Constructed in 1958, the original Arthur W. Ferguson Elementary School was meant to be a temporary facility until a new school could be built. The modular facility lasted more than 50 years until it was possible for the School District of the City of York to build the new 90,250 sf school. Having secured a $500,000 Energy Harvest grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the project focused not only on making a healthy learning environment for its anticipated 750 students, but also on maximizing energy efficiency.

7group collaborated with EI Associates to develop this project, which earned the 2011 Overall Green Building Design award from the Green Building Association of Central Pennsylvania (now USGBC Central Pennsylvania Chapter). 7group led the project team’s design charrettes, provided LEED consulting and specifications, energy modeling and consulting, daylighting analysis services and served as the commissioning authority. Through combined efforts, Ferguson Elementary became the first elementary school in Pennsylvania to achieve LEED Platinum certification.

Working to maximize the open space, the project team designed a three story building to replace the original one story, which took up most of the property. In conjunction with implementing a vegetated roof, the open fields have significantly improved storm water drainage. As part of the school’s effort to utilize the building as a teaching tool, 7group designed an analemmatic sundial and provided teacher training. Geothermal heating and cooling, energy efficient lighting, a zero waste kitchen, copious daylighting and a highly insulated building envelope all contribute to the school’s 47% reduction in energy consumption and 48% reduction in water usage beyond a code compliant building.