The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn., will soon be warmed by a woodchip-burning heating facility, which will replace an oil-fired boiler and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The 16,400-sf plant, designed by Centerbrook Architects, will house two biomass boilers capable of heating the entire campus by burning waste wood harvested from local forests. Woodchips are expected to replace some 150,000 gallons of fuel oil per year, reducing sulfur dioxide emissions by more than 90%. The building will also be used for educational purposes: Faculty and staff will arrange for classes and community groups will be encouraged to tour the facility and experience the technology.
