This fall, the Kathleen Grimm School for Leadership and Sustainability at Sandy Ground was opened and dedicated on Staten Island, N.Y. It is the city’s first net-zero energy school.
Designed by SOM and built by the Leon D. DeMatteis Construction Corporation, the 68,000-sf primary school will produce as much energy as it uses on an annual basis. It will comply with the NYC School Construction Authority’s Green Schools Guide, a rating system for New York City public schools that mirrors the LEED certification process. The school will have a 50% reduction in energy use compared to other new NYC public school buildings.
Photovoltaic panels on a sloped roof will produce 662,500 kWh of energy. Skylights and reflective ceiling panels bring in natural light. The Grimm School also has energy recovery ventilators, demand-control ventilation, a geo-exchange heating and cooling system, and a solar thermal system for hot water.
The building has a gym, library, cafeteria, and offices, with playgrounds on the north and south sides. It sits on 3.5 acres of land, and is configured into an L shape that allows for more natural light exposure.
Related Stories
Higher Education | Oct 26, 2017
Where campus meets corporate design
A building is much more than its appearance; it’s how the user will behave inside of it that determines its adaptability.
Giants 400 | Oct 9, 2017
Job-ready learning: The newest K-12 schools nudge students toward careers
Some long-term K-12 trends—like beefing up safety and security, and designing for more natural light and outdoor learning space—are still in vogue.
Giants 400 | Oct 9, 2017
Top 80 K-12 construction firms
Gilbane Building Co., Balfour Beatty US, and Skanska USA top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest K-12 sector contractors and construction management firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Giants 400 | Oct 6, 2017
Top 40 K-12 engineering firms
AECOM, IMEG/KJWW/TTG, and STV top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest K-12 sector engineering and EA firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Giants 400 | Oct 6, 2017
Top 90 K-12 architecture firms
Stantec, DLR Group, and PBK top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest K-12 sector architecture and AE firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Education Facilities | Oct 3, 2017
The growing demand for early childhood education
When the design of early learning centers is grounded in the science of developmental psychology and education, these educational environments can address multiple domains of development that positively stimulate young children's physical and cognitive growth.
K-12 Schools | Oct 2, 2017
A Houston office park gets a new life as a private day school
Shepley Bulfinch designed the 75,000-sf campus.
K-12 Schools | Sep 20, 2017
Activating innovation: Trends in K-12 education
School structures offer a unique opportunity as they can often double as community centers and serve as shelters in the event of an emergency or natural disaster.
Architects | Sep 19, 2017
What we talk about when we talk about placemaking
What does Good Growth mean and how do we set about achieving it?
K-12 Schools | Sep 12, 2017
Perkins Eastman publishes findings on high-performance schools
Metrics suggest correlation between key design strategies and occupant satisfaction and building performance.