1. The Dalles Middle School
A High Performance School
The Dalles School District has applied for a gold LEED rating (v 2.0.)

2. Exterior View looking north toward the school.
Color of building resembles local soil colors.

3. View of the front of the middle school
View of the front of the middle school. This is the north side and therefore no light shelves are used.

4. South side of the building
South side of the building. Light shelves are blocking solar gains on this sunny, warm day.

5. This view shows the west side of the school
This view shows the west side of the school. Yellow fins block some of the late afternoon solar gains. On the roof, the light tubes and the wind turbines for the natural ventilation can be seen.

6. Inside the hall on the west side of the school shows the yellow fins blocking some of the late afternoon sun.

7. The color wall theme is continued within the interior of the building
The color wall theme is continued within the interior of the building. The indirect light fixtures contain T5 lamps.

8. This view is from an interior classroom hallway
This view is from an interior classroom hallway. The clerestory allows daylight to illuminate the hall.

9. Daylight from the classrooms illuminates the hallways
Daylight from the classrooms illuminates the hallways. Note: the T5 lamps are off.

10. Light tubes are found in all of the first and second floor classrooms
Light tubes are found in all of the first and second floor classrooms. The acrylic lens diffuses the light and evenly illuminates the area.

11. Another view of a light tube in a classroom.

12. Light tubes are also used in the media room
Light tubes are also used in the media room. The light fixtures and daylight provide a very uniform light level within the room.

13. Motorized light shades allow for reducing interior light levels.

14. This photo shows the effectiveness of the interior and exterior light shelves. The solar gain in minimal due to shading of the lower window while the reflected light from the upper window is high. Note the high level and fairly uniform light levels throughout the room despite the artificial lights being turned off.

15. North-facing classroom has windows without light shelves contribute a large amount of natural daylight.

16. The skylights in the gym provide a large amount of daylight
The skylights in the gym provide a large amount of daylight. The gym was painted before the artificial lights were installed.

17. The ducts in the gym are made from cloth
The ducts in the gym are made from cloth. The small perforations allow for uniform distribution of air. The ducts can be cleaned when the school district notices that they are dirty (unlike metal ducts).

18. The cafeteria/auditorium has daylight entering from the east side of the building.

19. Mechanical Room
If the natural ventilation can not maintain classroom temperature, then water from the de-watering well (see case study for explanation), cools the water that is circulated to the ventilation fans.

20. To heat the building, these heat pumps extract heat from the de-watering water to heat the hydronic water loop. To cool the building after the cooling capacity of the natural ventilation and the cool water from the de-watering system has been exceeded, the heat pumps reduce the temperature of the chilled water loop (by transferring heat from the chilled water loop to the de-watering water).

21. Another view of the heat pumps
Another view of the heat pumps. Note: the de-watering water is 62°F year round and flows at a rate of 120 gallons per minute.

22. This small 97 percent efficient boiler provides the heat for the restrooms and kitchen. In addition, it provides supplemental heat should the heat pumps fail.