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TABLE of CONTENTS In this Experience.......................................................02 Student Agency Student Agency = Personal Integrity................06 Learning Environments that Support Student Agency.....................................................................12 Imagination Abounds at the Allen ISD STEAM Center ......................................................15 Providing Opportunities for Students in Crowley ISD...........................................................19 COVID-19’s Influence on Our Practice Virtual Planning 2021 and Beyond....................24 Design Solutions & Strategic Resources for Educational Environments in a PostCOVID-19 World................................................28 Improved Air Cleaning Systems Considerations in Response to COVID-19...................................33 Moving Forward..........................................................37

IN THIS EXPERIENCE Dear Reader, Our work in 2021 continues to be inspired and encouraged by the work of public education during such an unprecedented experience. Educators, by far, demonstrated forethought, problem solving, and tenacity during this pandemic. During the pandemic, our role, at VLK Architects, was to continue to support you, our clients, and to provide creative thought leadership and service. This edition of Experience magazine demonstrates our work alongside our clients with solutions to support their communities with the best learning environments for teaching and learning. It also shares expertise for future design needs as we evolve from this pandemic and utilize improved systems for health, welfare, and safety. We have been focused on student agency, and are applying that lens to every project understanding the student engagement needs you are working to address daily. Regardless of where the lesson takes place,

Ken Hutchens, Chief Creative Officer

VLK Architects, Inc.

students realizing agency have profound learning, and experiences that will remain with them forever. This past year will certainly not be soon forgotten. As part of our design process, we spent time talking to students. It has been refreshing to hear they craved being in their friendly schools with their teachers who care, and make an impact on their daily lives. We always strive to innovate our design practice, and this pandemic brought opportunities that we did not anticipate. However, our ability to pivot, and provide service to clients during quarantine has enabled us, and our clients, to move forward with needed educational facilities without skipping a beat. Please enjoy not only a sample of recent projects, but also a glimpse into how our design expertise has evolved, continuing to ensure client expectations.

Dalane Bouillion, Ed.D., Principal of Educational Planning

Bobby Summers Middle School, Royse EXPERIENCE | Vol. 7 City 5 ISD

Spring Valley Conference Center, 6 VLK ESC Region 10Architects, Inc.

STUDENT AGENCY

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STUDENT AGENCY = PERSONAL INTEGRITY + EFFICACY Dalane Bouillion, Ed.D., Principal of Educational Planning

Student agency seems to be a bit complex, but is it?

Student agency seems to be a bit complex, but is it? Like engagement, students can tell you when they experience it. It is dependent upon many factors, but the rewards are intrinsically powerful. In simple terms, student agency is the combination of personal integrity and efficacy (Williams, 2017). Personal integrity implies “respect and appreciation” (Williams, 2017, p. 12) of self. It also means teachers assume it as they design lessons. Efficacy is demonstrating with effect. It is actionable. Student agency is evidence of meaningful learning, emotional learning, helping to solidify understanding. For agency to be realized, students must be willing to accept the responsibility for learning, but formal agreement is not required. Teachers who design lessons understanding the opportunity for agency exists know the motivations students possess. Ultimately, they understand how to best challenge students to excel. Often, young children simply embark on an experience designed by a teacher, not knowing that the result will make them feel great about their accomplishment. With natural curiosity, they dive into a task utilizing materials that interest them. As finished projects reach fruition, eyes sparkle, and grins widen with personal satisfaction for quality work and feelings of accomplishment. Commonly, during the elementary years, this feeling of triumph is a surprise to the student. As students continue through adolescence and high school more autonomy is achieved, increasing the probability of realizing student agency.

VLK Architects, Inc.

Energy Institute High School, Houston ISD

Teachers who design lessons understanding the opportunity for agency exists know the motivations students possess.

Energy Institute High School, Houston ISD

McClatchey Elementary EXPERIENCE | Vol. 7 School, 9 Midlothian ISD

Dan Dipert Career + Technical Center, Arlington ISD

Energy Institute High School, Houston ISD

STEAM Center, Allen ISD

As finished projects reach fruition, eyes sparkle, and grins widen with personal satisfaction for quality work and feelings of accomplishment. STEAM Center, Allen ISD

VLK Architects, Inc.

