NEEP’s Regional High Performance Schools Working Group hit the road this July to gather at the newly constructed
Lebanon Middle School in New Hampshire for their annual in-person meeting. Working group members got a sneak peak of the high performance school, which was designed to the
Northeast Collaborative for High Performance Schools (NE-CHPS) protocol. The grand opening of the middle school is scheduled for August 25
th.
It’s a critical time for school construction policy in New Hampshire – as incentive funding for high performance schools was eliminated this June by the New Hampshire
legislature. New schools such as Lebanon previously benefited from a provision in the school construction regulations which granted an extra three percent in funding for schools meeting the NE-CHPS protocol. Without this extra funding, fewer districts may opt to build to high performance standards, which help communities save energy, water, and taxpayer dollars over the life of the building. In the coming months, advocates will be working hard to secure the future of high performance schools in New Hampshire.
Take a look below at some pictures from Lebanon Middle School -
Banwell Architects as well as members of the school’s administration and building committee were on hand to give the working group a tour. Also, visit
chps.net for more information on the Collaborative for High Performance Schools' tools and resources.
Lebanon's high performance features include:
- Designed to achieve a 40% reduction in annual energy use beyond state energy code
- Wood pellet plant to cover 100% of the heating load capacity
- Solar collectors: Alternative renewable energy source to supplement wood pellets for hot water needs
- Exterior sunshades to keep south facing classrooms cool in the summer
- Interior lightshelves to reflect natural light deep into the classroom spaces
- Green Roof for student educational programs as well as to help minimize impervious surfaces on the site
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NEEP and CHPS staff outside the entrance to Lebanon Middle School