Commons).
  • The design team (SMMA/EwingCole) will guide us through the issues that need to be considered.
  • Groups will ask questions and generate ideas; the SBC will decide which ideas SMMA/EwingCole should incorporate into the next iteration of the design.

This is crucial work, and if these details interest you NOW is the time to be involved! The Schematic Design process will be intense over the summer! By the start of September a final set of Floor Plans, Site Plans, and Elevations will be given to the cost estimators.

Also on June 27th…

  • Review of Site Circulation (traffic flow for cars, buses, bikes, pedestrians)
  • Review of updated Floor Plans

Up Next…

At the July 11th meeting, the charette will focus on building envelope and sustainability. “Building envelope” refers to how the skin of the building is constructed – wall and roof materials, insulation, and windows.

What is Schematic Design? What is Value Engineering?

Schematic Design:

The purpose of Schematic Design (“SD”) is to document in detail the scope, budget and schedule of the project. The process results in a description of the building’s structural, mechanical, heating/cooling, plumbing, and electrical systems, interior and exterior materials, and plans for the building site. It also addresses safety and security systems, technology infrastructure, code compliance, functionality, long-term durability, and aesthetic choices. SD leads to a detailed cost estimate that the School Building Committee will bring to the Town for a 2-part bond vote (2/3 majority approval needed at the December 1st Special Town Meeting, and majority approval needed at the December 3rd ballot vote).

The Massachusetts School Building Authority lays out the requirements for SD proposals in its Module 4 Schematic Design Guidelines. Here is a high-level summary of what is included:

  • General and specific architectural characteristics
  • Security requirements
  • Site development
  • Traffic analysis
  • Environmental and geo-technical analyses
  • Building/safety code compliance analysis
  • Utilities and soils analysis
  • Descriptions of all building systems
  • Sustainability analysis
  • Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Massachusetts Architecture Accessibility Board (MAAB) requirements
  • Room Date Sheets: lighting, acoustics, # of outlets, security features, materials, technology, equipment, cabinets, furnishings
  • Construction methodology
  • 2 cost estimates reconciled against each other
  • Work plan and project schedule

To see what this looked like for the 2012 project, click here.

Value Engineering

As part of Schematic Design, the School Building Committee, Owner’s Project Manager and the design team will engage in value engineering. Here is a definition of that process from the National Institute of Building Services:

“Value Engineering (“VE”) is not a design/peer review or a cost-cutting exercise. VE is a creative, organized effort, which analyzes the requirements of the project for the purpose of achieving the essential functions at the lowest total costs (capital, staffing, energy, maintainance) over the life of the project. Through a group investigation, using experienced, multi-disciplinary teams, value and economy are improved through the study of alternate design[s]…materials, and methods without compromising the functional and value objectives of the client…VE can be applied at any point in a project, even in construction. However, typically the earlier it is applied the higher the return on the time and effort invested.”

To see the “Total Project Budget” from the 2012 project, including a summary of value engineering considerations, click here.