MAINE COAST WALDORF HIGH SCHOOL

The nation’s first certified passive house high school. Designed to foster creativity, inspire curiosity, demonstrate environmental stewardship, and honor the learning spirit within its occupants.

Located on a pastoral property consisting of over seventy acres in Freeport Maine, the new high school building completes the campus by bringing students together from grades K through 12. The new 11,400 square foot building, built for 80 students, includes five flexible classrooms, a student center, conference and meeting rooms, faculty offices and a great room that can be used for movement, education and morning meetings.

The building design reflects the Waldorf principles for flexibility, abundant natural night, use of color, natural materials and anthroposophic design – creating organic expressionistic designs that cultivate a sensory experience. The simple volumes have been articulated to create visual interest, views, shading and improved natural lighting. The bend in the building reduces the length of the common corridors and defines a central place for lockers and spontaneous conversation. The timber framed portico adds shade and protection from the elements while creating an exterior room for teaching, eating and conversing; and the dormers on the roof bring natural light into the center of the building.

Energy conservation and sustainable design were essential components of the new high school. This project reached beyond the goal for net zero energy demand to pursue the highest energy standard available and to become the nation’s first high school to receive passive house certification. In addition to PHIUS + 2015 certification (Passive House Institute US), the new building has received Maine Advanced Buildings certification from Efficiency Maine, certifying that the building is at least 30% more energy efficient than Maine’s minimum energy code requirements. We achieved this through passive solar design, robust building envelopes, efficient HVAC systems, daylighting controls and shading.

Hans Breaux of Project CO+OP was a project designer, sustainability lead, and Certified Passive House Consultant working under the project architect Harry Hepburn of BRIBURN.