Student agency is evidence of meaningful learning, emotional learning, helping to solidify understanding. For agency to be realized, students must be willing to accept the responsibility for learning, but formal agreement is not required.

Energy Institute High School, EXPERIENCE | Vol.Houston 7 11 ISD

VLK Architects, Inc.

Generally, student agency is realized when students are able to participate in their own goals, and then reach them.

What happened during the process? What occurred after the teacher set the expectations for the lesson and introduced the concept and before the sparkling eyes and widened smile is the process of student agency. Students essentially dedicated their commitment to learning, but realized that it required personal integrity to do their part in the learning process. What they grasped are feelings of efficacy. That’s powerful! Generally, student agency is realized when students are able to participate in their own goals, and then reach them. The process that occurs to move them from goal to fruition can be realized via student agency. Although much of what contributes to student agency requires action, feelings of student agency are intrinsic. It feels like accomplishment, pride, self-worth, knowledge, and success. Conditions for student agency must be right for this to occur. The environment has much to do with fostering the empowerment opportunities that can result in realizing student agency. Students are quick to share that sunlight helps them think and feel good. When working on projects, they report preferring to decide on their teammates and their collective outcomes. They like their instructional tools easily accessible, and they want space to work regardless of their learning group size. VLK Architects makes it a priority to design schools that promote student agency. Inspiration, innovation, and curiosity – concepts contributing to student agency – can abound in a purposeful learning environment.

Williams, P. (2017). Student agency for powerful learning. Knowledge Quest, 45(4), 8-15.

Energy Institute High School, Houston ISD

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Crowley Independent School District

BILL R. JOHNSON CTE CENTER

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS THAT SUPPORT STUDENT AGENCY

Allen Independent School District

STEAM CENTER

VLK Architects, Inc.

Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District

MARINE CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL

Conditions for student agency must be right for this to occur. The environment has much to do with fostering the empowerment opportunities that can result in realizing student agency.

Crowley Independent School District

JUNE DAVIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

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Innovation Hub, STEAM Center, Allen ISD

Workshop, STEAM Center, Allen ISD

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IMAGINATION ABOUNDS at the ALLEN ISD STEAM CENTER Dalane Bouillion, Ed.D., Principal of Educational Planning

Some environments naturally lend themselves to student agency. The other night at dinner, seated outdoors, I watched a brother and sister methodically working a rock bed that existed just beyond the dining tables. Carefully examining the rock choices before them, they made selections to accomplish their mission. They exchanged rocks as they also engaged in dialogue during the process. They assembled a nice strong pile based on the parameters they set for themselves as determinants for quality, analyzing each to ensure they met their expectations. The final outcome of the rock selection is unknown to me, as I did not want to intrude, or disrupt their learning. What I observed were two self-driven young learners diligently working to meet self-initiated unwritten goals. They exhibited student agency in a lesson they designed for themselves. Learning at the Allen ISD STEAM Center exemplifies student agency. Students selfinitiate outdoors learning in pursuit of goals driven by their interests and set under the guidance of teachers to ensure standards alignment. The district mission “Allen ISD cultivates innovation in education that

empowers every learner to realize his or her full potential” implies that student agency is expected. Due to the intentional visioning journey for the multitude of learning environments that exist at the Allen ISD STEAM Center, student agency is realized daily, especially at the man-made pond, which serves as a “living laboratory for students to experience multiple unique habitats associated with permanent water. It is designed for amphibious animals, small fish, and aquatic plants. Pond edge planting also helps with erosion control and acts as a barrier, teaching students about prevention of erosion and sediment filtration” indicated Jennifer Wilhelm, Assistant Superintendent of Learner Services. When students interact with this environment, they internalize the importance of habitat and how it affects their lives. They demonstrate curiosity, and are fearless with inquiry.

When students interact with this environment, they internalize the importance of habitat and how it affects their lives. They demonstrate curiosity, and are fearless with inquiry.

