Sidwell Friends School

About the Project

The Sidwell Friends School may be the nation’s most environmentally friendly school. Committed to environmental stewardship, Sidwell directed architect KiernanTimberlake to design a sustainable middle school which ultimately achieved LEED Platinum Certification in 2007.

The Challenge

The architect's design uses daylight as the foundation of its strategy to minimize energy use, but still allowing light to enter the building.

The Solution

Working with the CS design team, the architect specified 4-1/2’ deep cantilevered sunshades with 6” airfoil blades for the school’s southern exposure. The sunshades reduce heat and glare while allowing light to enter the interior. CS reflective light shelves attached to the exterior shade's direct natural daylight deep into the classrooms and hallways. Computer models indicate that CS sunshades and light shelves, in conjunction with other daylight strategies, help this facility reduce the energy associated with lighting by 92% when compared to a typical code compliant building.