THE HAMPTON BAYS MIDDLE SCHOOL

STORY BY EMILY ANDREN

The new Hampton Bays Middle School will be the first school building in New York State to receive a LEED award (see sidebar). The specific rating will be determined when the building is complete and open to students in February 2008, with Lars Clemensen as Principal. The 137,000 square-foot school will accommodate 805 students in grades 5-8, freeing space for the lower grades in the currently overcrowded elementary school.

On March 30, 2004, the community's vote to approve a $42 million bond issue to build the school was due largely to the Board of Education's commitment to good health, energy savings and reduced maintenance costs. LEED costs were factored in from the beginning, and the project has kept within its budget.

“There were health issues with air quality in the past,”says Joanne Loewenthal, Hampton Bays Superintendent of Schools. “The heating, ventilation and air conditioning of the new school are better balanced so that the air is not as dry when the heat is on, and gives off less moisture to prevent mold.”

“Clinical studies have shown that more natural daylight improves student attention,”Loewenthal adds. Daylight streams through floor-to-ceiling windows in the library and computer lab. Kalwall skylights enhance the quality of natural daylight coming through the windows. Kalwall panels are translucent sandwich panels [made of fiberglass-reinforced translucent faces to a grid core constructed of interlocked, structural aluminum/composite] which magnify and diffuse light even on overcast days, while insulating against heat, cold and noise.

In March, 2006, the Board chose two architectural firms; Burton, Behrendt & Smith because of its experience in school design, and Beatty, Harvey & Associates for its expertise in energy design. Triton Construction was chosen because the Board felt it was the most responsible bidder and came in with the lowest bid. On April 22, 2006, the Hampton Bays School District held an official groundbreaking ceremony for the new Middle School.

7group, the LEED consultant, was commissioned to check LEED specifications and make sure everything was on target. “Brian Toeves, an environmental engineer with 7group, was with us for the entire journey,”Loewenthal comments. “We are striving for a LEED silver award.”

Starting with site preparation, all waste was separated into concrete, wood, metal and cardboard for recycling. Environmentally friendly, renewable materials were used in the construction. The flooring is made of recycled linoleum products. The building features super-insulated walls and roofs, triple-glazed windows, high-efficiency fixtures, and a lot more natural light. Hurricane-proof windows with insulation reduce heating and air conditioning requirements.

Other expected benefits are improved student performance; better indoor air quality; reduced operating, maintenance, and replacement costs, and overall a healthier educational environment.

The gabled entrance to the brick building is crowned by a replica of the top of the historic but long gone Hampton Bays lighthouse. President of the Board of Education George Leeman, explains: “We were looking for something to integrate the school with the community, and we chose the lighthouse because it’s a symbol of Hampton Bays. It’s lit at night, like the original lighthouse.”Architects designed it from an old photograph of the original lighthouse.

To continue the maritime ambiance inside, the two-story entrance hall will have murals showing different levels of sea life. These will be painted by the students, coordinated by Kathy Dayton, their art teacher.

Every grade has its own wing: a rhombus-shaped common area in the center flanked by eight classrooms. Each classroom has smart boards and 25-30 laptops that can be wheeled around. “The wings are named for universities –we want to start the students thinking about college early,”says Leeman. Elementary school children made colored hand prints on a main beam, which will remain exposed. “It gives them a feeling of ownership, and it will be there for years,”Leeman says.

On October 20, 2007, parents and children came in droves to tour the nearly completed school. Board of Education members and staff led groups of 20 through the construction site. Leading a group through a locker-lined hall, Leeman asked who was in the sixth grade. A girl raised her hand high. He asked if she wanted to pick out her own locker. She giggled.

A green philosophy extends from the design process through to cleaning and maintenance issues. The School Board was energy-conscious and put in the necessary time and effort to research and commit to a LEED design and the costs involved. Said one board trustee, “The beacon of our educational lighthouse will shine brightly for our students and the entire Hampton Bays community.”

About LEED

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark of the U.S. Green Building Council for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.

LEED Certification, Silver, Gold or Platinum, is awarded to a building based on its rating in specific areas within six categories:

•Sustainable sites
•Materials and resources
•Water efficiency
•Indoor environmental quality
•Energy and atmosphere
•Innovation and design process