Cedar Rapids Schools Jefferson High School

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The district wanted to achieve greater energy efficiency in the high school. And it needed to upgrade the 1958-era kitchen and cafeteria to meet changing nutritional guidelines and to replace aging equipment. The traffic flow for food service was congested, often creating long lines, and contributing to a smaller number of students being served.

The exterior curtain wall system including windows was replaced to improve the building envelope insulation value. New lights were added throughout the school. New ceiling tile was added in the classrooms, hallways, cafeteria and entrance lobby. Sound absorbing materials were strategically placed on the walls and ceilings in the entrance lobby, media center and cafeteria to create a comfortable environment for students, faculty and staff. The existing heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems were replaced with a new open loop ground source heat pump geothermal system.

An entrance feature wall in the cafeteria captures the student's attention with the J-Hawk logo. Traffic flow directs students into a five-station serving area where they can choose from a variety of healthy food selections. Bulkheads and soffits delineate food stations and seating areas. The seating area is an open space featuring exposed steel structure with dropped acoustical ceiling "clouds." Retractable coiling doors separate the seating area from the adjacent corridor. The new geothermal system and exterior window wall systems provide energy savings with a payback of five to seven years.