Yesterday, three-years after a fire damaged its southeast wing, a groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation of the East Somerville Community School was held. It was the first step in launching the construction of a new state-of-the-art 121,071‐square-foot school with numerous upgrades. Here's a look at them.

In addition to administrative offices, general and special education classrooms and a cafeteria, the new K-8 school will also include:

• an auditorium
• a media center
• music suites
• science laboratories
• computer rooms
• a technology suite
• a full-size gymnasium
• new tot lots and playgrounds
• new basketball courts
• a soccer field

Renovation to go green with environmentally friendly design

Meanwhile, the design created by Maquire Group of Foxboro includes numerous energy conservation measures. Among them are

• a live green roof to capture stormwater and insulate the building
• solar collectors
• photovoltaics
• rainwater collection
• "daylight harvesting," for additional lighting and passive heating
• energy‐efficient building systems

Green building standards known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards were followed in the design. The hope is to achieve a LEED for Schools Gold rating, as well as to meet the Massachusetts Collaborative for High Performance Schools (MA CHPS) Verified Leader standards, which is a green building rating system for Bay State schools.

School to be a "learning center for sustainability"

The green features will do more than conserve energy and resources. They'll also serve as teaching tools. Similar to the approach taken with recent renovations of the Prospect Hill Academy Charter School, features such as solar heating or water conservation measures will be emphasized with signage and learning stations throughout the school.

"The school will be a learning center for sustainability with demonstration and interactive areas provided throughout the facility," according to the design description from Maquire Group.

Though only partially damaged the entire school will be rebuilt

The electrical fire of December 2007 may have done the heaviest damage to the southeast wing, but water and soot damage rendered the entire 118,500-square-foot structure unfit for use.

According to the Maguire Group, which assisted in the inspection of the structure after the fire, "the second floor bar joists and concrete slab were be found to deflected ~24 inches in the two rooms that sustained the heaviest fire in the [southeast] wing.

"While the actual heat damage from the fire was limited to ~5,000 square feet of the total 118,500‐SF building, smoke, water and soot damage traveled throughout, irreparably damaging the building systems and finishes in the remainder of the school."

The new school is expected to open as early as fall 2012 and no later than January 2013.

For more on the cost and funding of the renovation, please click for our stories here and here .

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O novo design da escola em East Somerville

 Três anos após ter sido destruída por um incêndio, a cidade de Somerville realizou ontem uma cerimônia inovadora para inaugurar a renovacão da East Somerville Community School. A cerimônia foi o primeiro passo no lançamento da renovação do prédio de mais de  121 mil metros quadrados. Confira os detalhes:

Além de escritórios administrativos, salas de aula especializados e um refeitório, a escola incluirá:

• um auditório
• um centro de mídia
• salas de música
• laboratórnios de ciência
• salas de informática
• salas de tecnologia
• um ginásio completo
• novos playgrounds
• quadras novas de basquete
• um campo de futebol

Renovação será eco-friendly

O design criado por Maquire Grup, de Foxboro, inclui numerosas medidas de conservação de energia. Entre eles estão:

• um "eco-telhado" que capta águas pluviais e isola o edifício
• coletores solares
• fotovoltaicos
• colheita de raios solares, para iluminação adicional e aquicemento passivo
• sistemas energéticos eficientes 

O design segue normas  conhecido como Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). O objetivo é alcançar uma certificação  LEED para escolas Gold, bem como receber a Massachusetts Collaborative for High Perfomance Schools (MACHPS), padrões do estado.

Escola será "centro de aprendizagem para a sustentabilidade"

As características do prédio serão mais do que um jeito de economizar energia. Eles também serão usados como ferramentas de aprendizagem.

"A escola será um centro de aprendizagem para a sustentabilidade com demonstrações e áreas interativas em todo o prédio," segundo a descrição do projeto de Maquire Grupo.

Embora apenas parcialmente danificadas, toda a escola será reconstruída

O incêndio elétrico de dezembro de 2007 teve maior efeito na parte sudeste do prédio, mas danos causados pela água e fuligem destruíram o resto.

O plano é para inaugurar a nova escola em 2012, ou mais tardar em janeiro de 2013.

Para mais informações sobre o custo e financiamento da renovação, leia nossas matérias aqui and aqui .