HOME ABOUT CONTACT SITE MAP LOG IN S E AR C H

Home > Design Guidance > Building Types > Educational Facilities > Elementary School COMMENT ON THIS PAGE
DESIGN OBJECTIVES
BOOKMARK AND SHARE
BUILDING TYPES Elementary School
by Ellen Larson Vaughan, Steven Winter Associates, Inc. RELATED RESOURCE PAGES
Am m unition & Explosive
Magazines Updated by Judy Marks, NCEF Director
Acoustic Comfort
Last updated: 03-17-2011
Archives & Record Storage Aesthetic Challenges
Building
OVERVIEW Aesthetic Opportunities
Arm ories Within This Page
Elementary School buildings are the setting for the first four to eight Overview Assessment Tools for
Aviation
years of a child's formal education, a period of structured schooling Building Attributes Accessibility
Com m unity Services that is compulsory in most countries. In the United States, the
Emerging Issues
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), first enacted in Balancing Security/Safety and
Educational Facilities
Relevant Codes and Sustainability Objectives
1965 and reauthorized by the No Child Left Behind Act, is the
Child Developm ent Standards
principal federal law that affects kindergarten through 12th grade
Centers Major Resources VIEW ALL RELATED (16)
(K-12). Elementary school usually begins for children aged four to
Elem entary School seven (four if the school includes kindergarten, which is a program VIEW RESOURCE PAGE INDEX
Secondary School for children four to six years of age that serves as an introduction to
Training Facility school). Other terms used to describe this initial stage of education are "primary", "grade" and
"grammar" school. This Building Type page defines elementary school as grades K-8.
Federal Courthouse
More than other building types, school facilities have a profound impact on their occupants and the
Health Care Facilities functions of the building, namely teaching and learning. Children in various stages of development
Land Port of Entry are stimulated by light, color, the scale of their surroundings, even the navigational aspects of their
school. Children can also react negatively to adverse conditions.
Libraries
BACK TO TOP
Office Building
Parking Facilities

Research Facilities
Unaccom panied Personnel
Housing (Barracks)
Warehouse

SPACE TYPES

DESIGN DISCIPLINES

PRODUCTS & SYSTEMS

Glebe Elementary School—Arlington, Virginia by BeeryRio Architecture + Interiors

Left: Passive solar design strategy incorporated into the exterior of the building
(Photo Courtesy of Loan Pham)
Right: The Library/Media Room w hich receives ample daylight.
(Photo Courtesy of Duane Lempke/Sisson Studios)

BUILDING ATTRIBUTES
Elementary schools can be designed in a variety of sizes, configurations, and layouts depending
on the school district and the program. It is fairly common for grades seven and eight—sometimes
six, seven and eight—to be housed in separate facilities as "middle schools." Middle schools pose
special challenges to designers. Students at this pre-adolescent age are becoming more
independent, experimental, and temperamental. They have transitioned from primary school,
where instruction occurs for the most part in one classroom with one teacher, and are learning to
follow schedules and find their way to different parts of the building. The physical organization of the
school needs to provide easy navigation that builds confidence without sacrificing safety and
security. Middle schools also require space for lockers, science labs, art studios, industrial arts,
choral and band, and other programs. Media centers, often as large as 4,000 to 5,000 square feet,
are more sophisticated and frequently used in middle schools. Middle school teachers value
cross-disciplinary team teaching, which typically requires spacious, flexible facilities. For these
reasons, and to separate young children from older students, primary and middle school spaces
must be delineated.

Regardless of the school's configuration, children need a healthful and stimulating environment in
which to learn. Elementary schools should be comfortable visually, acoustically, and thermally; they
should have excellent indoor air quality; and they should be safe and secure. These buildings
should also be also good environmental citizens
as they are teaching tools in and of themselves.
Community leaders, parents, and educators value
schools that have a strong connection to the
community. And finally, elementary schools need
to be cost effective in order to maximize limited
funding and provide the best learning
environments possible for the budget.

A. Types of Spaces
Fundamental space types for elementary schools
include, but are not limited to: Sterling Montessori Academy—Morrisville, North
Carolina
Administrative Offices The roof monitors that bring daylight into the
Art facility classrooms of this 200-student elementary school
Cafeteria—In elementary schools, the provides an added benefit: improved acoustics.
cafeteria often doubles as the auditorium, aka
"cafetorium."
Classroom—Daylighting is most important in classrooms, where most teaching and learning
occurs.
Common areas/courtyards
Gymnasium
Health Services
Lobby—Schools often showcase team trophies in the foyer or feature a colorful display at
child's eye level.
Media Center—Schools are changing traditional libraries into media centers, adapting to new
technology, as well as to other issues such as comfort, flexibility and maximum use of space.
Multipurpose Rooms
Music Education
Restrooms
Science Facility

B. Important Design Considerations

Accessibility
Design spaces to meet the specific needs of students, teachers, and administrative staff with
disabilities. See Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and
Facilities (ADAAG). 2002.
The United States Access Board, which supports ADA implementation, recognizes that poor
acoustics also have a negative impact on hearing-impaired students. ANSI/ASA Standard
S12.60-2002, Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements and Guidelines for
Schools, and ANSI/ASA S12.60-2009/Part 2, Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design
Requirements, and Guidelines for Schools, Part 2: Relocatab le Classroom Factors specifies
acoustical performance criteria for learning spaces.
Design for future flexibility, which enables spaces to be easily modified.

