Monday 21 February 2022

Saugus Middle High School achieves LEED Platinum certification

Saugus Middle High School in Massachusetts has been awarded LEED Platinum certification by the US Green Building Council.

The achievement makes it the first project to be publicly funded through the Massachusetts School Building Authority to reach the highest level of LEED certification.

The school was designed by HMFH Architects and built by Suffolk Construction, with key sustainability elements of the building including a combined heat and power (CHP) system, which generates power onsite and helps to significantly reduce carbon emissions and three, 30,000-gallon underground cisterns that collect water for reuse while rain gardens throughout the school's parking lots filter stormwater runoff from the site and mitigate heat island effects.

In addition, the new facility also responds to the challenge of providing optimal air quality with rooftop mechanical air handling units that enables displacement of ventilation systems to distribute clean air throughout the interior, bringing 20% more fresh air into the spaces at low levels.

The goal of LEED is to create better buildings that reduce contribution to global climate change, enhance individual human health, protect and restore water resources and promote sustainable and regenerative material cycles, among others.

Scott Crabtree, Saugus Town Manager said: “I am pleased to share with the community that the Town of Saugus is making its mark in history once again in being the first MSBA Project to achieve LEED Platinum Certification.

“A special thank you to the project team who helped us attain this amazing rating—PMA Consultants, HMFH Architects and Suffolk.”