Compact at 24,000 SF, the building showcases the exact energy systems that students are learning. Water and energy flow is expressed, celebrated, and calculated at a centrally located room.

The result is a building which “teaches itself.”

The two-story building takes its cue from the environment – the sun and the earth – to showcase a novel approach to environmentally responsive design to vocational students. Set as a triangular wedge rising towards the south, the building has a main floor and mezzanine floor, infused with natural light from all directions. A series of PV panels define the basic massing of the building. Nature is represented by a low berm on the south which leads to a demonstration green roof on the second floor. The outdoor classroom also serves to bring more natural light into the center of the building.

In plan, the building is anchored by a 2-story lobby on the west side, and a matching 2-story open symposium space on the east. The exterior expression maps optimal placement of windows for the classrooms for daylighting. The façade harkens back to clapboard siding of Long Island, expressed in a contemporary manner. The overall palette of the building reflects the sense of place of Long Island, reflecting the South Shore’s beach and waves.

Embracing the three main points of the sustainability triangle: economic, environmental, and social, this building serves as an ambassador of sustainability to the school; a foresighted endeavor to improve lives in the community.