Event Description

Part of a broader statewide sustainability goal, JCJ Architecture, Consulting Engineers Services (CES), and Steven Winter Associates (SWA) came together to bring Connecticut’s High Performance Guidelines and Zero Energy Readiness to life in this new technical high school, part of the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS). Setting a new standard for technical schools, Bullard-Havens’ administrative areas and most of its technical shops are fossil fuel free, including; cosmetology, automotive, precision machining, carpentry, electrical, and plumbing.

The energy efficient Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing System (MEP) design encompasses LED lights, daylight controls, central Building Management System (BMS), demand control ventilation, and a geothermal heating and cooling plant.

Originally, geothermal was not in the budget but thanks to intervention at the state level, and a collaborative team with sustainability at top-of-mind, additional funding was secured to ensure a renewable heating system. Despite complications due to the complex needs of a technical school, this project doesn’t rely on fossil fuels, and is slated to receive solar panels soon.

Furthermore, the heating, cooling, and domestic water systems are Net Zero carbon emissions and do not use traditional fuel oil or natural gas. Specialty MEP systems for the shops incorporate isolated power distribution panels, an air compressor system, vehicle exhaust, welding hoods, and dust collection systems, dedicated fuel oil and propane tanks for the plumbing shop, and a geothermal well at 240 bores and 500’ deep for the Energy House (“E House”).

Dynamic collaboration between the architect, landscape architect, and civil engineer allowed the Project Design team to overcome the challenge of coordinating the bore field with property lines, wetlands, site lighting, and site utilities.

Learning Objectives:

• Implement suggestions & strategies introduced by the program presenters when constructing, building, or otherwise interacting with geothermal, especially bore fields, on a project.
• Create more sustainable building practices by incorporating opportunities & challenges of designing energy-intensive projects with a sustainable focus.
• Prepare for future projects which incorporate Connecticut’s High Performance and Zero Energy Readiness standards, using advice & insights from project architects & designers of the Bullard-Havens Technical School.
• Discuss how the collaboration between the project design team and state of Connecticut from design through construction yielded a fossil-fuel free, geothermal-powered project.
• Describe how net zero carbon emissions are being met by the heating, cooling, and domestic water systems on site.