Big Red Goes Green
Phillips Exeter stands at the forefront of national efforts to reduce energy usage and to maintain an environmentally sustainable community on campus. Whether that is in the eco-friendly design of its new buildings or in striving to reduce waste and encourage recycling, the school’s environmental mission statement makes clear that the Academy “must be committed to stewardship of the environment.” Two of the school’s most noticeable additions to campus—the new William Boyce Thompson Field House and the Goel Center for Theater and Dance—have taken up this mission in their design and construction, and they are already helping to continue the reduction of the school’s usage of fossil fuel power.
The new Thompson Field House, which opened this past January, is equipped with 1,552 solar panels covering the building’s 84,574 square foot roof, the largest solar panel array installed at any school in New Hampshire. The panels are expected to save the school more than two million dollars over the life of the system and will provide nearly all of the electricity needed in the building. The solar array “is a tangible example of the Academy’s commitment to sustainability,” noted ReVision Energy, the company installing the system with Harvey Construction Corp., the builder of the new field house.
“Buildings that are more efficient than we could have imagined even 10 years ago are requirements,” Williams noted. “We want to make sure that the building is not a burden, that it’s an exemplar of the kind of building that one should build today and in the future.”
“We’re able to reduce our environmental footprint by building [the Thompson Field House] to LEED standards and using solar power for the majority of the energy used by this facility,” Director of Facilities Management Mark Leighton, said. LEED refers to “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,” which is a rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of so-called “green” energy-efficient buildings. The solar array will produce roughly 600,000 kilowatt hours of solar electricity per year, which is the equivalent used by 60 homes, and will offset over 600,000 pounds of carbon pollution each year—the equivalent of 700,000 miles driven by an average car burning 32,000 gallons of gasoline.
Like the gym, the new Goel Center for Theater and Dance showcases the school’s latest sustainability design efforts with its use of geothermal energy, rather than traditional fossil fuels. The Center will rely on 60 geothermal wells for its heating and cooling, which will greatly reduce its need for energy from fossil fuels.
Renowned New York-based husband-and-wife team of Billie Tsien and Tod Williams designed the 63,000 square foot Goel Center, prioritizing sustainability, accessibility for students, openness and natural light.
Noting their admiration for the Academy’s library, designed by the famed architect Louis I. Kahn, Williams acknowledged that modern architecture requires consideration of sustainability, which was not a as pertinent a concern in prior decades, when Kahn designed the library. “Buildings that are more efficient than we could have imagined even 10 years ago are requirements,” Williams noted. “We want to make sure that the building is not a burden, that it’s an exemplar of the kind of building that one should build today and in the future.”
The new campus buildings continue Exeter’s efforts to use sustainable design and LEED-certified materials. Faculty residence Crosbie House opened in fall 2013, featuring low-energy components such as complete thermal enclosure, heating and cooling, water management systems and energy-efficient lighting and appliances
In addition to its many residence halls and academic buildings, Exeter is also the owner of 672 acres of forestland, which includes the Academy Woods, Colby fields and the Exeter River watershed. The Academy’s Natural Resources Plan is a long-term management plan to maintain a healthy ecosystem, protect valuable natural resources and provide students with unparalleled outdoor classroom and year-round recreational opportunities.
Education about environmental issues and sound environmental practices is at the heart of the Academy’s Environmental Mission Statement. “While our actions are local,” the statements reads, “our reach is global.” The two most recent, and very visible, additions to campus—the new Thompson Field House and the Goel Center—are a testament to the school’s continuing efforts to teach and display responsible environmental stewardship through sustainability in every aspect of campus life.