by CONCRETE PRODUCTS STAFF | Oct 01 '99

Precast concrete doesn't just save time and money in school construction; it makes facilities more energy-efficient as well. Schools nationwide (K-12) spend $6 billion+ on energy - more than on computers and textbooks combined - and waste about 25 percent of that due to inefficient building envelope design, according to the Alliance to Save Energy (ASE).

That group urges reduction of school energy consumption so funds can be used instead to teach students. Some 6,000 new schools will be required over the next 10 years to accommodate student population growth, ASE reports, and many existing schools are in need of renovation to reach basic standards of comfort and efficiency for an optimum learning environment. In addition to fostering such conditions, energy-efficient design and construction saves money for school districts, ASE adds, while protecting the environment by maximizing energy resources.

Fortunately, school construction using concrete products results in inherently energy-efficient structures. The Environmental Council of Concrete Organizations (ECCO) notes, for example, that structures with concrete design elements are reducing utility costs in the Northern tier of states because energy consumption is lower due to concrete's thermal mass.

Thermal mass may be used in the exterior building envelope to delay and reduce heat losses and gains, adds the National Concrete Masonry Association. Interior thermal mass may be used to increase thermal comfort and shift heating and cooling loads to off-peak hours. Interior thermal mass is a crucial factor for achieving the desired performance of passive solar buildings, NCMA notes.

Use of concrete in school and other buildings can benefit the general urban environment as well, quelling the urban "heat island" effect, ECCO reports. Use of light and heat-reflective concrete-based materials - along with careful planting of trees - can lower the average summer afternoon temperature in some cities by as much as 5 degrees F. This would cut the need for air conditioning by 18 percent and reduce air pollution.

Moreover, the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association observes, high-reflectivity pavements and structural materials enhance night illumination and impart energy savings.