Slated to be the State’s first Net Zero School, the Town of Mansfield’s new elementary school will replace the Town’s existing three elementary schools and bring all students together into one building. It has been designed to increase student comfort and decrease maintenance and operating costs.
The school’s net-zero status will be accomplished mainly via geothermal and solar technologies. It will feature a building envelope designed to retain heat and cooling provided by very high-efficiency systems. Additionally, all classrooms will face south, and the building design is intended to allow natural sunlight to reach far into the interior to reduce the need for artificial lighting. Raw materials will be used as much as possible, in keeping with the sustainability theme. Wood will be used both in the main construction of the building, as well as in finishing features in the school’s interior.