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Your Kid’s School Could be LEEDing the Way to Sustainable Prefabs

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A new sustainably built Kindergarten, office and multi-purpose building provide a holistic learning environment to foster the Davis Waldorf School’s vision, and is designed by SF-based SEED and built in Sacramento by the sustainable prefab company, ZETA.

ZETA and SEED  show that school prefabs don’t have to be ugly, and that they can meet the most exacting sustainability standards as well.

The school system is where prefabs have really taken off. Nasty cheap prefab classrooms are a familiar sight on most school grounds, because the American education system is so starved for cash, and prefabs are cheaper to build.

While the numbers of children needing to be educated grow, the dollars provided to do the job do not. Typically these ugly prefabs are on public school grounds, especially those in the US public school system.

But with thoughtful design and meticulous construction, ZETA and SEED create a stunning prefab school that turns the usually ugly and perfunctory prefab classroom vernacular completely around to create a beautiful new 4,000 sq ft school.

The Waldorf schools promote imagination and creativity as well as cognitive growth and a sense of responsibility for the earth and its inhabitants. By choosing sustainable prefab building, Waldorf is practicing what they preach.

The buildings were erected in just four weeks. It is far more efficient to prefab-build than site-build.

Davis Waldorf doesn’t, but some of the other school prefabs that ZETA has produced in its factory include solar panels and other advanced green building components.

The Davis Waldorf School incorporates sustainable building practices:

No VOC interior paint for high indoor air quality.
Ecobatt insulation for energy efficiency.
Dual flush toilets for water conservation.
ENERGY STAR®-rated Cool Roof for reduction in energy use and cooling costs.
Skylights for daylighting throughout.
ENERGY STAR® lighting fixtures for natural lighting.
Roof preparation for plans to install a green roof in the future.