Challenge
To create a one-story, 10,000-square-foot school that maximizes daylight without sacrificing energy efficiency. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the nation’s schools spend more than $6 billion each year for energy. If they all achieved energy savings of 30 percent through a combination of operational improvements, efficient and renewable energy technologies, and better building design — including innovative daylighting strategies — the savings could be as much as $2 billion.
Solution
Barba + Wheelock decided to increase daylight by connecting a series of classrooms with a corridor of light. They chose a Wasco by VELUX Circular Dome Skylight to create a diffused natural light well in the school’s main hallway — a space that also serves as a gathering and conversation area. Baxter achieved 30 percent energy savings in addition to providing great daylight.
Nancy Barba says, “It was important for me to select a local company that could provide the skylight product that we needed for this project not only for the school’s LEED® certification, but in support of our firm’s values, as well. On a personal note, I like the fact that Wasco by VELUX is committed to local philanthropy, and I hold the company in high regard.”
Project manager Danuta Drozdowicz adds, “The quality of light in Baxter School’s Brewster Hall is extraordinary — and that is so important to effective learning and student performance. The fact that this was achieved without an energy penalty shows that this is a wonderful example of integrated design.”