Summary

Throughout this entire process all of our directors will be communicating and collaborating with one another to create the best design possible for the library. However for the time being we have individually researched products, designs, and the most energy efficient systems for the redesign of the library.
Our Director of Community Relations has done research by communicating with the students of both Mira Loma High school as well as Arcade Middle school, the librarian of Mira Loma Mrs. Gibson, residents of the surrounding neighborhoods of Mira Loma and simply observing the functions of local libraries. Within her research she decided that these were the five most important pieces of information that Urban Stamp Inc. should include in their design to encourage the involvement of the community.
1. Story time. Story time is a time where young children will gather around to listen to a story be read either by an adult, inspiring author, or a student. This allows parents, young children, as well as teenagers and maybe even some inspiring authors to get involved with spreading the joy of reading in the Mira Loma library allowing it to be a center for the community.
2. Game night. Game night would be held on Friday and/or Saturday night for teenagers and their parents. This would encourage a strong bond between parents and their children as they grow older. This would also be a way to ensure that young adults are safe and acting responsibly on what are known as “party” nights.
3. Knitting classes. This would be a way for older generations to connect with younger generations and realize that they are more similar then they are different.
4. New English learner classes. When observing the neighborhoods around Mira Loma one similarity seemed to occur, English is not the primary language spoken in the home. Therefore an English class could be really beneficial to the community.
5. Incorporating art and nature. We want our library to be a piece of artwork and almost in a way be a museum for the community, a place of entertainment, and peace. We think it’d be beneficial to some of the young fine artist of Mira to be put on display for acknowledgement.
Our Director of Interior Design did research by using both classical pictures from the 1960’s as well as new urban New York style types of pictures for inspiration for the interior of the library. Here are some of the ideas that he came up with:
1. Bamboo flooring- durable, stable, and replenishes itself in a timely manner therefore ecofriendly.
2. Paint (Safe Coat)- Is nontoxic and also is odor less. It’s both pleasing to the eye and safe for young people.
3. recycled steel
4. hemp products
5. A projector to project artwork created by students to encourage students to start using technology for their artwork to reduce the use of paper and other materials.
Our Director of Building Design would like to keep the original design of the building but just expand onto it by adding another story and more floor space. Here are just some of the ideas that she plans on including into the design:
1. Recycled concrete
2. Recycled denim insulation
3. Glass roofing and walls for natural lighting
4. Solar panels
5. RECYCLE THE OLD BUILDING
Our Director of Landscape has worked closely with all the members of our company in order to achieve the challenging task of incorporating a garden into the library. As you will see in her research she has taken on this task and not only achieved it but as well as completed it with creativity. Here are some of her concentrating points for this project:
My company has decided on a Zen Garden which I think will be an amazing fit for the library. We want to make sure to incorporate that sense of peace and tranquility that someone should feel while studying, reading, or simply relaxing. Here are some of my latest ideas:
1. small fountain rocks, plain rocks and cherry tree(s) are all essential pieces for this design
2. Concrete above ground beds and wooden raised garden beds to give disabled student, or others, accessibility is something that we are also interested in.
3. Fountain- the sound of water is said to be extremely peaceful and calming a statement that I completely agree with and would fit the theme of a garden like a glove.
4. Plants that require a limited amount of water such as cactus is another topic that we’re addressing while redesigning the library.
5. We also plan on using the arrangement of the rocks and sand to be viewed as somewhat of an artistic piece and we may even get our community involved in helping with this arrangement so people will begin to understand the importance of simplicity. Our Director of Sustainability has been hard at work researching different products. Here’s a sample of her current research:
In order to create an energy efficient library building some sustainable building materials should be incorporated into our design. These will be incorporated into both the construction of the actual building and the types of furnishings used in the interior of the library.
When the library is expanded, the insulation used in the new walls should be made of recycled materials like newspaper or old jeans. These materials are greener than the traditional insulation made out of fiberglass and other synthetic materials. In addition, old jeans and recycled newspapers are very effective insulators.
The ceiling of the new library will be made out of glass to let in as much natural light as possible. Not only will the natural light be aesthetically pleasing to the eye but it will also save energy. We will be able to use less electricity to power the artificial lighting in the library because enough natural light will come in from outside. When artificial lighting is needed, the lights will be energy efficient to continue saving energy. The glass used in the ceiling of the library should be made of a special type of glass that has double or triple glazed insulated windows with gas filled spaces. These types of windows provide much better insulation than traditional single-paned windows. Lastly, the ceiling should also have solar panels installed to create sustainable energy for any use.
A sustainable system to implement in the library should be geothermal heating and cooling. The earth stores 47 percent of all the solar energy that we receive. The geothermal system works by moving heat from the ground into the building. This process can be reversed to provide cooling during the summer time. The geothermal system uses electricity to convert the heat from the earth into warmth for the library. This system uses less electricity than regular electric heating systems because it only uses the electricity to move the heat, not make it. It can potentially save us 40% of the energy that a regular heating system would use.

The inside of the library should be furnished with sustainable building materials. Wood pieces like bookshelves, tables and desks can be made out of bamboo wood. Bamboo is a material that can be rapidly replenished. It only takes six years since it is first planted for it to grow and be ready for commercial use. The fact that it can be replenished fast makes this a very sufficient material because it has less of an impact on the environment.
When selecting building materials for the library, we should try to incorporate as many locally produced materials as possible. Using local building materials will reduce the fuel needed to transport the materials to the construction site.
Other Sustainable Products:
• Incorporating things such as grey water (water form sinks) systems for use on garden beds.
• Carpet made from recycled, ground-up tire rubber, recycled burlap or virgin jute fibers. (Jute is a renewable crop material with very little energy required in the growth and manufacturing process. It is also biodegradable upon disposal and can be recycled)