By Elizabeth Benton
Register Staff
NEW HAVEN — Four city schools this year received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star awards, which are granted to energy-efficient commercial building projects designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Only five such awards were handed out throughout New England, the remaining designation going to Boston’s South Station Office Tower, which was designed by New Haven architect Cesar Pelli.
Energy-efficient designs for Sheridan Communication and Technology Middle School, Bishop Woods Elementary School, Christopher Columbus Family Academy and Metropolitan Business Academy were all granted the “Designed to Earn the Energy Star” award at the American Institute of Architects Convention on May 15
The four schools are all in various stages of construction, part of the city’s $1.5 billion initiative to rebuild or renovate all public schools.
Nationally, 46 new building designs from 19 states earned the designation. The EPA estimates those buildings will save 120 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions and $5 million in energy costs annually.
“The Citywide School Construction Program gave us a unique opportunity to design new schools that would be both energy efficient and kind to the environment,” said Superintendent of Schools Reginald Mayo.
“Coming on the heels of Barnard becoming the first public school in the state to earn the LEED gold certification level, we are pleased that our school system is meeting the highest conservation standards available while still providing state-of-the-art learning environments for children.”
Earlier this year, Barnard Environmental Magnet School became the first public school statewide to earn gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green ratings.
Yale’s Daniel L. Malone Engineering Center is the only other building in Connecticut to earn gold recognition. There are 274 such buildings worldwide.