See also:

ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Play Areas, 2000.

ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Building Elements Designed for Children's Use, 1998.
National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
WBDG "Plan for Flexibility: Be Proactive"

Aesthetics

The importance of the physical appearance of a public school should not be minimized. A school
building that is attractive and responds to and is consistent with the design and context of the
neighborhood, builds a sense of pride and ownership among students, teachers, and the
community. The exterior should complement the neighborhood and reflect the community's values.
The interior should enhance the learning process.

Bring the community into the planning process through an integrated design process.
Provide an interior environment that is visually comfortable and stimulating by integrating
natural and artificial lighting, eliminating glare, and incorporating colors that stimulate or
soothe, depending on the space function.
Design for diffuse, uniform daylight throughout classrooms.
Avoid direct-beam sunlight.
Use a daylighting analysis tool to integrate lighting systems, controls, and materials that reflect
or absorb light.

Cost-Effective

School districts typically separate their capital and operating budgets and therefore have little
incentive to factor in the long-term cost of a building when making decisions about its design and
construction. However, to reduce the total cost of owning a building while ensuring its quality, it is
necessary to balance the initial design and construction costs with the cost of lighting, heating,
cooling, repairing, and otherwise operating and maintaining the facility.

Apply cost-effective principals in the planning, design, construction, and operation of school
facilities.
Select building elements on the basis of life-cycle cost analysis—Mirror the lifespan of projects
and systems with the expected lifespan of the facility.
Consider the recyclability of materials.
 Specify materials and products that are easy to maintain (balance this with their impact on
children's health and the environment).
Utilize life-cycle cost analysis tools.
Commission the facility to ensure that it operates in a manner consistent with design intent.
Use energy simulation and analysis tools to optimize energy performance (integrate
daylighting systems, high-performance HVAC, energy-efficient building shell, and high-
performance electric lighting)

Functional

To foster students' sense of community and individuality:

Cluster classrooms around common areas.

Connect spaces visually with colors and patterns, particularly for primary school children.
Provide platform spaces for gathering, sitting, and presenting and alcoves for quiet play,
reflection, and reading.
Decentralize administrative spaces to encourage active leadership and maximize interaction
with students.
Provide a "home base" for each student and teacher.

To ensure flexibility and adaptability for changing programs and enrollments:

Use operable walls to increase the efficiency of large, multi-purpose spaces, such as the
cafeteria and gymnasium.
Accommodate technology upgrades.
Allow classrooms to change with the activity and group size. This is particularly important in
primary schools, where students typically stay in one room with one teacher throughout much
of the day.

Historic Preservation

Historic school buildings—those that are 50 years of age or older—were typically the centers of
their communities and were designed to optimize natural ventilation and daylighting. Communities
should study the history of their schools and become involved in the planning of new schools in
order to make wise decisions regarding renovation versus new construction. All of the pros and
cons of renovating an old school should be weighed, such as:

Structural integrity
Community access
Building orientation—solar access
Daylighting opportunities (i.e., large windows) and possible barriers (multi-story buildings)
Other features that enhance or hinder visual/thermal/acoustic comfort
Potential to upgrade for energy efficiency, water efficiency, safety and security, and technology
Aesthetics
Community landmark; historic significance
Proximity to residential neighborhoods (potential for walking/bicycling to school)
Site disturbance

For information about preserving, rehabilitating, restoring, or reconstructing historic buildings see
WBDG Historic Preservation Branch.

Productive

Elementary schools should enhance the health and productivity of

students, teachers, and staff.

Make daylighting a priority, especially in classrooms.

