Bethke is a prototype elementary school that incorporates “micro-load” building design, which utilizes a high-efficiency building envelope, daylighting design and reduces internal gains to minimize heating and cooling system capacities. Bethke is the first school in the nation to achieve LEED® for Schools Gold and has also been designated as the nation’s first school to earn 3 Green Globes™ with the Green Building Initiative.
The design included a 4,620 sq. ft. kitchen/dining area equipped with grease hood, gas cooking equipment, dishwashing equipment with exhaust hood, fire suppression system and grease interceptor.
Some of the design characteristics included:
- Hydronic heating system with modular, high-efficiency boilers and primary-secondary pumping
- Indirect evaporative-cooled chilled water system cooling tower, plate and frame heat exchanger and variable speed pumping
- Rooftop air handling units
- Electronic building automation system with communications to District offices
- Telephone and data services to classrooms and administration areas
- Electric stepped control of classroom lighting based on daylighting contribution
- Wet-pipe fire sprinkler system
- Manual fire alarm system supplemented with automatic detection in sensitive/high areas
- Security and access control systems per PSD standards
- 277/480 volt service from Xcel Energy
- Classroom educational audio enhancement system
- Cable television distribution for learning area
- Daylight harvesting lighting control system with exterior lighting controlled by photocells and astronomical time clocks