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Students at the Allen ISD STEAM Center are allowed autonomy, voice and choice, which are critical to student agency. These attributes are vital to the learning process when working in a variety of environments that support both experiential and mastery learning. Students can easily enact these critical attributes of agency and student-centered learning in spaces within the building such as the Workshop, which functions at the Makerspace. Students have the opportunity to develop their own intended outcomes grounded in their interests and based on classroom instruction while applying personal integrity to their work, and demonstrating efficacy when sharing their learning results. They are also able to impressively articulate the process they used to help navigate successes, and failures that led to additional successes in the Workshop. The Allen ISD STEAM Center welcomes Kindergarten through 8th grade students to STEAM Studios located on the upper level on a regular basis. This environment affords the district a powerful opportunity for younger students to explore STEAM-related content,

exposing them to important career prospects, and facilitating increased likelihood of student agency. From the upper level, younger students are able to view high school students below as they take chosen courses to fulfill their graduation requirements, as well as fuel their academic interests. Like the child observations with the rock bed, many have witnessed a multitude of examples of student agency when visiting this unique facility. When asked about his thoughts and observations regarding student agency, Mr. Larry Labue, Allen ISD STEAM Center Executive Director shared, “Allen ISD STEAM Center is a unique one of a kind facility that provides our students and staff with real world tools and flexible learning spaces to bring about creativity, innovation and problem solving. Students are immersed in STEAM and environmental experiences that help them develop future-ready skills. At the Allen ISD STEAM Center, students are only limited by their own imaginations.”

“Allen ISD STEAM Center is a unique one of a kind facility that provides our students and staff with real world tools and flexible learning spaces to bring about creativity, innovation and problem solving. Students are immersed in STEAM and environmental experiences that help them develop futureready skills. At the Allen ISD STEAM Center, students are only limited by their own imaginations.” Mr. Larry Labue, Allen ISD STEAM Center Executive Director

VLK Architects, Inc.

TEAM Center, Allen ISD

The Pavilion, STEAM Center, Allen ISD

The Pond, STEAM Center, Allen ISD

EXPERIENCE | Vol. 7 19 Nature Trails, STEAM Center, Allen ISD

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PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES for STUDENTS IN CROWLEY ISD Lauren Brown, Principal Crowley ISD’s Bill R. Johnson CTE Center houses the Bill R. Johnson Career and Technology Center, Crowley Collegiate Academy (CCA) and serves as Tarrant County College’s South Crowley Campus. To create an education center that supports the local community and advances student opportunity, Crowley ISD worked with VLK Architects, and partnered with the community to create the design concept for the new CTE Center. The resulting design features transparent, flexible real world instructional spaces arranged around an outdoor instructional courtyard while sustainable features promote research and awareness of the impact of the built environment on the environment.

The Crowley Collegiate Academy (CCA) provides high school-age students a seamless pathway from high school to college using a school within a school model. Housed in a separate wing of the Bill R. Johnson CTE Center, CCA offers students assimilation into college coursework. Scholars who graduate from the CCA have the opportunity to earn their high school diploma, accumulate up to 63 college credits and earn an Associate Degree, transferable to a senior college/university or leading to employment. Due to the housing proximity of these programs, students have a full academic experience with limitless opportunities for their futures.

“What I see, is CTE not as simply an option, but I see it as an avenue for students to continue their career, to continue on, to go right to work and to gain real work experience. To have a certification where they can continue to improve their life and improve their status. I just think we have to give kids multiple options to be successful. I believe that CTE is just another option for students, and it’s one that should be available. We have to do everything that we can to make sure it’s available. This building, this facility, helps us to do that.” Dr. Michael McFarland, Superintendent, Crowley ISD

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The Bill R. Johnson CTE Center is immersed in the community in which it serves. The students are involved with the greater community and amongst themselves; this was one of the drivers in the design and function of the new campus. Cross collaboration between the 13 programs of study with approximately 2,200 sophomores, juniors, and seniors occurs throughout the campus, facilitated by meeting rooms and collaboration areas strategically placed to support teaching and learning. Cosmetology, culinary, automotive, and media arts are just a sample of the programs that will offer services to the public.