Daylighting is the controlled admission of natural light into a
space. Glare and hot spots can undermine the learning
process. Studies show a positive correlation between
daylighting and student performance.
Integrate daylighting with high-efficient electric lighting and
controls to optimize visual comfort.
Use natural ventilation when possible. (This and daylighting
also provides a connection to the outdoors.)
Ensure acoustical comfort. Poor classroom acoustics are
more than merely annoying. If young children are unable to
hear their teacher, they usually are unable to "fill in the blanks"
as adults with life experience are able to do, and this can Dena Boer Elementary School—
disrupt learning. Salida, California
Ensure superior indoor air quality. Children typically are more Skylights are used to distribute
sensitive to indoor air pollutants than adults and more likely to natural daylight to the
suffer ill effects such as allergies and asthma. See U.S. EPA classrooms, library,
Healthy School Environment Resources. Consider multipurpose room, and offices
displacement ventilation systems. of this 800-student, K-5 school.
Louvers installed in the skylight
Ensure thermal comfort. "Right size" HVAC systems to keep
w ells help control daylight levels
humidity in the comfort zone. Give teachers control over the
and can be used to darken
temperature of individual classrooms.
rooms w hen necessary.
Embrace the concept of the building as a teaching tool (aka a
Classroom w indow s provide
3-D textbook or living lab) additional daylight and are
Connect the indoor environment to the outdoors by providing protected by deep overhangs
operable view windows in classrooms and easy access from that control direct sunlight and
classrooms to gardens and other outdoor areas that can be glare.
 utilized in the curriculum.

Secure / Safe
Providing safe schools should be a high priority.
Maximize visual access to corridors and school grounds.
Increase occupants' sense of ownership and "territoriality" by providing comfortable, not
institutional, rooms and by clearly defining the school boundaries.
Control access to the building and grounds by individuals and vehicles.
Use durable, non-toxic building materials.
Provide shelter in cases of emergency. See BIPS 07 / FEMA 428 Primer to Design Safe School
Projects in Case of Terrorist Attacks and School Shootings and FEMA Safe Rooms and
Community Shelters Case Studies.
Accommodate safe egress from the building in case of emergency.

Left: Boscaw en Elementary School—Boscaw en, New Hampshire

'Room like,' non-institutional corridors, plenty of view s out and in, and w indow s
betw een the classrooms and the hallw ay all combine to improve the safety and sense
of security in this New Hampshire school.
Right: Roy Lee Walker Elementary School—McKinney, Texas, Independent School
District
Rain is "harvested" from the roof of this 608-student, K-5 school, and used to w ater
the grounds and flush the toilets year round. The w ater is stored in six above-ground
cisterns designed as integral components of the overall architecture of the facility.

Sustainable
Designing sustainable, high performance green schools.
Use energy, water, and other resources efficiently.
Integrate renewable energy strategies, including passive solar design and, where appropriate,
solar thermal and photovoltaics.
Integrate high-performance mechanical and lighting systems.
Conserve and protect natural areas. Provide barriers that protect children and plants and
wildlife.
Incorporate materials and products derived from sustainable-yield processes and/or are
manufactured locally.
Provide opportunities for safe walking and bicycling to school.
BACK TO TOP

EMERGING ISSUES
Demand is on the rise for schools that feature high-performance design and technologies to
enhance learning, support community use, and function well during natural and manmade
disasters. At the same time, resources for school planning, design, construction, and operation are
constrained. The challenge is to build high quality schools efficiently. Community shared spaces
and life-cycle cost analysis are two ways that designers are meeting this challenge.

Scientists, planners, design professionals, public officials, school administrators, parents,

teachers, and students are informing the current dialogue about optimal school design:

Scientists who study the "neuroscience of learning" are finding that certain lighting, acoustics,
and spatial relationships support or hinder the learning process.
Planners and designers are involving community stakeholders in their design decisions and
spurring the development of joint-use facilities that are centers of the community.
Concerns about safety and security (within the school and within the community) are more
acute than ever, prompting innovative thinking about design strategies that minimize the
impact of natural and manmade hazards. Schools with back-up, off-grid, renewable power
systems can double as emergency shelters. See NREL Solar Secure Schools: Strategies and
Guidelines (PDF 696 KB), 2006.
State and local officials are recognizing that school facilities—the physical buildings—are
important to their programmatic success. Several states have established new design
guidelines and requirements for "high performance" schools whose features promote
student/teacher health and productivity, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability.
School administrators, parents, teachers, and students are focused on meeting new testing
standards, which calls for an enhanced learning environment with appropriate technology and
comfort control systems.
School districts are serving communities that are increasingly multi-cultural and multi-lingual.
 BACK TO TOP

RELEVANT CODES AND STANDARDS

Organizations
National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (NCEF)—Managed by the National Institute
of Building Sciences, NCEF is the largest source of school facilities information in the world.
NCEF provides information on planning, designing, funding, building, improving and
maintaining safe, healthy, high performing pre-kindergarten through grade 12 schools and
higher education facilities.

