Buckley Net-Zero Construction Highlights
• New England’s first verified Net Zero Energy public school
• Verified EUI: 17.3 kBtu/SF/year
• 56,431 SF renovation + 9,093 SF addition
• 60-well geothermal system
• 42 heat pumps
• Extensive rooftop photovoltaic array
• Interim pressure testing and infrared scanning during construction
• Estimated 75% embodied-carbon savings versus replacement construction
O&G Industries served as Construction Manager for the renovation and expansion of Buckley Elementary School in Manchester, Connecticut, transforming an aging mid-century school into a high-performance, all-electric learning environment and the first verified Net Zero Energy public school in New England. The approximately 65,000-square-foot project included more than 56,000 square feet of renovation and a 9,000-square-foot addition, creating new classrooms, small-group learning areas, a cafeteria and specialized spaces for STEAM, art, music and student support services.
Buckley became the first project in Manchester’s three-school net-zero renovation program and established a foundation of construction experience that O&G carried into Bowers and Keeney Elementary Schools. The project was later verified by the New Buildings Institute after more than a year of operating data demonstrated net-zero performance. Buckley achieved a verified Energy Use Intensity of 17.3 kBtu per square foot per year.
Achieving that level of performance required more than adding renewable-energy systems. The project combined a tight building envelope, high-performance mechanical systems, geothermal heating and cooling, and extensive rooftop photovoltaic generation. O&G’s construction-management approach placed particular emphasis on envelope continuity, airtightness, trade coordination and performance verification because small gaps at penetrations or transitions could affect the building’s overall energy performance.
The geothermal system includes 60 wells and 42 heat pumps, with much of the heat-pump equipment located in an existing crawl space that once served as a Cold War-era fallout shelter. The existing site also provided enough open area for the geothermal wellfield, while the school’s north-south orientation supported the broader energy strategy. Nearly the entire roof was dedicated to photovoltaic panels, with a solar flower at the main entrance serving as both an energy-generating feature and an educational tool for students.
One of the most important construction lessons from Buckley was the value of testing early rather than waiting until final certification. O&G and the project team used interim pressure testing and infrared scanning during construction to identify air-leakage and thermal-performance issues while corrective work was still practical. According to O&G’s project-team documentation, representative portions of the building were pressure tested during construction and the completed building ultimately passed final blower-door testing on the first attempt.
That approach helped shape O&G’s QA/QC strategy on later Manchester net-zero projects. The team learned to pay heightened attention to common leakage locations, including air-barrier transitions, penetrations, roof connections and other interfaces where multiple trades come together. Testing data could then be used to target corrective work before turnover rather than discovering performance deficiencies at project closeout.
Buckley also demonstrates the sustainability value of adapting an existing building rather than starting over. TSKP estimates that renovating the existing school instead of demolishing and replacing it saved approximately 75% of the embodied carbon associated with new construction. The completed building also operates without fossil fuels, using geothermal and renewable electricity to meet its energy needs.
The project has received multiple sustainability and design awards, including recognition from AIA Connecticut and BuildGreenCT. More importantly, Buckley established a repeatable model for high-performance school renovation in Manchester and gave O&G firsthand experience managing the construction details, testing, coordination and verification required to turn an existing public school into a verified net-zero building.
