Cyprus Classical Academy and 75F partner to transform STEM learning into a real-world project
BURNSVILLE, Minn. — For many elementary schools, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs consist of textbooks, online research, and classroom experiments. For the students of Cyprus Classical Academy in Burnsville, Minnesota, STEM recently got real. On May 22, 8- and 9-year-old students installed the school's HVAC control system through a partnership with 75F, a local building automation company.
Cyprus teachers saw this installation as an opportunity to teach their students about the real-world applications of STEM, including the importance of energy efficiency and air quality. The renovation not only created a unique learning experience for the students — the new system could save Cyprus nearly 50 percent annually on its HVAC energy expenses.
While traditional control systems take years to get certified and master, 75F has created a solution that's as easy to set up as an iPhone. For the 8- and 9-year-old kids accustomed to playing with touch devices all day long, setting up the system was intuitive.
"Cyprus Classical Academy offers one of the most unique, advanced, and rigorous learning environments in Minnesota," said Michelle Wallick, principal of Cyprus Schools. "Discovering and partnering with 75F was a fantastic fit for us — we are now able to solve a real challenge for our school building while giving our students a STEM experience they can't get anywhere else."
Like many older buildings in the Midwest, Cyprus Classical Academy's 13,500-square-foot location deals with hot and cold spots and rooms feeling stuffy. Based on classroom layouts, large windows, insulation, and inefficient placement of thermostats, the school's HVAC expenses were very high and temperature comfort was difficult to maintain.
"Cyprus Classical Academy deals with a lot of HVAC issues that we see in many aging buildings here in the Midwest," said Deepinder Singh, CEO, 75F. "After some simple measurements, our team knew immediately that we could save the school thousands of dollars every year by installing smart HVAC controls, while improving air quality and comfort."
Cyprus students met with 75F technicians to discuss HVAC concepts and challenges. They analyzed the building and observed how the system was configured. For the students, one of the highlights was drilling holes in their classroom walls to install sensors and running up step ladders to install equipment in the ceiling.
After watching an instructional video, the students paired the sensors and control units together through the school Wi-Fi. They even hand drew a floor plan of the school and uploaded it to the 75F portal as a part of the commissioning process.
As of June 2, about 40 percent of the project is complete. Additional student-led installations are planned throughout the summer for the remaining classrooms.
