Grantee Research Project Results

Final Report: Regenerative Site Learning Laboratory: A Site Intervention for Sustainability Education

EPA Grant Number: SU834763
Title: Regenerative Site Learning Laboratory: A Site Intervention for Sustainability Education
Investigators: Fryer, Robert , Frost, Kevin
Institution: Philadelphia University
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: August 15, 2010 through August 14, 2011
Project Amount: $9,642
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2010) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Challenge Area - Sustainable and Healthy Communities , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities

Objective:

The Regenerative Site Learning Laboratory (RSLL) project addresses two problems: the impact of stormwater runoff generated from the campus of Cherry Hill High School West, and systemic deficiencies in education as it relates to connecting students to their local environment.  This project may be thought of as an intervention-seeking to heal a compromised landscape, while fostering appreciation of the local natural environment among high school students.  The design of a classroom building is included to provide a platform in which to engage the land.  

A primary goal of the RSLL project is to design strategies to mitigate stormwater runoff generated by the site, thereby improving water quality within the site's local watershed.  Methods and strategies for retrofitting the existing stormwater management system were determined through a review of literature and case studies. Several of these strategies were adapted for site-specific use. The intention is to use stormwater mitigation strategies in a manner that cultivates a respect and appreciation for water, which is essential for all life.  Water can be revealed and expressed bringing beauty and life to the landscape rather than piped away like waste in underground pipes, thereby, water is celebrated rather than taken for granted.

In addition to the site intervention, a small classroom building was designed to serve as a platform for learning for sustainability and regeneration.  The building is regenerative and makes it's own power, uses passive heating and cooling strategies, recycles its waste, and optimizes natural light for lighting. The building also utilizes rainwater as a design feature--expressing its sensual qualities while underscoring rainwater's importance to life.

The second objective of the RSSL project is to develop curriculum that addresses the site intervention and RSLL building.  A partner team comprised of High School West teachers, explored the potential of place-based education strategies as a means of connecting students to their local environment while instilling values related to environmental stewardship, such as  respect for the natural world and the conscientious use of resources.

A collaborative process (design charrette) between high school West teachers, students and other stakeholders was the primary strategy used to develop the RSLL project.  A similar process was used to develop the curriculum relevant to the project.  

Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):

The project began by composing a 'charrette book' to be used to communicate the necessary background information to the charrette participants.  This information includes guiding principles, case studies, climate data and a site analysis.  the charrette  produced a schematic design and revealed what the group believed were the important design elements and underling values.  The design development work that followed the charrette was in direct response to the outcome of the charrette process.

Stormwater Management

The project site is approximately 30 acres (56% open),  with the majority of the open space's land use type being athletic fields. The limitations imposed by the this land-use type limits the size of surface stormwater treatment options such as wet ponds, constructed wetlands, etc.  Thus, underground retrofit options were considered.  However, these options conflicted with the project's guiding principles.  These principles required the use of stormwater best management practices (BMP) as design elements and landscape amenities in addition to providing habitat value.  Therefore, a stormwater management system was developed that uses a variety of treatment methods with a preference for those strategies that are visible and address design priorities.  These strategies include bioswales, constructed wetlands, and an underground sand filter.  In addition to reducing contaminant and nutrient loads and providing storm volume attenuation, the particular BMP's specified fulfill the design goals of providing site amenities and wildlife habitat. 

Classroom Building

The design charrette produced several requisite design features including flexible and nondiscipline specific classroom space, the use of vegetation (green roofs/walls) in the design, significant use of natural light, provisions for growing food, outdoor learning spaces, accommodations for displaying student work, create beauty and inspire deeper connections to the land, etc.  These requisites are in addition to the goal of designing a building that is regenerative, i.e. the building must produce more energy than it uses, capture and recycle its own water, achieve carbon neutrality, and improve the site in which it stands.  

The RSLL building as designed includes an architecturally integrated 14 kW photovoltaic array and four 2 kW vertical axis wind turbines which will produce approximately 85% of the building's annual energy requirements.  A 57 kW photovoltaic array is designed above the building's parking lot.  Together, the photovoltaic arrays and wind turbines will produce approximately 303% of the building's energy requirements.  Additional regenerative features of the building include passive solar heating and cooling, rainwater capture and storage, and a 'living machine' that purifies water while serving as an educational exhibit.  

Curriculum

Curriculum is also being developed in using a collaborative process.  A group of teachers representing the disciplines of math, English, science, art, social studies, and technology education also participated in the design charrette and have been engaged in the project from its beginning.  The complexity of the RSLL building and site provide many lessons.  The goal of this group is to develop learning units that are project-based, experiential in nature, integrate multiple disciplines, and most importantly, foster the formation of connections between students and their local environment.  This work is ongoing, but units include the following: From the Land:

Cultures, Technology, and Nature, Wetland Health Indicators: Surveying and Illustrating Wetland Invertebrates, Improving Soil Structure, The Sun, Civilization and the Art of Telling Time, Constructivism and Site-Specific Art, Landscapes: Photography and Prose Poetry.  

Conclusions:

This project demonstrates that effective stormwater retrofit strategies, in addition to improving water quality, do provide a means of adding beauty and habitat value to an impaired landscape.   Additionally, the project demonstrates ways in which landscapes and carefully designed stormwater management systems can have significant value in an educational setting so long as such educational goals are made priorities from the outset of a project, and that such assets are utilized by educators.  The land and local environment does provide many opportunities to educators regardless of course and discipline.  And, in fact, the local environment provides curriculum that is inherently cross-disciplinary.  

Furthermore, this project reveals the effectiveness and importance of the charrette process in the design of buildings and landscapes that will be shared by many, in that such a process is reflective of the democratic process we so value.  This may be especially true within the public domain and the commons where it is important that stakeholders make decisions collectively and reached by consensus.  

The project demonstrates the importance architectural design can play in educational buildings. 

Compared to the concrete block rectangular classroom 'cell' typical of many classrooms, the RSLL building provides a learning environment characterized by natural light, multiple views, fresh air and one that affords collaboration, flexibility in space use and extends to the outdoor environment.  Additionally, the project demonstrates that school buildings can be regenerative and the regenerative characteristics can be integrated into student learning. 

Supplemental Keywords:

Land use, sustainable infrastructure design, biofiltration technology, sustainable urban planning, environmental planning, conservation, design for the environment, holistic design, sustainability monitoring, model for sustainability, sustainable urban redevelopment, education for sustainability