Holcim Awards Acknowledgement prize 2011 North America

Energy neutral portable classroom, Honolulu, HI, USA

Type of project:	Building and civil engineering works
Start of construction:	September 2011
Main author:	Mark Stephen Tufte Anderson, Anderson Anderson Architecture, San Francisco, CA, United States
Further authors:	Peter Carl Olaf Anderson,  Johnson Tang,  Brent Sumida, Christopher Campbell,  Yevgeniy Ossipov, Anderson Anderson Architecture, San Francisco, CA, United States

Holcim Awards Acknowledgement prize 2011 North America presentation for “Energy neutral portable classroom, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA” (l-r): winners Peter Anderson and Mark Anderson, Anderson Anderson Architecture, San Francisco, USA  and Bernard Terver, Area Manager US of Holcim Ltd

Project description
This portable classroom uses highly prefabricated modules that can be assembled to create different sized units on location in Hawaii and elsewhere. Its design and construction principle is optimized for this purpose, applying light materials such as steel, rigid foam sandwich floor, wood framing, double wall metal cladding, FSC-certified engineered-wood boards and natural finished recycled rice straw panels. The energy concept is based on a set of photo-voltaic roof panels and a ground-cooled water bag to cool water. A small windmill produces additional energy on site, while the roof design provides natural daylight and natural ventilation – thus minimizing energy consumption. In addition, all systems and performance criteria of the building are monitored and uploaded to an Internet site to support the exchange of knowledge. The Energy Neutral Portable Classroom utilizes a well-balanced strategy that establishes criteria to reach manufacturing and transport efficiency, and achieve low operating costs and ease of maintenance.

Comment of the Holcim Awards jury North America
The jury recognized the project for its sound general concept with an impressive teaching capacity. Through its potential for transferability, even to remote locations, the project delivers a strong contribution. With its spatial and functional qualities it directly supports education in the classrooms, and enhances the awareness for the systems by their direct visibility as well as the monitoring and Internet-publishing of performance.

Image gallery
Energy neutral portable classroom, Honolulu, HI, United States
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