New School Year, New School
Denver Public Schools (DPS) pushed the design envelope with this over 60,000-square-foot ground-up new school. The current design houses grades ECE through 5th grade with a future Phase 2 expansion to bring it up through 8th grade and just shy of 80,000 square feet. Phase 1 was designed with Phase 2 in mind, from mechanical loads and water heater capacity down to sanitary sewer piping depth. As the architect, DLR Group led the design team in which 360 Engineering provided mechanical and plumbing engineering and consulting. Responsive Arts & STEAM Academy FNE (RASA) hosted its ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, August 2, 2024, just in time for the new school year!
The RASA approach is built on a culturally sustaining, community-responsive foundation that respects all learners. It aims to foster a lifelong love of learning through creative and critical thinking, project-based learning, and the discovery of students’ talents. The model emphasizes the Arts as essential to learning, integrating them across subjects to promote higher-order thinking. Historically, students in Far Northeast Denver have lacked access to robust arts education, but RASA seeks to change this by valuing emotional education alongside logic and reasoning, creating a more holistic human experience.
Energy Modeling and Mechanical Systems
The design team was tasked with designing a highly energy-efficient building. Energy modeling was used to compare three mechanical systems:
- Packaged Heat Pump Roof Top Units (RTUs) with downstream Variable Air Volume (VAV) boxes with electric zone heating.
- A geothermal heat pump system.
- Chilled beam cooling with radiant heating flooring.
Each system has pros and cons, which were discussed in detail with 360’s input and guidance. The biggest decision points were identified as installation cost, energy efficiency (measured in Energy Use Intensity or EUI, given as a measure of energy use per square foot per year), maintenance requirements, and operational costs. The VAV RTU system was chosen as it provided the best efficiency with the lowest installation cost and a familiar system for the District’s facilities maintenance team to work with. This system also included air-side economizers and energy recovery wheels to further increase efficiency and make use of the dry Colorado air. Additionally, the controls systems monitor CO2 levels in the various spaces and modulate the outdoor air intakes to provide the right amount of ventilation (known as Demand Control Ventilation), providing the right balance between energy savings—less outdoor air to heat or cool—and indoor air quality, keeping CO2 levels down and enough fresh air coming in to keep learning minds active and alert!
All Electric
With RASA’s successful grand opening, the design team immediately began designing the Phase 2 expansion. We are excited to see the school we have designed realize its potential as a safe, energy-efficient facility that will foster growth in the next generation.
With a mindset for the future, the school was designed to be all-electric: the mechanical system is powered using heat pump technology, domestic water heating is electric, and all kitchen appliances are electric—even the ranges and ovens are induction-type! This is the District’s first all-electric school.
