As a leading vocational school in New Jersey, the Middlesex County Magnet Schools (MCMS) is advancing its major offerings in the fields of supply chain management and logistics support, sustainable energy and construction, and cybersecurity. Its new Center for Sustainability and Innovation (CSI) now being designed by SSP Architects will enable MCMS to expand programs in these growing career sectors. The Center will bolster MCMS partnerships with post-secondary institutions, regional businesses, and technology companies.  The 80,000 SF new building, located on the campus of Middlesex College, will dedicate 50,000 SF of classroom space, vocational shops, and cross-content collaboration zones.

SSP’s design builds on MCMS’s success model for real world application with a facility that supports classroom education side-by-side with hands-on experiences. Designed with a layout encouraging cross-curriculum collaboration, the building will be equipped with the same cutting-edge technology and equipment deployed in the workforce today. This will allow the seamless transition from education to employment.

Seeking to reduce the building’s carbon footprint, SSP captured resources for use in the building. Solar energy will power the sustainable construction lab; and reclaimed water will be used in the wave tank. CSI will be a key driver of significant operational cost savings. Through proper solar orientation, increased thermal performance of the building envelope, and optimization of the building mechanical systems, this facility has the potential to reduce energy usage of the mechanical system by 20% over its baseline counterpart.

Through the integration of sustainable design, the building infrastructure and elements become transparent. This will enable occupants to understand and learn from the building’s interaction with the environment. By putting this strategy into action, the building will become an important teaching and learning tool for the students and staff.