As the school year draws to a close, Nauset Construction will be putting the final touches on the newly constructed, environmentally-friendly 22-bedroom dormitory for Brooks School in North Andover, an independent college preparatory boarding and day school for grades 9-12.
In addition to providing additional housing, the $3.3 million project created a learning opportunity for the students, whose ideas for sustainability were incorporated into the project’s design.
Recently named Chace House in honor of a long time trustee, the dorm was designed with input from the Brooks Institute for Sustainability, a student summer program focused on reducing the school’s environmental impact. Chace House will incorporate a number of elements vital to reducing operating and maintenance costs, including a heating system with a natural gas-fired burner that is 97.5% efficient; a high-efficiency building envelope with superior insulation to prevent energy loss; individual room thermostats with an automated system that can be programmed remotely; energy management systems with occupancy sensors; a cupola that releases warm air on hot days; solar lighting tubes in hallways that create natural day lighting; low-flow water facilities (including composting toilets) to reduce sewage bills; and drought tolerant native exterior plantings and water-efficient landscaping.
The facility will also feature high efficiency double-paned windows, a zinc roof (which lasts 80-100 years and requires no maintenance), zinc and clapboard siding, and a combination of hardwood, carpet and vinyl-tile flooring materials making use of recycled products where possible. Extra-thick insulation and sound-proof walls will also be built into each room to reduce noise. In addition to the sustainable features, the project will also include a 600-square-foot common area big enough for all building residents to gather; an outdoor seating area for students to collaborate with dorm faculty; a rear patio for cookouts and gatherings; and a small lounge/study area for after-hours homework help. +
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
2009 Judging Panel
A Matthew H. Johnson, PE Associate Principal Simpson Gumpertz & HegerWaltham, Mass. B K. Nam Shiu, SE, PEVP Walker Restoration Consultants Elgin, Ill. C David P. Callan, PE, CEM, LEED APSVPEnvironmental Systems DesignChicago D Ken Osmun, PA, DBIA, LEED AP Group President, ConstructionWight & Company Darien, Ill.
| Aug 11, 2010
Inspiring Offices: Office Design That Drives Creativity
Office design has always been linked to productivity—how many workers can be reasonably squeezed into a given space—but why isn’t it more frequently linked to creativity? “In general, I don’t think enough people link the design of space to business outcome,” says Janice Linster, partner with the Minneapolis design firm Studio Hive.
| Aug 11, 2010
BIM school, green school: California's newest high-performance school
Nestled deep in the Napa Valley, the city of American Canyon is one of a number of new communities in Northern California that have experienced tremendous growth in the last five years. Located 42 miles northeast of San Francisco, American Canyon had a population of just over 9,000 in 2000; by 2008, that figure stood at 15,276, with 28% of the population under age 18.