“If we want children to flourish, to become truly empowered, then let us allow them to love the earth before we ask them to save it.” - David Sobel, Beyond Ecophobia

Community Unit School District 200 (CUSD 200), located in the suburbs of Chicago, is nothing less than a shining example of the district’s mission.  CUSD 200’s mission is to inspire, educate, challenge, and support all students to reach their highest level of learning and personal development.  The district’s new Hubble Middle School does just that and more.

Rightsizing Instead of Downsizing
Budgets have always been strict in schools and that fact doesn’t discriminate, whether it applies to charter, public or private schools or even primary, middle or college level.  The economy the past few years has challenged us all to step back and find ways to shrink our expenditures and rethink our budgets.  Circumstances have forced individuals all the way to major corporations to think about how much space we need to thrive and how much space really bogs us down.  Due to growth in the school district, master planning was undertaken by Legat Architects and many options were under consideration during the 10 years the firm worked on the project.  Administration and Board Members were presented with two clear options; they could renovate the old middle school building of 250,000 square feet to bring it up to today’s building and teaching standards, or start from scratch and build a more appropriately sized building with energy efficient features at relatively the same cost.  The new building is 190,000 square feet and can house up to 1,800 students.  The space has all the benefits of an updated learning environment but without the large operating and maintenance budget of the old, behemoth of a building that previously served as the middle school.

Renovation Station
Renovation is certainly green when thinking about sustainable spaces for an organization.  However, the site and location of the original school seemed to be a major problem.  The majority of students took a 45-minute bus ride one-way to school in the morning and repeated this again in the afternoon to get home.  The new site is also a community destination and shares a variety of facilities with the community.  The school’s gym and auditorium can be utilized by community groups.  The facility is zoned into two main “blocks” in order to provide enhanced energy efficiency as well as community access.  If the auditorium is being used for a school play, the classrooms don’t have to be conditioned and that area remains locked and secure during public functions.

Blurring the Line Between Outside and Inside
Fading fast are the days where children play outside until called for meals with the family.  Instead, school days are spent running from home to school then to some type of practice - band, soccer, gymnastics, baseball, basketball…  Once students finally arrive home, they likely check email and their social networking sites, and then are on to homework and maybe back to the computer or television.  Some may say that an understated deprivation of nature has occurred with today’s children.  Interaction outside is often solely limited to a specific sports practice or recess.

The new school has taken steps to maximize the children’s experience with the outdoor environment, including a winding path through the site and a small area designed for instructional opportunities.  There is a narrow space that connects the two main “blocks” of the building, which the designers call the nature observatory.  This is filled with native plants and can serve as an outdoor teaching area.  Above the main-level offices for administration sits a green roof and a library looking out onto the space.  Activities and lessons have been designed to incorporate the green features of the new facility into the middle school’s curriculum as well as meet the state’s education standards. The school allows students to reacquaint themselves in most spaces with abundant daylight and views to the outside instead of the usual disconnect between our built spaces and experiences in the external world.

Climate Change or Spare Change
What was the driving force behind the energy efficiency and environmentally preferred features of the facility?  There are many answers: concern for climate change, saving the district money on utilities that could instead be spent on books, staff, etc.  In fact, for the 2009-2010 school year, the district created a new position, Energy Education Operation Manager, in order to maximize efficiency throughout CUSD200.  Maybe the day will come where school rivalries occur both externally and internally.  Will homerooms compete for the “Sensible Utility Users Club” prize?  Will departments battle it out for recognition as “Prudent Power Users?”  The school’s focus on energy efficiency and education will foster a long-lasting impact on both the building’s energy use and the staff’s and students’ awareness of these issues.

Restoring Natural Capital and Increasing Social Capital
There are many examples of environmental stewardship throughout the facility, such as using local products like prairie stone for the walls and permeable pavers that make up the North parking lot.  Land and material conservation speak to the spirit of a community; we build spaces that protect and shelter us.  By focusing on environmental stewardship, Hubble Middle School will encourage future stewards to use their imagination and leadership to respect others and the environment.

Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders
William Wordsworth once said, “Let Nature be your teacher.”  More often than not, humans spend most of their time inside interacting with other humans or technology.  Do we dare envision what the future will hold as technology advances and there is a smart phone application for almost everything?  School is predominantly about making connections-connections with classmates, connections with school subjects, connections when throwing passes on the football field-and at Hubble Middle School, the connection goes much further.  A connection with conservation and the environment is evident, as is the school’s dedication to bringing a higher level of stewardship for students.  The facility embodies Thomas Berry’s assertion that “Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives.”

About the Author
Christy serves as Vertegy’s Environmental Specialist, bringing experience and passion to Alberici’s sustainable consulting service.  A graduate of Oklahoma City University with a background in biology and currently pursuing a graduate degree in environmental education, Cunningham-Saylor joined Vertegy in December 2005.  As Environmental Specialist, she works closely with clients who are seeking the benefits of sustainable design and construction, which include significantly reducing life cycle costs, conserving natural resources and enhancing the quality of work life for the building’s occupants.  Christy is a member of the St. Louis Regional Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council and a LEED Accredited Professional. www.vertegyconsultants.com