GROVE CITY — As spring approaches, construction of the $21 million Grove City Middle School will start back up again.

Construction slowed this winter because of the weather, but the school will open for the 2011-12 school year.

The foundation is in and there is a rough coat of asphalt on the parking lot and roads.

"We've been showcasing a lot of green technologies," Superintendent Robert Post said.

In Pittsburgh, Post gave a presentation specifically about the technologies in the project.

"It's a trend nationwide, but especially a trend in Pittsburgh," he said.

Kusevich Construction of Pittsburgh is doing the work.

The 93,000-square-foot middle school will be built at 482 E. Main St., a 48.2-acre site that now houses Hillview Elementary School. The new school will house grades six through eight.

The existing middle school, which serves students in grades seven and eight, would be sold. It was built in 1914

By locating the new school in an east/west orientation the amount of natural daylight that enters the building will be maximized. Locating the classrooms and corridors along the east-west axis allows for natural daylight to enter nearly every instructional space in the building, according to plan documents prepared by Mark Scheller, project architect of Eckles Architecture and Engineering.

After studying the sun angles, windows were placed with overhangs or sun shades to allow sun to enter into the building when necessary for lighting and heating and to block the sun at times when the exposure would heat in the interior. Clerestory windows in the corridor spaces allow for daylight to enter the interior spaces by direct exposure to the sun as well as reflection by lightly colored wall surfaces. Interior windows from the classrooms into the corridors allow for indirect daylight to enter the classrooms.

The building is situated on the site to minimize the need for excavation. This also reduced the damage to plants.

There was additional focus on open space, stormwater flow and a reduction of light pollution, according to documents.

In construction, planners looked at ways to use recycled and renewable materials, such as recycled steel in building columns, studs and roof joists. When recycled products aren't possible, plans call for builders to use products made by local manufacturers.

The new building will use geothermal heating and also feature many energy-saving characteristics.

Although the cost is higher to install geothermal heating, it will save money for the taxpayers in the long run. About 200 wells about 300 feet deep will be dug in a well field. The Earth's natural heat will be piped up to keep the school warm. The school will be well-insulated and use argon windows to trap the heat inside.

Inside, the heating ventilation and air conditioning system was chosen on its merits of energy efficiency and fresh air abilities.

The system is equipped with an automated building control and monitoring system that will provide feedback of how the system is running. This will allow maintenance workers to keep the system at maximum efficiency and monitor carbon dioxide levels.

These green principals were built into the project specifications for bids.

The construction for the school is ahead of schedule, Post said. The work should wrap up next summer, allowing faculty and staff to move in while classes are in recess.

Then, students will first use the building that fall.

<B>What: </B>Grove City Middle School<B>Where: </B>482 E. Main St., Grove City<B>Cost: </B>$21 million<B>Size: </B>93,000 square feet<B>For who: </B>Students in sixth to eighth grades<B>Architect: </B>Eckles Architecture and Engineering<B>Open: </B>2011-12 school year