The collegiate feel of the campus is apparent with different space types both inside and outside the building depicting the relevance of the learning environment. Crowley ISD plans to use the building itself as a learning tool with sustainability concepts on display such as the solar panels that cover the walkways, and the cistern to capture rainwater. An interactive dashboard located in a high-traffic area of the center tracks building data for the energy management system including gas usage, water usage, water collection, electrical usage, and specific power usage for the automotive program, so that solar power generated can be compared as a learning experience in this program.

PROGRAMS & CERTIFICATIONS Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Animal Science Applied Agricultural Engineering Plant Science Architectural Design and Construction Architectural Design Construction Technology (Carpentry) Arts, Audio Video Technology and Communications Design and Multimedia Arts Digital Communications Business, Marketing, and Finance Accounting and Financial Services Entrepreneurship Education and Training Early Learning Teaching and Training Health Science Healthcare Therapeutic Hospitality and Tourism Culinary Arts

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Human Services Cosmetology Family and Community Services Information Technology Information Technology Support and Services Networking Systems Law and Public Services Emergency Services Law Enforcement Legal Studies STEM Aerial Robotics (Drone Technology) Biomedical Science Cybersecurity Engineering Programming and Software Development Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics Automotive Technology Distribution and Logistics

Auto Shop, Bill R, Johnson CTE Center, Crowley ISD

Video Technology and Communication, Bill R, Johnson CTE Center, Crowley ISD

EXPERIENCE Ambulance | Vol. Simulator, 7 23 Bill R, Johnson CTE Center, Crowley ISD

Ogg Elementary School, Brazosport ISD

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COVID-19’S INFLUENCE ON OUR PRACTICE

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VIRTUAL PLANNING 2021 AND BEYOND Ken Hutchens, Chief Creative Officer Cody Jones, Creative Manager As the effects of COVID-19 and its impact on daily life and business operations began to emerge, VLK, like all businesses, quickly pivoted from an office environment to a work from home solution. Our firm has navigated major disruptions before. Our Houston office had previously experienced major disruptions due to the flooding from Hurricane Harvey (2017) and the Tax Day Flood (2016). As this new reality set in, we were challenged to determine how we would continue to successfully engage our clients and their communities in this all-remote environment. The pressing needs of our clients, however, did not change. Projects had to continue to move forward as scheduled with the design of new facilities for their communities. It was also imperative that their communities remain involved in the design of these new campuses, even during a global pandemic forcing almost everyone to adapt to a new and unfamiliar way of life. This new normal effectively halted public events and group gatherings. In place

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of coming together in-person, people relied on video conference calls as they sheltered-inplace, wore masks outside of their homes and adhered to social distancing. As the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic began to transform everyone’s way of life, we took our first steps to design a new approach to facilitating meaningful public engagement using online platforms and new protocols for conducting meetings that wouldn’t hinder our ability to connect with our clients and their stakeholders.

We knew that we needed to develop a community engagement process that would be highly interactive, that stakeholders would still find meaningful in a remote context, and that could even improve on our conventional engagement approach.

We formed a virtual meetings committee and demoed multiple video and interactive platforms to develop a tailored digital method that would preserve the high level of engagement and interaction of our traditional meetings. We wanted participants in digital meetings to feel like they had the best experience possible, with ease of access in a high-quality format and the ability to make their voices heard. We first discussed the non-negotiables. We knew that we needed to develop a community engagement process that would be highly interactive, that stakeholders would still find meaningful in a remote context, and that could even improve on our conventional engagement approach. We also needed to deliver a remote platform that would be easy for participants to use, that would be intuitive and familiar, and with little hassle. We also didn’t want stakeholders to have to download software or have to do extra work just to participate. Our virtual engagement platform had to serve our clients’ needs to build stakeholder consensus and to serve as a space to easily share ideas, preferences and other feedback that’s critical to the design process. The core component of the platform is the video conference program. After testing several programs, we selected Zoom, which stood out for

its capacity to host large numbers of participants and for its easy-to-understand interface. The program didn’t require participants to download software, and it offered meeting access by phone for individuals who don’t have internet access. Not surprisingly, Zoom experienced phenomenal growth during the pandemic, growing from an average 10 million daily users in 2019 to 350 million in 2020. Its near ubiquitous adoption only enhanced its value as the core module of VLK’s virtual engagement model. For the interactive platform, we gravitated to Slido not only because it is so intuitive, but also because it works seamlessly with Zoom. Participants can scan a Slido QR code during a meeting to respond to questions, post comments and reactions, and participate in real time surveys, visual preference exercises and polling. As another example of its intuitiveness, Slido behaves like Facebook in many ways. Participants can like or dislike other comments, offering another layer of participation and interactivity. The most popular comments automatically rise to the top in relation to the whole conversation that’s happening. It’s absolutely made our interactivity processes more robust.