Federal Government
36 CFR Part 1191, ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities; Play Areas; Final
Rule, 2000.
ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Building Elements Designed for Children's Use, 1998.
A Guide to the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Play Areas, 2007.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines
(CPG) lists designated products that federal agencies are required to purchase. Two specific
product categories apply to the development of play yards: Park and Recreation Equipment
and Playground Surfacing.
U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR for K-12 School Districts
Additional Federal Government Resources

Department of Defense
DODEA Education Facilities Specifications: Elementary School (PDF 7.30 MB), 2010.
DODEA Education Facilities Specifications: Middle School (PDF 7.56 MB), 2010.
UFC 3-210-04 Children's Outdoor Play Areas, 2004.
UFC 4-740-14 Design: Child Development Centers, 2002.
UFGS 11 68 13 Playground Equipment, 2009.
UFGS 32 18 16.13 Playground Protective Surfacing, 2008.

State Resources
State School Facilities Agencies and Organizations
State School Facilities Planning and Design Guidelines

Private Sector
Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings by American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, 2008.
ANSI/ASA Standard S12.60-2002, Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements and
Guidelines for Schools, Part 1: Permanent Schools by Acoustical Society of America, 2002.
ANSI/ASA S12.60-2009/Part 2 Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements, and
Guidelines for Schools, Part 2: Relocatab le Classroom Factors by Acoustical Society of
America, 2009.
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy by
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, 2010.
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62, Ventilation for Acceptab le Indoor Air Quality by American Society
of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, 2010.
ASHRAE Standard 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings
by American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, 2007.
ASTM F-355, Shock Ab sorb ing Properties of Playing Surface Systems and Materials, 2010.
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Handb ook for Pub lic Playground Safety (PDF 1.38 MB), 2010.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from
Birth to Age Eight (PDF 325 KB), 2009.
BACK TO TOP

MAJOR RESOURCES

WBDG

Building / Space Types

Youth Centers, Educational Facilities, Child Care, Clinic / Health Unit, Conference / Classroom,
Office

Design Objectives
Functional / Operational, Productive, Secure / Safe, Sustainable

Project Management
Building Commissioning

Federal Agencies
Department of Defense Education Activity Facilities Branch
 Report to Congress on the Department of Defense Education Activity's Design Process
and Procedures to Provide Outstanding Schools (PDF 1.43 MB), 2010.
Department of the Interior / Bureau of Indian Affairs / Bureau of Indian Education
U.S. Department of Homeland Security / Federal Emergency Management Administration
BIPS 07 / FEMA 428 Primer to Design Safe School Projects in Case of Terrorist Attacks
and School Shootings
FEMA 424 Design Guide for School Safety Against Earthquakes, Floods, and High Winds,
2004.
FEMA 453 Design Guidance for Shelters and Safe Rooms, 2006.
U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Department of Energy
Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools (PDF 3.26 MB), 2002.
National Best Practices Manual for Building High Performance Schools (PDF 8.84 MB),
2007.
New Guide to Operating and Maintaining EnergySmart Schools (PDF 2.46 MB), 2009.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Energy Star for K-12 School Districts
Healthy School Environments

Private Sector
AIA Committee on Architecture for Education
Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council—Resources and programs for
educators, decision makers, and students to help achieve green schools.
Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)—Resources for high performance school
design, construction, operations, and maintenance.
Council of Educational Facility Planners International
Great Schools by Design, an initiative of the American Architectural Foundation
National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (NCEF)
Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC)—Resources for high-performance school
building design and procurement.

Publications
Building & Renovating Schools: Design, Construction Management, Cost Control, by R.S.
Means. 2009.
Building Type Basics for Elementary and Secondary Schools, Second Edition by Perkins
Eastman Architects. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010.
Evidence-Based Design of Elementary and Secondary Schools: A Responsive Approach to
Creating Learning Environments by Peter Lippman. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,
2010.
Green Existing Schools Project Management Guide by U.S. Green Building Council, 2009.
Green Schools: Attrib utes for Health and Learning by The National Academies Press. 2006
High-Performance School Buildings Resource and Strategy Guide, Third edition, by Deane
Evans, FAIA, and the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council. 2008.
LEED for Schools for New Construction and Major Renovations (PDF 481 KB) by U.S. Green
Building Council. 2007.
National Best Practices Manual for Building High Performance Schools (PDF 8.84 MB) by U.S.
Department of Energy and National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 2007.
Sustainab le School Architecture: Design for Elementary and Secondary Schools by Lisa
Gelfand. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010.

Points of Contact
Judy Marks, Hon. AIA, Director, National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (NCEF at
National Institute of Building Sciences), 1090 Vermont Avenue, NW, #700, Washington, DC
20005; Phone: 202-289-7800; Email: jmarks@nibs.org
BACK TO TOP

National Institute of Building Sciences | An Authoritative Source of Innovative Solutions for the Built Environment
1090 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 700 | Washington, DC 20005-4950 | (202) 289-7800 | Fax (202) 289-1092
© 2013 National Institute of Building Sciences. All rights reserved. Disclaim er