Craig

Lighting Priorities

 * Natural and full spectrum lighting
 * Energy efficient
 * Adjustable

In Jefferey Lackney's **//33 Educational Design Principles for Schools and Community Learning Centers//**, he recommends using natural lighting and full spectrum lighting. These types of lighting have been shown to reduce mental fatigue. They have also been shown to reduce hyperactivity in children, which have been associated with fluorescent lighting. Studies have shown that the use of daylighting contributes to improved student achievement (Heschong: //Daylighting in Schools: An Investigation into the Relationship between Daylighting and Human Performance//). These types of lighting are also more economical and energy efficient. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers recommends daylight so that lights can be off most of the day, but design it carefully so that additional cooling needs are not required.

The library space currently has good sources of natural lighting. Several transom windows, another large window, and a few glass doors that are all fitted with blinds. However, they also may also be the cause of the room often being hot. There is no air conditioning currently, although there are air ducts. It would be beneficial to have the windows [|Low-E] (low emittance) glazed to improve the insulation of the windows.

The library space also currently has long fluorescent lighting strips that runs across the ceiling the full length of the library. These strips should be replaced with smaller banks of lighting, using full spectrum bulbs. Since the new design of the library will include different areas for different types of activities, the lighting needs to be as adjustable as possible. Each separate area should have it own lighting banks, complete with dimming controls in the same area. A master panel will be up front.

Since the facility does have a good source of natural lighting, there is an opportunity to be energy efficient. To help with this, the lighting should be fitted with a Simplified Daylight Harvesting system, which has been developed by the California Lighting Technology Center at UC Davis. The system is low-cost and easy to install. It uses photosensors to automatically adjust the level of the lights, but also allows for users to adjust settings as well.

Acoustic Priorities

 * Sound from outside
 * Sound absorbing materials
 * Separate group activity spaces

The library has high, open-beam ceilings which unfortunately lets in noise from outside, as well as reverberates the sound inside. To reduce this, either  [|ceiling absorbers] or [|ceiling tiles] need to installed.

Since one of the goals of this learning space is having areas for students to collaborate, the acceptable "noise level" of this library space may be higher than what is traditionally accepted. With that in mind, sound absorbing materials should be used whenever possible. For example, carpeting is considered to be a sound absorbing material. Luckily, the library is already carpeted. Moveable partitions made of [|acoustic panels] is another example. These would be useful for separating collaborative groups both physically and acoustically from other students needing more quiet. Having well-defined areas of use within the library will also help control the acoustics.

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