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FROM IN-PERSON....

discussion, as well as space for small group table activities. We developed protocols and guides for the facilitation of these community events and spent a portion of each meeting explaining the technology and best practices for participants’ understanding.

...TO VIRTUAL

With the tools of our transition to virtual engagement ready, we transitioned each piece of our traditional engagement processes, careful to maintain as much of the interactivity as possible. Above is an example of how our Typology of Spaces voting (one of the activities that informs VLK | LAUNCH®) went from in-person, placing stickers on a board, to voting and commenting virtually on Slido. We transitioned a number of processes to virtual during this period. VLK | CURATION® is our thorough process of action research with clients. Our Principal of Educational Planning, Dalane Bouillion, Ed.D. uses district data such as strategic plans, innovative district plans, goals for curriculum and instruction, current instructional methodologies, academic programs, and state data to inform our design process. Navigating this process virtually meant that we needed to create an open forum for lively group

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With this new virtual process, we successfully facilitated all VLK | CURATION® and VLK | LAUNCH® events that were scheduled prior to the pandemic. We virtually facilitated the design of the new Parkview Elementary School and Whitley Road Elementary School in Keller ISD. There were over 218 participants over the course of four evenings, who called in from over 200 different locations. VLK worked with Port Neches-Groves ISD to develop the design for two replacement intermediate schools – Port Neches Intermediate School and Groves Intermediate School. Over 100 teachers, students, parents, district officials and community members participated in the process virtually. VLK also facilitated Virtual VLK | CURATION® and VLK | LAUNCH® events for a variety of projects including the Perry Middle School Additions and Renovations in CarrolltonFarmers Branch ISD, the newest elementary school in Midlothian ISD, and even a hybrid inperson and virtual VLK | LAUNCH® for Hutto ISD for the renovations to Hutto Middle School and Farley Middle School. Like many agencies that depend on effective and equitable public engagement have discovered, the right combination of virtual platforms can be more accessible and inclusive than traditional in-person meetings. The introduction of these digital platforms to our typical processes alleviates problematic conflicts that hindered

PORT NECHES-GROVES ISD

CARROLLTON-FARMERS BRANCH ISD

MIDLOTHIAN ISD

HUTTO ISD

participation—traffic, travel time between engagements, lack of child care and other family commitments, etc.-- and provides numerous opportunities for people to participate. Community members can participate in the process from their homes in a more efficient way that’s also less disruptive to their schedules.

the long term. Indeed, COVID-19 accelerated the evolution of many business practices worldwide. Rather than compromising our ability to serve clients through a difficult time of lockdowns and social distancing, it boosted our capabilities and thrust VLK to the next level of innovation.

As society begins to return to offices and transition to a more “normal” work environment, lasting effects will remain for everyday workflow. The pandemic may have thrown a wrench in the typical processes we use, but the goal remains the same – to meet our clients’ needs regardless of the conditions.

The pandemic may have thrown a wrench in the typical processes we use, but the goal remains the same – to meet our clients’ needs regardless of the conditions.

We are always learning, growing, and listening as a firm, and this “new normal” we’ve found ourselves in is no exception. Looking toward a post-pandemic future, our digital stakeholder engagement model isn’t going away. It will remain an important component that continues to push the effectiveness of our processes for

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DESIGN SOLUTIONS AND STRATEGIC RESOURCES FOR EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS Ken Hutchens, Chief Creative Officer; Dalane Bouillion, Ed.D., Principal of Educational Planning; Clinton Schiver, Principal; Jim Stephenson, Principal of Automotive; Michael Antenora, Principal of Commercial

COVID-19 has illustrated how quickly diseases can spread through our communities with the highest and most concentrated population centers taking the brunt of the impact. But this also can be studied on the micro level with how quickly diseases can spread throughout our school systems and facilities. It is not unusual during the year to hear of districts shutting a school down for a long weekend to break a disease spreading through part of its community. During this “break” the districts sanitize the facility, cleaning all surfaces. It is

It is time to consider a different strategy for selecting and specifying materials, systems, and design strategies in educational environments that mitigate opportunities for the spread of disease.

