KATHLEEN GRIMM SCHOOL FOR LEADERSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY -

NEW YORK

Designed to comply with the SCA Green Schools Guide in lieu of LEED certification, the project is the NYC School Construction Authority’s first “sustainability lab.” This exploration into ultimate sustainability will provide substantial benefits to the City’s School Design Program and help achieve PlaNYC goals for significant reductions in global warming emissions. SOM’s design offers an energy-use reduction of 50% over a SCA standard public school. 

SOM optimized the orientation and massing of the courtyard-shaped building to take advantage of sunlight for both ample daylighting and photovoltaic arrays on the roof and south facade. Other sustainable and low-energy features incorporated in the design include an ultra-tight high-performance building envelope, daylit offset corridors, energy-efficient lighting fixtures, low-energy kitchen equipment, a greenhouse and vegetable garden, a geo-exchange system, energy recovery ventilators and demand-control ventilation, and a solar thermal system for hot water. 

Photo credits: James Ewing - OTTO