| Going for Gold: Millbrook's Gold LEED Rating
From Voith & Mactavish Architects, Philadelphia, PA:
Introduction: Millbrook School has built a new Math & Sciences Center (MASC) to advance their mission of providing quality educational experiences for students. This building was designed with the goal of achieving the gold level of LEED certification (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, a designation awarded by the US Green Building Council), the first such building on Millbrook’s campus. In reaching for the gold level of certification, we are proud to make a strong statement about the importance of the cornerstone of our mission “Stewardship of the Environment”.
Building Program: The building is 25,000 square feet and houses four science classrooms with attached labs: chemistry, biology, physics, and general sciences, with the appropriate prep and storage to support these labs. Advanced study areas are also included. The math department has five new classrooms, as well as storage for their academic support materials. The math and science department share a faculty office with desks for each department member, meeting space and conference area. The building is also the central hub for the school’s information technology staff, which includes student support to be provided in the technology suite. The school has a significant teaching collection of eggs, taxidermy, fossils and the like which are prominently displayed within the halls to assist in student instruction. Collection storage will allow the displays to be switched while properly caring for the objects in off times. Its location on the campus was carefully chosen for its proximity to the Trevor Zoo and the natural marshes on campus, which will allow lessons to easily expand beyond the walls of the building.
Building Design: The design concept for the building is narrative. The story is that the building was designed in the quiet Georgian style that typifies the school’s campus, which was then added to and had new life infused into it by bringing modern technology and design to solve the complex requirements of a science building that meets the LEED standards. Much of the building is very traditional in its proportion, materials and detailing. The major building materials are clapboards and brick with a standing seam roof. Only two small areas of curtainwall glazing hint of the modern uses of the building. The slope of the site is address by having the main entrance at mid-level. The long axis runs perpendicular to the slope which allows full lights and view from the lower level. This use of the site also allows the building to have two story elevations around 80% of its perimeter. LEED Certification: There are only five Gold certified buildings in the State of New York at this time, making this an exciting project for both the school and the community. The LEED certification process goes through a rigorous series of reviews in six categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy efficiency, efficient use of resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovative design. |  | |