Bloomfield Hills, Mich., December 21, 2011 — The new Jenks Public Schools Math and Science Center, Jenks, Oklahoma, received LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification from the United States Green Building Council on December 16, 2011. TMP Architecture, Inc. of Bloomfield Hills was architect for the project, in collaboration with local Tulsa firm, GH2 Architects.
As the only LEED™ Gold rated school in the state of Oklahoma, and one of just 32 buildings in the state that are LEED™ Certified, the new 91,580 square foot school is truly a point of pride for this community located 10 miles South of Tulsa.
Designers included a number of sustainable elements throughout the building that not only helped to achieve the points necessary for LEED™ Gold Certification, but encourage knowledge of environmental issues. Components include exposed geothermal, mechanical, electrical and technology elements, as well as wind turbines, recycling centers and sun control devices. Students use a building automation and control system to monitor utility usage. Building water, gas and electrical data is tracked via control systems that date and time the information. Through both active lessons and passive observation, the building offers opportunities to observe these features and raises awareness of energy usage.
The school is a distinct central addition to the district’s high school campus, and establishes a “bridge” between the senior high facilities and freshman academy. Evening access is provided for students and community members, expanding the boundaries of educational opportunities to include conferences, math and science fairs and community events. A 120-seat planetarium and a large multi-use presentation hall further enhance this specialized learning center.
Troy, MI-based Peter Basso Associates provided mechanical and electrical engineering services; Ann Arbor, MI-based Structural Design Incorporated (SDI) provided structural engineering, and Tulsa, OK-based Manhattan Construction Company was the Construction Manager.