Representatives of Fusco Construction as well as the Town of West Hartford attended the awards presentation on Oct. 4.

By Ronni Newton

Charter Oak International Academy, West Hartford’s newest elementary school building which was completed in August 2016, received the 2018 Green Building Award of Honor from the CT Green Building Council (CTGBC) in the institutional Projects category at a ceremony held Oct. 4 in Branford.

The school was built to the LEED Gold standard and has been LEED Gold Certified.

Charter Oak International Academy incorporates sustainable features such as geothermal wells that provide the energy for heat pumps that heat and cool the building and a 100kW photovoltaic array on the roof,

Media and technology is accessible even to the youngest students, with adjustable height LED smart boards (no projectors required) in every classroom as well as several common spaces. Every classroom has its own heat pump, and teachers can control the room’s temperature within a certain range. The classroom LED lights all have dimmers and water fountains all have built-in bottle-filling stations.

Fusco Construction also noted that the “exterior envelope includes high thermal resistance wall and roof construction, as well as low emissivity glass and thermally broken aluminum framed windows to prevent conductive thermal energy loss.”

The 87,700 square foot building, which was constructed in just under 18 months for approximately $45 million, was completed on time and under budget, Superintendent of Schools Tom Moore said at the dedication in December 2016.

The building was constructed in a circle to recognize the equal status of all in the community, and houses 560 students in Pre-K through grade 5.

West Hartford Plant and Facilities Director Robert Palmer, who managed the project for the town and accepted the award, said at the ceremony, “This was a very successful project … It was incredibly important to the Town of West Hartford for several reasons. It was the first building to be built to the 2009 directive for any project over $5 million to be built to the LEED Gold Standard and it was also replacing a school in an ethnically diverse and socially and economically challenged area … The school turned out to be exactly what it needed to be – successful, attractive with a positive learning environment.”

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