LEED Facts »
| Certification Pending | |
| LEED for Schools v2.0 | 51/79 |
| Sustainable Sites | 8/16 |
| Water Efficiency | 5/7 |
| Energy & Atmosphere | 13/17 |
| Materials & Resources | 7/13 |
| Indoor Environ. Quality | 16/20 |
| Innovation & Design | 2/6 |
Architect/Interior Designer: The Robinson Green Beretta Corp. (RGB) Civil Engineer: RGB Commissioning Agent: CTG / Sebesta Bloomberg Associates Contractor: Bacon Construction Landscape Architect: Diane Soule Associates LEED Consultant: RGB Electrical Engineer: Fuss & O’Neill Associates Structural Engineer: Ben & Associates Mechanical Engineer: Fuss & O’Neill Associates Plumbing Engineer: RGB Project Size: 73,500 sq. ft. Total Project Cost: $31,300,000 Cost per square foot: $443 Photographs courtesy of Focus Photography
Project Background
At 73,500 square feet, the new school is designed to accommodate 168 preschool through 12th grade students in 23 classrooms, including 2 science labs. The facility will be a state-of-the-art school for Rhode Island’s deaf and hard of hearing students on the site of the existing School for the Deaf in Providence, Rhode Island. The project was completed in the Fall of 2010.
Strategies and Results
The project was designed to qualify for a minimum of Silver Certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® for Schools rating system. Collectively, the building envelope and HVAC systems improvements reduce energy use by 51% compared to the code baseline. The building is designed to use 20% less energy than an average school in the region and perform in the top quartile of New England schools for energy efficiency.
Sustainability features of the new school include:
• Increased insulation in the walls and roof.
• Continuous air/vapor barrier system.
• High efficiency heating and cooling systems.
• EnergyStar roofing that minimizes the heat island effect.
• Low flow plumbing fixtures that will result in a 38% reduction in
water use.
• Low VOC finishes that help improve air quality.
• Daylighting techniques to minimize glare.
Additional design considerations unique to an educational facility for the deaf and hard of hearing include:
• Classrooms designed to emphasize visual-based education.
• Enhanced acoustical design criteria.
• Visual communication systems.
About Rhode Island School for the Deaf
The RI School for the Deaf is a comprehensive center serving a diverse community of deaf and hard of hearing individuals. The mission is to provide a challenging educational program and state-of-the-art resources so that students become contributing and productive citizens with a positive sense of self, both personally, and as a deaf or hard of hearing person.