School has certainly changed since I was young.

Whereas most schools are little more than brick and concrete boxes dropped unceremoniously in the middle of suburban sprawl, Lucy School is a renovated 19th century barn located on a 17-acre farm outside of Middletown, MD. The building, nestled in the rolling slopes of Middletown valley, surrounded by pastures and farmland, features early learning spaces inspired by the Milan School of Design and the educational philosophy of Reggio Emilia. But while the aesthetics are inspired by the old world, behind the walls of this quiet and unassuming school are some cutting edge green building techniques and technologies.

Before you even encounter any of the green technologies in the walls of the classrooms you’ll encounter the high wood walls of Lucy School. Most of the wood was obtained from a warehouse that had been demolished, and the remainder is FCS (Forest Stewardship Council) certified.

The floors are mainly cork and bamboo, woods recognized as being highly renewable resources.  The concrete in the foundation and the pavement contains about 50% fly ash, which is captured and reused byproduct of coal burning power plants.  The manufacturing processes that produce concrete produce CO2 and so this reduces the carbon footprint in an often unconsidered area of construction.
More than 80% of construction waste was diverted from the landfill through reuse and recycling.  Wood, wiring and pieces of metal are being used in classroom art projects.  Drywall was ground up, mixed with manure and spread over a local farm.  A length of pipe was even used to build musical instruments!

In terms of water usage, Lucy School incorporates sensor controlled sinks, dual flush toilets and waterless urinals. Rain water is filtered throughout the water table through eight rain gardens, as well as being collected in a cistern and used to flush the building’s toilets. The water that can’t be saved is simply reused. Gray water is collected from the sinks, water fountains and the washer and is used to water plants.

The building is studded with large glass windows, allowing the building to be filled with sunlight all day long. Dr. Brown, Director of Lucy School, feels that “daylight is a wonderful natural stimulant for the brain, helping to keep it alert and focused, thus enhancing learning.” Additional sunlight is piped in to the classrooms and meeting spaces through a series of “solatubes.” Solatubes are small lenses affixed to the roof which focus sunlight (while filtering out infrared and ultraviolet light) down a series of pipes lined with a reflective material to fill the classrooms with natural sunlight. Artificial light is provided, when required, exclusively by LED light bulbs.

This attention to detail even extends to the very air you breath inside Lucy School. According to an estimate issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, “one-half of our nation’s 115,000 schools have problems linked to indoor air quality. Students, teachers and staff are at great risk because of the hours spent in school facilities and because children are especially susceptible to pollutants.” Lucy School passes even the most stringent air quality tests through use of a system that monitors for unhealthy conditions and can dynamically adjust air quality. Whenever carbon dioxide levels exceed acceptable levels, sensors activate fans that introduce fresh air from the outside.

“Flushing a toilet, washing hands or sorting waste in recycling bins are daily experiences that reinforce green principles,” says Dr. Brown. “Most importantly, this building compliments beautifully our environmental and outdoor education curriculum that promotes a love of nature and environmental stewardship.” Because of the limited number of experienced green building professionals in the area, Lucy School sponsored three intensive training sessions on green building methods for senior members of its design and construction teams, and most of their subcontractors to assure adherence to strict environmental standards. Lucy School is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council for certification under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. A building can only receive LEED certification if it meets the highest green building and performance measures.

Lucy School relies on an array of sixty grid-tied solar panels manufactured by a local company (BP Solar), which generate sufficient power to reduce the building’s electricity use by 15-20%.

Four (Water Furnace brand)  geothermal heating/cooling systems lessen the school’s reliance on the electrical grid even more.

It is said that life imitates art.

If so, it seems only natural that such an artfully designed green building house Lucy School’s unique brand of childhood education, focusing on participation in the community, environmental conservation and artistic expression.

From the foundation to the solatubes on the roof, ever aspect of Lucy School has been carefully considered for its impact on the surrounding landscape, the learning environment within, and the natural environment outside its walls.