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The following report is a yearlong analysis of various works and analyses performed on the Elementary School located in Philadelphia, PA. This report aims to develop a project criteria, analyze alternative solutions to the lighting design and electrical system in the Elementary School in an attempt to improve the design, energy efficiency and performance of the building. Two additional systems, daylighting and mechanical systems were evaluated.

The elementary school is a prototype building, in which three new elementary schools were developed to replace the nine existing elementary school buildings and to provide significant savings for the future.The facilities are distributed evenly throughout the district in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Elementary School, being one of the three new structures, is a prototype design that serves two different student bodies: a K-2 program and a 3-5 program. The buildings follow a concept called “school within a school”, where each building functions as smaller units within the larger school, serving a total population of 1300 students.

The lighting depth contains an evaluation of the current lighting systems among four spaces of the building as well as the redesign of lighting solutions. The redesigns of the spaces use a concept of a storybook that defines the style, supports and guides the lighting design solution. An AGi32 model was created to redesign and guide the quantitative design criteria that was obtained from the IES handbook. Energy efficient LED fixtures were used to provide acceptable illuminance levels. Furthermore, the media center uses a psychological impression of visual clarity in a successful lighting design solution.

The four spaces analyzed are the following:

  • Building Exterior & Facade

  • Circulation Space: Main Lobby

  • Special Purpose Space: Classroom

  • Large Work Space: Media Center

The proposed electrical depth focuses on an alternative solution to the current transformer design. Currently, the system has 11 dry-type transformers and a redesign of combining the loads in three step-down transformers, having a total of six was conducted and analyzed in comparison to the existing system. A study regarding the load analysis, wiring sizing, costs was determined. This report also includes in daylighting, mechanical and cost analyses.

Final Report

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