Evergreen Charter School announces the inauguration of its new mass timber, LEED Platinum-target K-12 school building, a groundbreaking educational facility located in the Village of Hempstead, one of the most economically challenged areas in Nassau County. Evergreen’s new facility, with a capacity for 750 students, is one of the first mass timber K–12 school buildings on the East Coast, and a model for sustainable, community-oriented development in underserved areas. Mass timber is an innovative and highly sustainable building material that can replace steel and concrete, drastically reducing a project's embodied carbon footprint. Built in a historically underserved and low-income neighborhood, Evergreen’s new home is a symbol of environmental and educational leadership in underrepresented communities.
Evergreen Charter School New Secondary School
The building has already gained recognition. The school was one of the winners of the 2022 The Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Mass Timber Competition: Building to Net Zero, which showcase mass timber’s innovative applications in architectural design, and it highlights its significant role in reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment.
The facility includes classrooms, shared spaces for science, art and innovation as well as a library, music/orchestra rooms, a multipurpose café, kitchen, gymnasium, breakout rooms and other common spaces such as a rooftop recreational space. As part of its continued commitment to long-term, resilient infrastructure and sustainability, the new school also utilizes solar panels and features green spaces throughout different levels of the facility, including a rooftop garden.
Evergreen Charter School, a free public school, was founded in 2009 by Gil Bernardino and Dr. Sarah Brewster with the help of many community advocates. The school was created to provide students with a rigorous academic education, focusing on the environment, the arts and Spanish-language instruction, among other areas.
“Our vision from the beginning was to create a school where all students can thrive academically and socially, and where they become stewards of our planet," said Gil Bernardino and Dr. Sarah Brewster, Evergreen’s Founders. “This facility proves that inspiring and sustainable design is possible anywhere, for anyone. When we invest in communities like ours in Hempstead, we invest in a better future for everyone.”
Designed by Martin Hopp Architect, and built by Consigli Construction Co., Inc., the five-story building uses cross-laminated timber (CLT), a type of mass timber, in one of its first applications for a school building on the East Coast. The net-negative carbon material replaces steel and concrete in structures, radically reducing embodied carbon without raising construction costs.
The building’s energy use intensity is 173 kWh/m², a 24% improvement over baseline, and its embodied carbon emissions measure just 330 kgCO₂e/m². With a high-performing façade, a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system, and net-zero-ready mechanicals, the project targets LEED Platinum certification.
More than just a school, the building is a community anchor, programmed for dual use: education by day, community center by night and weekend. Public areas are thoughtfully located near the entrance to allow flexible use while maintaining secure student zones.
The building is designed to be a teacher in itself. Signage throughout the school explains the role of mass timber, solar shading, and native plant species in reducing environmental impact. Murals and info-stations explain the need for sustainability, embodied carbon, mass timber, and how the building is designed to create a healthy and sustainable environment. The architecture reinforces Evergreen’s mission by making sustainability tangible, visible, and interactive.
Designed through a deeply collaborative process, the building’s vision was supported by workshops with teachers, students, and community stakeholders. The result is a highly adaptable learning environment that complements Evergreen’s holistic education model emphasizing environmental stewardship, the arts, and global citizenship.
The inauguration celebration will welcome educators, local officials, business leaders, and community members to celebrate this milestone.
About Evergreen Charter School
Founded in 2009, Evergreen Charter School provides a rigorous academic program in a nurturing, inclusive environment. Rooted in the values of dignity, sustainability, and multicultural education, Evergreen serves as a model of how schools can uplift communities and prepare students to thrive in a global world.
www.ecsli.org
About Martin Hopp Architect
Martin Hopp Architect PLLC (MHA) is a New York City–based architecture firm focused on designing educational facilities, civic projects, and healthy buildings. Founded in 2013 by Martin Hopp—after his tenure as Project Director at Rafael Viñoly Architects in New York, and earlier roles at John McAslan & Partners (London) and Buro Wulf & Partners (Stuttgart)—MHA is committed to design excellence and innovation.
www.martinhopp.com
About Consigli Construction Co., Inc.
Consigli Construction Co., Inc. is a leading construction manager in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Consigli services clients across all markets, including academic, healthcare, life sciences, institutional, energy, corporate and federal. Founded in 1905, Consigli is now a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) company, providing its people a direct benefit of its success and creating a culture of accountability. The company has offices in Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., Maine, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, New Hampshire and the Caribbean. Consigli has received numerous awards for its craftsmanship and employment practices, including national recognition as a Forbes Best Employer. For more information, visit consigli.com and follow us on LinkedIn
