Newton South High School

The cafeteria has large windows to incorporate daylighting. There are daylight sensors in the cafeteria.

Overview

Location: Newton, MA
Building type(s): K-12 education
387,000 ft2 (36,000 m2)
Project scope: 3-story building
Suburban setting
Completed September 2005
Rating: Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) CA 2002 Edition --Level: 37 points

This project was spearheaded by David Tannozzini, former Energy Manager for Newton, and local organizations including Mass Energy Consumers Alliance; the Newton SUNERGY Project (a local advisory committee, established to guide Newton's partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Million Solar Roofs Project, and now known as Newton Renewable Resources); the mayor and the town of Newton; the Newton Board of Alderman; various NGOs; and the Green Decade Coalition/Newton, a grassroots environmental nonprofit alliance. A 47.5 kW (dc) solar photovoltaic (PV) system was installed on the flat roof of the gymnasium and a 6.5 kW (dc) PV awning mounted on the side of the building that is visible to occupants was installed in 2006. Numerous technologies were used to reduce estimated energy use to 35% below the base case scenario, which is a building that complies with the MA Energy Code.

Environmental Aspects

During the design phase, architects sought to minimize the school's environmental impacts. The final design incorporates variable-speed drives, high-performance roofs, a well-insulated building envelope, a water system that reuses rainwater for toilets, and a large PV system.

The school has subsurface infiltration basins for stormwater management and water reclamation. Stormwater is filtered and then sent directly to a distribution system and recharged back to the water table. Rainwater is also collected and utilized by Newton South High School to flush toilets. Two waterless urinals were installed as part of the renovation.

Owner & Occupancy

Owned and occupied by City of Newton, Local government
Typically occupied by 2,200 people

Typically occupied by 2,000 students and 200 staff.

Building Programs

Indoor Spaces:	Conference, Restrooms, Laboratory, Cafeteria, Electrical systems, Mechanical systems, Lobby/reception, Gymnasium, Classroom, Child care, Office
Outdoor Spaces:	Drives/roadway, Parking, Athletic field, Pedestrian/non-motorized vehicle path

Keywords

Integrated team, Contracting, Commissioning, Operations and maintenance, Transportation benefits, Wetlands, Stormwater management, Efficient fixtures and appliances, Efficient irrigation, Wastewater treatment, Insulation levels, Glazing, Airtightness, Passive solar, HVAC, Lighting control and daylight harvesting, Efficient lighting, On-site renewable electricity, Cogeneration, Durability, Salvaged materials, Recycled materials, Local materials, Certified wood, C&D waste management, Occupant recycling, Connection to outdoors, Daylighting, Natural ventilation, Ventilation effectiveness, Moisture control, Thermal comfort, Noise control, Low-emitting materials, Indoor air quality monitoring

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Process

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