Middlebury Zero Energy School Team: Designing a Zero Energy Middlebury Elementary School

Stemming from a student-led winter term course, Zero Energy School Design, a team of students has been designing a new Zero Energy Elementary School for the town of Middlebury, VT. A Zero Energy school is an energy-efficient... [ view full abstract ]

Stemming from a student-led winter term course, Zero Energy School Design, a team of students has been designing a new Zero Energy Elementary School for the town of Middlebury, VT. A Zero Energy school is an energy-efficient building that produces at least as much energy from on-site renewables as it consumes in a year. The team’s design is a finalist in the Department of Energy’s Race to Zero competition, in which undergraduate and graduate teams from around the world compete to design Zero Energy buildings. The vision of the school is embedded in its name: Middlebury Elementary School. The school design serves to create a centralized learning hub (the "middle") modeled after the community of small-town Vermont (the "bury"). Designed to mirror the elements of a thriving town, the building is centered around a "Main Street" that connects central spaces and smaller learning environments. The school prioritizes flexible spaces to foster collaborative learning communities and interdisciplinary connections. Through visible Zero Energy design features and connections to the natural environment, the school's design strives to instill sustainability as an everyday learning ethos. By focusing on experiential learning that engages students and community members in conversations about energy efficiency and renewable energy, Middlebury Elementary hopes to serve as a beacon for the town and surrounding New England communities.