Irving Independent School District (ISD) is a public school district located just outside of Dallas in Irving, TX. Irving has over 40 campuses and serves most of the City of Irving, and small portions of Grand Prairie and Dallas. Irving ISD is home to Lady Bird Johnson Middle School, the nation’s largest net-zero middle school and the first net zero school in the State of Texas. At 150,200 square feet, the LEED Gold facility uses wind and solar power to produce as much energy as it consumes from the electric grid over a one year period. This facility incorporates energy reducing systems with goals to reduce energy consumption by over 50% from the traditional school model. The school is designed as a teaching tool for all of Irving ISD to be integrated into the science curriculum.
Solar Energy and Education
Students are encouraged to learn through practical, hands on experience. The whole facility is an extension of the classroom, creating a 3-dimensional learning environment. From the energy monitoring, students can see, in real time, how much energy a classroom is consuming and learn how small changes can have a big impact on energy use. The facility has several features present for teaching purposes, including: touch screens; a holistic energy monitoring live display; an interactive learning museum displays in the main corridor; solar array observation deck; omni learning lab; and observation windows into the inverter room. The facility’s efficient materials and cutting-edge renewable energy technology help incorporate issues such as geothermal science, rainwater collection, solar panel usage, and wind turbine efficiency into curriculum which helps students learn responsibility for energy conservation. For more information about the net-zero Lady Bird Johnson Middle School, please visit: http://www.irvingisd.net/domain/1482.
Financing Net Zero
When Irving ISD began seeking funding for the net zero project, they turned to bond funds and dis-trict funds. A key to their success was stressing the long term environmental, educational, and economic benefits. The district incorporated energy efficient measures into the building design and construction phase during development. This lessened the energy use and helped reduce the upfront costs. Significant annual utility savings from the onsite energy production directly impacts the maintenance and operations budget. The long term benefit of lower utility cost due to efficient and sustainable features will, in turn, create lower maintenance and operations costs of the building.
