Hartford, CT – The recently completed Mary M. Hooker Environmental Sciences Magnet School sits on 15 pristine acres near downtown Hartford and is one of the first schools in New England and the first in the City of Hartford to be designed to the USGBC LEED Gold standard. Designed by Meriden, Connecticut-based architectural and engineering firm BL Companies, the existing 75,000 square foot facility was completely renovated along with the addition of 31,000 square feet of new academic areas.
The theme of the school is Education in Energy Efficiency and Environmental Responsibility. The ecologically and environmentally inspired spaces include a greenhouse, a butterfly vivarium for raising and studying live butterflies, an interactive science theater providing a 28-foot dome for the digital projection of astronomical and meteorological educational programs, and an aquatics laboratory with over 60 tanks for the study of both fresh and salt water species, as well as aquaculture techniques. A 3,500-gallon eco-pond located in the school’s main lobby complete with plants, trees and a waterfall provides a complete ecological system to enhance the educational programs at the school. The entire school facility is used as a teaching tool, including the boiler room, cogeneration plant and main electrical rooms, which provide observation windows for the students to learn about the systems that run their school.
One of the focuses of the school is recycling; the construction materials utilized in the project exceed 20% recycled content and 98% of all construction waste was recycled. In addition, two composters have been provided to process biodegradable waste generated by the kitchen and cafeteria.
The City of Hartford challenged the design team to integrate state-of-the-art mechanical systems into this 60-year-old facility to bring it into the 21st century. Among those systems are high performance features such as a fully integrated digital energy management system with extensive levels of control and monitoring of the interior environment. Interior
CO2 levels control the introduction of outdoor air to reduce energy consumption during periods of reduced occupancy. Photovoltaic panels and a 60 kW cogeneration plant provide electrical generation and the simultaneous re-use of combustion exhaust to heat domestic hot water and to provide supplemental heat. Also included are ultra-high efficiency gas-fired condensing hot water boilers and domestic water heaters. High efficiency lighting systems were designed to less than 1 watt per square foot with occupancy, time-of-day, and day-lighting controls to reduce artificial illumination when there is sufficient daylight. Energy savings for the project achieved 10 out of 10 LEED points for Energy Performance and the maximum 4 points out of 4 for innovation in design.
Six acres of the site are designated as an outdoor nature center and trail system used for environmental instruction in an urban environment. This extraordinary site extends the learning experience beyond the walls of the school and enables the faculty to develop a wide-ranging environmental curriculum. The site also includes a bio-swale to provide for the natural filtration and treatment of storm water runoff that is discharged to Cemetery Brook, a natural resource unique for an urban environment.
“The program for the main addition and entrance to the school presented a unique opportunity to develop what is essentially an environmentally focused children’s museum for the students. We utilized natural materials such as water, stone and reclaimed wood to surround the students with nature, as well as creating an exciting and inviting environment”, said Christopher Roof, AIA, LEED AP, Principal at BL Companies.
The Mary M. Hooker Environmental Sciences Magnet School project is just the latest in BL Companies’ academic portfolio to reach completion. Other projects the firm is currently involved in include the Davis Street Arts Magnet School in New Haven, Meeting House Hill Elementary School and the High School in New Fairfield, as well as projects at Southern Connecticut State University and the University of Connecticut.