
New Schools
The Kathleen Grim School for Leadership and Sustainability at Sandy Ground
Staten Island
2015
Two story, accessible, air-conditioned primary school for students in pre-kindergarten through the fifth grades. It is the first net-zero energy school in the northeast and includes a full range of amenities; wireless LAN and Internet access throughout. The new school includes eighteen standard classrooms, two district special education classrooms, three District 75 classrooms, music, art and science facilities, two resource rooms, library, a parent/community room, a gymatorium, cafeteria, vegetable garden, greenhouse, and bike energy room. There are four sustainability teaching nodes within the building that focus on earth, air, energy and water. The building generates energy through photovoltaic panels, which are placed on the parking structure to heat and cool water used for the heating, ventilation and airconditioning systems. Additionally, a wind turbine acts as a demonstration tool to teach students how wind generates energy. The site accommodates a large play area and an early childhood playground. A sustainability walking path encircles the school property to encourage students to walk and learn from displays that teach them about energy and their environment