JCJ Architecture (JCJ), a nationally ranked planning, architecture, and interior design firm, announced this week that Manchester Memorial Elementary School received LEED Gold Certification.
The project, completed in 2021, was designed as a flexible, student-focused, collaborative, and sustainable elementary school for the Manchester-by-the-Sea and Essex communities. The Green Business Certification Inc. (GCBI) accepted all of the documented points, with the project notably receiving 14 out of a total of 16 available points on energy performance.
Serving as designer and architect, JCJ Architecture collaborated with the school and surrounding neighborhood to create a structure that suits the needs of educators, administrators, students, and the wider community. The 77,102-square-foot school now houses 335 students from Pre-K to fifth grade and comprises three specialized education programs. Committed to inclusive education, the school integrates general grade-level classrooms and specialized education programs within classroom wings and provides open corridors for extended learning opportunities. In addition, JCJ worked in constant consultation with School Building Committee and with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) in support of meeting the project’s physical, educational, experiential and sustainability related goals.
“Since completion the school has become a place of pride for the community and Manchester Essex Regional School District (MERSD). It is a further honor to say that it has achieved LEED Gold status, one of the highest recognitions for sustainability,” said Pamela Beaudoin, MERSD Superintendent of Schools.
“The school will serve students and families for decades to come and this certification is a testament not only to our dedication to the health and wellbeing today, but also to the future generations that will learn and grow within the facilities.”
LEED certified buildings save money, improve efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and create healthier places for inhabitants. To achieve LEED certification, a project earns points by adhering to prerequisites and credits that address carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health, and indoor environmental quality. Projects go through a verification and review process by GBCI and are awarded points that correspond to a level of LEED certification, with projects placing in the 60-79 point range achieving Gold. In addition to JCJ, project team members who were central to achieving this milestone are VvS Consultants (LEED/Sustainability), GGD Engineering (MEP/FP), Engineers Design Group (Structural), Loriuchi Solien (LA) and Samiotes (Site/Civil); Dore Whittier served as the Owner’s Project Manager and WT Rich as the Construction Manager.
