Biomass, Energy & Green Building

Gold Rating LEED Certification

The U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit, nationwide consortium of building industry organizations, developed the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) as a third-party rating system that “encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices.” Points are awarded within five basic environmental categories, subdivided into areas that range from building-site selection and reduced footprints to water-efficient landscaping and innovation in design, with a range of 39 to 51 points required for a gold rating.

Green Buildings

Esther Eastman Music Center

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Green Building: LEED certified on December 5, 2007. Innovation in design by a LEED accredited professional.
Water Efficiency: Water efficient landscaping, and water use reduction by 30%.
Materials and Resources: Building materials used 10% recycled content. 20% of building materials were manufactured locally and 50% of the locally manufactured materials were harvested locally.
Indoor Environmental Quality: Use of low emitting materials: adhesives, sealants, paints, and carpet. Smoke free facility. Permanent thermal comfort monitoring system.
Green Energy: Wind energy, and CFC reduction in HVAC equipment.
Sustainable Building Site: Erosion and Sediment control. Provisions for alternative transportation: bike storage, use of alternative fuel vehicles, and parking capacity for car pooling. Reduced site disturbance. Landscape and exterior design to reduce heat islands.

Flinn and Edelman Dormitories

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Green Buildings

Designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects LLP to complement the School’s existing architecture, the two dorms were the first to receive a gold level LEED rating on campus. With a range of 39 to 51 points required for a gold rating; the Hotchkiss dorms earned 41.

Heat Recovery Unit

Heat is extracted from air that’s exhausted out of the building and reintroduced to the incoming air.

Energy Efficient Features

Radiant heat
Individual room temperature controls
Daylight dimming capabilities in common rooms
A state-of-the-art air-flow system that guarantees excellent air quality
An electric vehicle recharging station
Bicycle storage facilities

Recycling

During the construction of the two buildings, leftover materials were separated and recycled instead of being dumped in a landfill.

Monitoring Efficiencies

While each building is connected to the central steam plant, they each have their own mechanical system. The systems are monitored electronically showing energy and water usage.

Biomass Facility

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Green Building: "The facility is part of Hotchkiss' commitment to becoming a carbon-neutral campus by 2020. In order to merge with the surrounding landscape, the new building will have a low profile and an undulating, sloped green roof. The facility will be one of only three LEED certified power plants in the country."
-Centerbrook Architects
Green Roof: The most obvious green feature of the building is the green roof. The roof, serpentine shaped, which will be planted with sedum to provide both aesthetic value, allowing the building to blend with the surroundings, and ecological value, by capturing more than half the storm water which falls on it and protecting nearby wetlands from the associated erosion and pollution. The building will exhibit a high level of energy efficiency in heating, cooling and electrical systems.
Landscape: Constructed wetlands, called bioswales and rain gardens, will enhance the currently degraded ecosystem at the site as part of the landscape design.
Building Materials: Finally, inside the building, wood will be used in multiple forms to further connect occupants to the forestry process and the primary natural resource the building exhibits. Large curved beams made from laminated wood from certified forests will provide the aesthetic backdrop for the plant and support of the green roof at less cost than steel trusses. Furniture and other displays will utilize local products so as to further support the regional forest economy.
See how the facility functions: Take a tour.

Monahan

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Green Building: Monahan Hall was designed by Delano and Aldrich in 1937, and until recently, served as the School's Gymnasium. With the construction of a new athletic center, the School was committed to preserving the vintage structure and finding appropriate uses. Our design realized the adaptive reuse of Monahan as a multi-use facility with an event space and kitchen (ground floor), offices for Alumni-Development (first floor), and two residential apartments for visiting faculty and space for the Center for Global Understanding and Independent Thinking (second floor). Hotchkiss has embraced LEED certification as an objective for all new and renovated buildings. BRB led a consultant team in achieving LEED Gold for Monahan Hall.
-BRB Architects
Energy Performance: Energy performance, 25% beyond baseline for existing buildings
Controllability of systems
Daylight for 75% of spaces and views for 90% of spaces
100% green power
Green cleaning and housekeeping
Recycled Content: Building reuse, maintaining 75% of the existing shell
10% recycled content and 20% regional materials
Water Efficiencies: Water-efficient landscaping, using non-potable water
Water use reduction, 40% beyond baseline
Structure: The building's brick façade, thick walls, generous windows, southern exposure, and slate roof provided an excellent framework for innovations in energy-efficiency.

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