Saugus Middle High School

Located along Route 1 and near the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site, the new combined Middle and High School was constructed as part of the town-wide master planning efforts for education. The new building design reduces 45% of annual water use and 26% of energy use from baseline code standards. The on-site tri-generation system combines heating and power system produces electricity and utilizes the waste heat for domestic hot water, space heating, and space cooling which offsets utility-related emissions. There are three 30,000-gallon underground cisterns that collect water for gray water reuse, while rain gardens throughout the school’s parking lots filter stormwater runoff from the site and mitigate heat island effects. The design includes learning pods with murals celebrating Saugus' industrial history, a 750-seat auditorium, cafeteria, gym, Starbucks-style student cafe, and 271,000 square feet of bright and flexible spaces designed to support the STEM-based curriculum, earned a LEED Platinum certification (making it the first MSBA-funded LEED Platinum School for leading in design excellence, efficiency, and sustainability among other notable features).

Due to the site's proximity to businesses and dense neighborhoods, the project faced significant challenges, including undocumented utilities, such as a sewer line relocation, proximity to wetlands, environmental permitting, and construction around the existing school which remained open and occupied, adding to the logistical complexity. The project required comprehensive civil engineering, land surveying, environmental permitting, and compliance efforts including MEPA filing and NOI permitting.