Sustainability Summary:
Jefferson Elementary School:
- has a recycling program
- uses low-flow water fixtures.
Jefferson is an environmentally conscious school committed to pursuing opportunities that make us as “green” as possible. We are proud of our green endeavors, which include the following:
- Students have taken charge of paper recycling; they have recycled over 100,000 pounds of paper in the past 5 years. All proceeds from recycling activities go directly into promoting healthy earth activities. We also recycle plastic, juice bags, and electronics.
- We have educated students about Michigan endangered animals and have adopted the lynx, barn owl, and salamander.
- In November 2009, we were accepted into the Michigan Renewable Schools Energy Efficiency Program. We hope that through this partnership, Energy Works Michigan can direct us in improving energy efficiency not only in the school but outside, particularly in our courtyard. It’s there that we envision ways to naturally insulate our outer building walls, for instance with netting and ivy, or additional bushes.
- In December 2009, we were accepted into the Friends of the Rouge Schoolyard Habitat Program, which will provide us with the landscape design of our Reading Garden and Living Classroom. We are in the process of obtaining additional funds for our courtyard project (through grants and fundraisers). Information on the Reading Garden Project is below.
- Finally, in March 2010, we were awarded official Michigan Green School status. To earn this distinction, Jefferson had to meet at least ten out of twenty criteria the state established for being "green".
The benefits to these pursuits are countless. But perhaps most important is that we are making students stewards of a healthy earth for the rest of their lives.
Property Description:
Jefferson Elementary School was built in 1958 with the last major renovation in 1997. The school has one story with approximately 42,268 square feet of floor area. There are currently 355 students in grades K - 5, with 22 teachers.
This building has a poorly insulated wall construction and adequately insulated roof. The building has a light gray single ply rubber roofing system with rigid insulation over metal deck construction. The walls are uninsulated brick/block construction and the windows are tinted double pane glass with aluminum frames. Entrance doors are hollow metal with glass light and are in good condition.
Two (2) 13 year old, standard efficiency, hot water boiler supply heating hot water to air handling units, unit ventilators, finned tube radiation and fan coil units. One (1) 13 year old air-cooled chiller provides cooling for the facility. Outdoor air-cooled chillers average life expectancy is approximately 30 years. The existing chiller appears to still be in good condition. The mechanical systems for this building are in fair condition. The boilers are well maintained and should last another 10 years.
Lighting for this building meets today’s standards for efficiency and is mainly T8 fluorescent lamps. Limited quantities of incandescent and high intensity discharge (HID) lamps are in use and should be phased out with more efficient alternatives as they fail. Exterior building surface mounted lamps are high pressure sodium (HPS) wall packs.The existing wall hung lavatories, urinals and toilets have been replaced with more efficient fixtures.