East Rock School

East Rock Community Magnet School

Location New Haven, CT

Category Education

Building Enclosure Consultation for New Construction

AIA Connecticut Design Award

A public magnet school serving nearly 450 students in kindergarten through eighth grade, East Rock School focuses on global studies, incorporating world cultures and technology into an interdisciplinary curriculum. The existing school building, however, was not up to the challenge of providing adequate facilities for the high-tech curriculum, so New Haven Public Schools commissioned Newman Architects to design a new, modern facility. In turn, Newman retained Hoffmann Architects + Engineers to provide preliminary building enclosure consultation services for the sustainable design project.

Hoffmann has collaborated on a number of educational facility projects with Newman Architects, and the strength of that relationship enabled efficient coordination of the building enclosure review. Our architects and engineers were responsible for evaluating design development related to building envelope elements. Hoffmann’s review identified details and locations at the building enclosure where modifications might be made to prevent air and water intrusion, and to detail proper attachment of building components.

With its highly insulated brick veneer cavity walls, light-admitting expanses of glazed curtain wall, and green roof, the new 78,000 sf East Rock School affords the health and well-being benefits of a state-of-the-art green building to a predominantly low-income population of young people. New Haven Public Schools is pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for the Energy Star rated building.