John Dorr Achieves LEED Gold

CENTERBROOK, Conn. – Horace Mann School of New York City has announced that the John Dorr Nature Laboratory, its environmental campus in Connecticut, has been awarded LEED® Gold certification for sustainable design that substantially reduces energy and water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The new facilities were designed by Centerbrook, whose portfolio includes more than 20 projects that are either LEED certified or registered with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. Gold is the second highest rating attainable, and the project garnered 46 LEED points, seven more than the requisite 39. It also received a 2011 Merit Award from the Connecticut Chapter of the USGBC.

Partner Jim Childress, FAIA, led the Centerbrook team that designed the 19,000-square-foot complex, which includes a new Lodge and an adjoining barn housing a classroom, wet lab, and two faculty apartments.

“Horace Mann is proud of this acknowledgement of its efforts to teach students and faculty alike about the importance of minimizing the School's carbon footprint and of conserving the world’s natural resources,” said Dr. Thomas M. Kelly, Head of School for Horace Mann, which is a highly regarded independent day school for grades K-12.

“Horace Mann’s LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, USGBC President. “The urgency of our mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and the John Dorr project serves as a prime example of just how much we can accomplish.”

The rustic styled building enhances Dorr's educational programs and its sustainable features are designed to be visible and accessible to help students learn how they function. On-site solar and geothermal systems are designed to cut energy usage by 32 percent, and the Lodge, which was constructed of environmentally responsible and sustainable materials, is sited and configured for optimal energy and water efficiency and for maximizing natural lighting and ventilation.