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time to consider a different strategy for selecting and specifying materials, systems, and design strategies in educational environments that mitigate opportunities for the spread of disease. Advances in technology continue to increase data-driven automation creating more efficient, and safer school environments incorporating technology to reduce frequently touched surfaces and maintain overall building health. We believe here are several materials and automated devices that are part of the current supply chain available to districts to potentially change the future of community-spread diseases that should be investigated. Through this process, positive impacts can be made.

DESIGN STRATEGIES

Design Strategies should be focused on the four impact areas of Health, Mental Health, Sustainability, and Convenience while employing the best practices that incorporate the community expectations and overarching goals of the district. Specifically, we believe improved practices should: • Reduce the size of learning environments and create smaller scale learning neighborhoods within a school • Increase flexibility and adaptability of spaces such that each cohort learning environment has access to multiple space types • Reduce student per sf ratios for cafeterias, libraries, and gymnasiums, thereby lessening student density, or allow for dispersion of these amenities such that each learning neighborhood has a smaller version dedicated to their content and/or grade level. • Utilize software simulation programs to study student movement in hallway designs to diffuse student concentrations • Employ software simulation programs to provide effective natural light within all environments • Create appropriate outdoor learning environments including technology support for our environmental conditions • Increase the number and visibility of hand washing stations • Reduce the number of unnecessary surfaces where dust and germs collect

MATERIALS & SYSTEMS

• Design surfaces to be easily cleaned and maintained

Materials and Systems are critical to improving the learning environment so that preventing spread of a disease is achieved. We are aware that students, parents, and staff will be required to touch some surfaces throughout the day, but minimizing the impact of touch is important. Additionally, improving the systems that filter our air is crucial. We believe design solutions should also: • Utilize impermeable surfaces, such as solid surface and high-pressure laminate systems, to meet the needs of disinfection and durability • Enhance indoor air quality through mechanical air filtration systems including Ultraviolet C (UVC) light to kill microorganisms and High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtration to remove airborne particles • Make available UV sanitizer in classrooms to disinfect desks and other surfaces overnight • Embrace materials that: • Have antimicrobial qualities inherently impeded • Do not require the use of toxins or VOCs to keep materials clean • Can be sufficiently cleaned with safe materials that do not hinder the air quality

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AUTOMATED DEVICES

Automated Devices would change the day-to-day practice of some daily habits, but would reduce the need to physically touch many surfaces. Consideration of a variety of devices would help us automate the built environment. Some of the best automated devices include: • Sensor-activated faucets, towel dispensers, bottle filling stations and drinking fountains, urinals, and toilets. • Sensor-activated doors at building entrances, reception areas, and high traffic areas. • Use of mobile phones for touchless access and interface with elevators, doors, and timeclocks. • Networks of sensors that track temperature, humidity, movement, and density (adjustable as needed to maintain optimal conditions for health and safety) • Sensors that monitor facility equipment and alert maintenance departments when repairs are needed ensuring optimal conditions for health and safety

Drastic changes in our society with the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the urgency for studying and deciding how to better design and equip clients with the most appropriate resources. Taking measures to ensure Wellness, Sustainability, and Convenience are good practice for improving the built environment. VLK Architects is committed to additional study and continuous improvement as devices, finishes, and systems continue to be developed. Selecting the best resources and creating the best environments for our communities is paramount for all of us as we continue down this path of uncertainty.

