ENVIRONMENTAL CHARTER SCHOOL OPENED ITS MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE JAMES E. ROGERS BUILDING
Contact:
Deana Callipare, communications coordinator
(412) 247-7970 x200
For Immediate Release
ENVIRONMENTAL CHARTER SCHOOL OPENED ITS MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE JAMES E. ROGERS BUILDING
PITTSBURGH (Oct. 8, 2019)— The Environmental Charter School (ECS) opened its Middle School doors to students on August 21, 2019 in the former James E. Rogers building.
The building (pictured above) is located at 5525 Columbo St. and was purchased in 2018 to be developed specifically for ECS after being vacant for more than 9 years. The building houses grades 6-8 and is the perfect location to accommodate the school’s unique out-the-door learning programs. ECS plans to add 9th grade to the school in the Fall of 2020.
The building was built in 1914 and stands on an almost 3 acre site in the Garfield community which provides an urban location and easy access to public transit. Upper and lower green spaces outside of the school offer outdoor learning environments, and several community spaces and parks are within walking distance. Designed with the WELL Building Framework as a tool for decision-making, the ECS Middle School includes numerous green features including:
The adaptive reuse of an existing building
Installation of an energy efficient heating and cooling system
Intentional inclusion of natural light
Indoor air quality monitoring system
Biophilic features and color pallet throughout the design
Low or Zero VOC content of paint, adhesives, and cleaning products; Formaldehyde-free casework throughout the school
Waste stream reduction systems throughout the school
The most significant change was the conversion of the original coal-fired heating to the complex HVAC system. Featuring demand-based ventilation, there are sensors in each room that detect carbon dioxide levels and will provide additional fresh air on an as-needed basis. The system also utilizes ‘energy recovery ventilation’, which uses air that would normally be exhausted to precondition the incoming fresh air. Areas of the building that are warmed by the sun will exchange tempered air with areas that are in the shade, which will significantly reduce the energy required to heat and cool the building.
The team of Wildman Chalmers Design Architects & Interiors, East End Development Corporation, and PJ Dick designed and constructed a dramatic overhaul of the building’s systems to create an energy-efficient, high-performance school.
ECS will host an official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony later this fall to celebrate the renovation of the former James E. Rogers building and its efforts to provide a healthy, energy efficient, learning environment for students.
About ECS:
The Environmental Charter School is a tuition free K-8 charter school in Pittsburgh, Pa. ECS combines the academic rigor of the best public schools with a multi-disciplinary, “out-the-door” learning approach rooted in real world problems that build active, engaged and empathetic citizens.
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