Case Studies

Sustainable Play Grounds

Founder Mike Dieterich developed the policies for sustainable playgrounds in DC. This later evolved into the scope of work for the RFP related to DC Play sites. One of those projects Harry Thomas Sr Playground in Washington, D.C. is math-themed, taking its design inspiration from the Fibonacci sequence, a numeric pattern in which the next number is always the sum of the last two. The curves of the paths and play equipment are shaped in Fibonacci spirals is now #6 on the coolest‪ playgrounds in the world.

This Scope of Work (SOW) – was created to combine storm water management with a new sustainable playground and refurbish the entire outside portion of a DC school in FY12. This then became the model SOW for Play DC, 40 play sites in the District of Columbia.

The Design build renovations overall design focus on these key features: a rain garden, outdoor classroom, basketball court, playground, play fields, and LED lighting. Use new, innovative, and diverse playground elements that are environmentally friendly and serve as a teaching aid for students and teachers. This should be accomplished by improving storm water management and incorporate a teaching/educational component to maximize sustainable practices.

Capture 100% of the site’s 1.7 inches of storm water and recycle it back into the landscape areas. And/Or meet the DDOE and LEED Requirement to reduce impervious cover, promote infiltration, and capture/treat storm water runoff from 90% of the average rainfall using best management and Limited Impact Development (LID) practices.

Collaborative High Performance Schools – Operational Report Card

April 2013 – October 2013

Advancing sustainability incentives utilizing hard data juxtaposed with design guidelines and effective commissioning. The ORC evaluates seven metrics for healthy, cost-effective, high performance learning environments via quantifiable measurements in Indoor air quality, energy efficiency, visual quality, acoustics, thermal comfort, water conservation, and waste reduction.

This analysis established a benchmark for five schools summer modernization’s of 2013. The spring 2014 new design specifications for lighting, HVAC, and building automation were developed using the lessons learned from the previous year. Mann elementary school following the new guidelines reduced the designed lighting by 20%, and achieved lighting targets.

Ludlow-Taylor Elementary School

October 2013 – September 2014

Consulting on the upgrade of the school buildings and recreation centers, which included water conservation, HVAC and energy efficiency projects and policy management on the sustainability of city planning, and Net-Zero projects:

Here is a Case Study on energy savings via setting back Saturday schedules in addition to Sundays at Ludlow Taylor. By implementing this setback we are reducing the energy consumption of the school by 1,779 kWh (this Saturday at 894 kWh last Saturday 2,673 kWh) or 15% or at $0.12 kwh = $213 week or $11,000 a year in savings according to the weekly consumption.