Craftsbury Academy

Craftsbury Academy, located in Craftsbury Vermont, is one of the oldest public schools in the State of Vermont. Serving approximately 175 students in grades 5 through 12, the Academy was incorporated in 1829 and a two-story brick structure was erected in 1832. In 1868 this structure was replaced with a wood structure which remains a prominent landmark along the common in downtown Craftsbury.

Project Scope

Yeaton Associates, Inc. was secured to provide high-efficiency, mechanical, plumbing and sustainable design for the school renovation, including the design of a new biomass/propane boiler plant. One of the primary goals of the project was to eliminate the nearly 40 degree temperature difference throughout the building and provide a controlled climate that was conducive to learning. A key focus for the design team was to maintain the historical integrity of the Academy while upgrading the indoor environment systems and building envelope.

Project Result

An 867,000 Btuh capacity boiler and two propane-fired 299,000 Btuh capacity condensing gas boilers were installed at the Academy based on Yeaton's design. The pellet boiler was sequenced as the primary boiler, and the gas boilers supplement on peak demand days and offer redundancy. A 36 ton outdoor pellet silo stores the fuel. The boiler plant feeds conventional HVAC systems and equipment. Improved HVAC infrastructure enhanced the learning environment by providing a comfortable and controlled climate within the building.  As a result of the new biomass plant, Craftsbury Academy is on track to save nearly 1.3% of its total operating budget for the 2011/2012 school year which translates into an $880,000 savings over the life of the bond. The Academy has also been nominated for the "Best of the Best" award in Commercial Buildings Design and Construction by Efficiency Vermont, the results of which will be announced in February 2012. The Academy, in conjunction with its design partners, is also in the process of working toward its North East Collaborative for High Performance Schools (NECHPS) Certification in early 2012, which would make it one of the oldest schools in the country to hold the designation.