The quest to improve student performance in school may turn on an unlikely factor – the amount of daylight in the classroom.  That’s the conclusion of a 1999 study conducted by the Heschong Mahone Group, a firm specializing in building energy efficiency, on 21,000 student records from 2000 classrooms in California, Washington and Colorado.  The study found students with the most daylighting in their classrooms progressed 20 percent faster on math tests and 26 percent faster on reading tests in one year than those with the least.

Daylighting is the practice of placing windows, openings and reflective surfaces to maximize the use of daylight for effective interior lighting.  SRJ Architects has been using daylighting in its school projects throughout the region.

“We felt daylighting might be something that we could do as architects to help Georgia teachers by creating a better learning environment,” said Sonya Spalinger, AIA, vice president at SRJ Architects.

“An added benefit is the reduction of energy costs.  Similar projects completed by our daylighting consultant in the past have seen a 19 percent reduction in cooling peak and a 51 percent reduction in lighting energy.”

Specializing in education work
SRJ Architects is a 19-person firm based in Albany that specializes in creating innovative learning environments.  They recently completed the North Mitchell County Elementary School, which uses daylighting to limit the use of electrical lighting.  North- and south-facing windows, clerestory windows and sloped ceilings all work to maximize daylight and minimize the need for electrical lighting. The firm also designed the interior fixtures and furnishings using vibrant colors to create a stimulating environment for students.

“We plan to collect data from the school on its energy use and test scores so that in a year we can document some of the benefits of daylighting,” Spalinger said.

Other recently completed projects include Marion County Middle/High School, Brooks County High School and the Peach County School System.  In addition to educational work, SRJ Architects also designs commercial buildings, such as Flint Community Bank and the Dougherty County Public Library Northwest Branch, recreational buildings and churches.

“Anything local we are definitely interested in doing.  We also travel across the region for projects,” Spalinger said.

Supporting education initiatives
In keeping with its focus on designing learning environments, SRJ Architects also supports education through its community involvement.  The firm participates in career days in area high schools and supports design competitions at the high school level.

“We try to connect early with students that are interested in drafting and potentially in architecture as a career,” Spalinger explained.  “We try to help students realize what’s needed in high school to pursue an architecture degree in college.”

Recruiting graduates to Albany
Recruiting new architects to join the firm in Albany remains a challenge.  Connecting with local students before they leave for college can help.  In addition, SRJ Architects has so far weathered the recession with no layoffs, which is not true of many architectural firms located in Atlanta and other large cities.

“Our highs may not be as high as some of the big architectural firms, but our lows aren’t as low either.  Our business tends to be more stable,” Spalinger explained

An added draw is the firm’s use of top-of-the-line software in its design work.  According to Spalinger, SRJ Architects has always prided itself on its technology and uses more advanced systems than many larger firms.  Designs are increasingly executed using building information modeling rather than two-dimensional drawings.  As the construction industry embraces three-dimensional modeling, Spalinger expects architects will communicate design details to contractors via computer files rather than drawings.

For more information on SRJ Architects, visit www.srjarchitects.com.