Building Design

Center Design:

Most importantly the building takes into consideration local climate conditions.  Beginning during the planning stage, the building’s orientation was designed to use as much daylight as possible.  This lowered the need for artificial lighting and allowed for passive solar heating and cooling.  Passive solar heating relies on a building’s orientation or how directly it faces sunlight, its architecture, and materials used during construction to lower heating and cooling needs.

A key part of the building’s energy efficient design is the length and position of the roof overhang.  It greatly contributes to the passive heating and cooling process of the center (see the picture above).  During hot summer months, the roof shades the windows from bright sunlight.  In the winter when the sun is low, light is allowed through the windows to provide passive solar heating and natural lighting.

Geothermal Heating:

In addition to the passive heating and cooling system, the Foothills Learning Center also uses geothermal heating.  Geothermal works by using the constant temperature underground to heat and cool the building.   So while it is 30 degrees outside during January, the warmer air from underground is pumped in and heats the building.  By using geothermal heat pumps the Foothills Learning Center saves considerably more energy than if it used conventional heat pumps.

Zoned Thermostats:

To help the passive and geothermal heating systems the Center also installed zoned thermostats.  Normally one thermostat keeps an entire building or house an even temperature.  By using zoned thermostats, sensors detect what areas of the building need heating or cooling to keep a comfortable temperature.  This saves energy because it supplies warm or cool air only to areas that need it.

Lighting:

High-efficiency lighting, light sensors, and separate wiring were installed throughout the center when it was built.  Compact fluorescent lamps (the type you can screw into a lamp at home) were installed in the bathrooms and outdoor fixtures.  Lights in the classroom and conference rooms were wired separately so they can be turned on one at a time, depending on the amount of light needed.  Sensors are placed on the classroom, conference room, and bathroom lights, so when the room is not occupied, the lights turn off. 

Hydrogen Fuel Cell:

The Foothills Learning Center uses a hydrogen fuel cell as its power source and is the first of its kind in Idaho.  Fuel cells work off the same elements that make the water you drink, hydrogen and oxygen.  These cells have no moving parts and require no combustion, which power gasoline and diesel engines.  Refer to the diagram below as we take you through how hydrogen power works.

Pure hydrogen fuel is channeled into one side of the fuel cell (the anode) and air into the other side (the cathode).  The hydrogen then reacts with a platinum catalyst in the anode to split the hydrogen into its positive, proton (H+), and negative electron (e-) parts. The electrolyte in the middle allows only the positive part of the hydrogen (H+) through to the other side; the electron must go around it on a wire where it’s tapped and used as electricity.  Once on the other end where the cathode is, the positive proton and negative electron re-bond to form a whole hydrogen atom once again.  Now the hydrogen atom joins with the oxygen (air) being funneled in and forms the fuel cell’s only emission, pure water.   

Habitat Enhancement/Restoration Landscape Design:

This element of the Learning Center's design helps to educate about smarter landscape practices by:

• Incorporating firewise features such as proper plant placement around the building, breaks in the vegetation, using footpaths as fire breaks, reducing wildfire risk

• Eliminating invasive plant species and replacing with native species

• Reserving space for a tall grassland area with native grasses

• Avoiding pesticide/herbicide use