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June Davis Elementary School, Crowley ISD Architects, Inc. 34 VLK

IMPROVED AIR CLEANING SYSTEMS CONSIDERATIONS IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 Leesa Vardeman, Principal A recent article published in Scientific American titled “Mounting Evidence Suggests Coronavirus is Airborne—but Health Advice has Not Caught Up” (Lewis, 2020) confirmed my fears; this virus is not just transmitted by contaminated surfaces and by droplets from coughing, sneezing and talking, but also through airborne exposure. It stated that “Converging lines of evidence indicate that SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, can pass from person to person in tiny droplets called aerosols that waft through the air and accumulate over time. After months of debate about whether people can transmit the virus through exhaled air, there is growing concern among scientists about the transmission route.” With this new evidence and stated scientific concern, my mind immediately went to the probability that our school’s facilities managers would react with the best of intentions by replacing the existing filters with higher performing MERV ratings. To do so without thoroughly understanding the strain that could be placed on the mechanical systems could be detrimental. So, the first thing I did was to reach out to RWB Consulting Engineers (RWB), one of VLK’s long time MEP partners, to get their read on how school buildings will perform with this airborne threat and what measures could be taken for improvement to the indoor air quality.

We started the conversation by reviewing the limitation of filters to remove COVID-19 particulate. MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) is the primary rating system for air filtration and MERV 11 filters are commonly used by RWB in school design. The higher the efficiency rating the more effective the filters are in removing viruses. It would take a MERV 16 filter, commonly specified for hospital buildings, to capture only the largest of COVID-19 particulate from the air stream and most school HVAC systems are not designed to support these filters. The filtration levels (MERV ratings) need to be selected that are maximized for equipment capabilities while assuring that the pressure drop is less than the fans capability.

“Converging lines of evidence indicate that SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, can pass from person to person in tiny droplets called aerosols that waft through the air and accumulate over time. After months of debate about whether people can transmit the virus through exhaled air, there is growing concern among scientists about the transmission route.”

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RWB explained that we cannot rely on air filtration alone to remove all virus particulate and to do so we would need to couple other components or systems to combat viruses. These could include introducing additional outside air, bi-polar ionizers, UV lights, or dry hydrogen peroxide. Each has their pros and cons, vary in cost, and depend greatly on the existing HVAC system.

The addition of outside air will naturally dilute the level of contaminants within spaces and the building/energy code have steadily increased the minimum air exchange rate over the last decades. To further increase it in existing buildings without holistic redesign of the HVAC system would have a negative effect on humidity and temperature control.

Ultraviolet lights (UV) deactivate contaminants by scrambling the DNA of microorganisms to prevent reproduction. While all UV light can deactivate microorganisms, UV-C energy is the most effective type of light. UV lights are placed in the mechanical equipment or ductwork and require a minimum exposure time to be effective.

Bi-polar ionization works by creating positive and negative ions that attach themselves to pathogens, neutralizing them. This also makes the pathogens larger, so they are more easily caught in filters. We are seeing these components being introduced in new school designs and it is a realistic option for retrofit.

Dry hydrogen peroxide (DHP) systems spread gaseous peroxide to all parts of the space in which it is located, where it attaches to microorganisms and causes them to decompose. DHP systems are considered safe and create water vapor and oxygen as by products. Unfortunately, to date, it is a proprietary system which requires a maintenance contract to provide replacement filters and catalysts.

All these air cleaning technologies require the HVAC fans to run continuously to be effective which has a downstream energy usage impact and will require modification of the controls sequence. In HVAC systems that are not designed for continuous operation, fans running continuously could create temperature control and humidity issues within a building so this would need to be evaluated on a case by case basis. Recent guidance by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Airconditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends during the pandemic to increase the run time to two hours before and after school to assist in flushing the system. While politicians and scientists continue the debate over how COVID-19 is transmitted, I know that we as designers and engineers need to be party to conversations of indoor air quality to ensure the best environments possible for the students and staff. Attached is the executive summary and detailed description of the components and systems used to improve indoor air quality by RWB Consulting Engineers. I highly encourage our clients to give consideration to a district wide assessment of their indoor air quality systems and consider possible improvements to reduce transmission if we discover this virus is truly airborne. Lewis, D. (2020, July). Mounting Evidence Suggests Coronavirus Is Airborne—but Health Advice Has Not Caught Up. Nature Research Journals--Scientific American. 583, 510-513.

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Mechanical System Considerations For Improved Indoor Air Quality