At St. George’s, learning is a foundation for service, integrity, and intellectual growth. To support this mission, we reimagined the DuPont Science Building, creating an innovative and sustainable environment that empowers students to explore, discover, and lead.
The project provides modern biology, chemistry, and physics labs, blending hands-on experimentation with rigorous coursework. Flexible classrooms, dedicated project spaces, and a greenhouse encourage curiosity and collaboration, while the new faculty suite fosters mentorship and community engagement.
The Academic Center employs several sustainable design features—some are immediately visible, but all are highlighted on the interactive sustainability display in the commons.
The entire complex’s overall energy consumption is targeted to be 70% less than that of the original 1963 building. Visible elements include a rain garden that runs in front of the main entrance and connects to the outdoor classrooms and a wind turbine mounted to the roof of the DuPont building.
Less visible features include rainwater harvesting for toilets, a heat recovery enthalpy wheel, three 500-foot-deep (152-metre) geothermal wells beneath the outdoor classrooms that provide climate control for the plant room, and photovoltaic panels. A solar hot water array reduces the cost of heating water for toilets, labs, and the plant room by 30%.
Designed to inspire and connect, the L-shaped facility embraces a courtyard with views of the Rhode Island coast—an open space for reflection, study, and shared ideas. With LEED Gold certification, this transformation reflects St. George’s commitment to excellence, sustainability, and preparing students for lives of purpose and contribution.
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