The Putney School

Project Description:

The Putney School project includes two identical dormitories totaling 34,000 SF of new construction and associated site work. Each two-story building comprises two three-bedroom faculty apartments and 11 student dorm rooms (44 beds total). The dorms include a shared common space and a kitchenette area, and a full basement provides additional storage. 

Throughout the preconstruction process, The Putney School, Maclay Architects, Energy Balance, and ReArch considered various strategies to reduce the building’s carbon footprint and enhance the indoor environmental quality of students and faculty.

Sustainable and net-zero design features include:

• Rooftop Solar Arrays: A 21.9kW roof-mounted solar array on each building is estimated to offset the School’s electrical usage by 30%.
• Solar Hot Water Systems: Each dormitory has a rooftop solar hot water system. With six solar collectors, these systems reduce reliance on non-renewable energy sources.
• Drain Water Heat Reclaim Units: These units capture heat from water flowing down shower drains, reducing the energy required to heat the water to the desired temperature.
• Heat Pump Water Heaters: These units were installed to provide backup hot water for the dorms and use approximately half the energy of an electric unit.
• High-Performance Insulation: The dormitories boast an R-40 exterior wall assembly and R-80 attic insulation, ensuring maximum thermal efficiency.
• Foam Glass Aggregate Subslab Insulation: This innovative material delivers an 87% reduction in carbon emissions compared to traditional options.
• Fly Ash Concrete: Using fly ash in the concrete mix further reduces the building’s embodied carbon.
• Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: These stations support the School’s broader sustainability goals by promoting the use of electric vehicles.

This project provides a model for sustainable design and stands as a testament to the School’s, and the entire team’s commitment to meeting the carbon-reduction goals required for this outstanding project.

Project Details