Chapman Construction completes new HQ for SELT Mathey Center using sustainable practices

Epping, NH Chapman Construction/Design, a construction management company specializing in high-performance building, has completed the construction of a new two-story 7,744 s/f wood-frame building which will serve as the headquarters for the Southeast Land Trust (SELT). Located at 247 North River Rd., the Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature at Burley Farm contains office and programming space to facilitate the organization’s nature-based programming.

SELT’s mission includes land protection, stewardship, and outreach to connect people to nature. The first floor of The Mathey Center features the Pratt Family Community Room designed to be a meeting room for local organizations, “The Hive” volunteer room, and kitchen while the second-floor houses flex-space and an adjoining conference room.

The fossil fuel-free building was constructed by Chapman using sustainable practices and operates at the highest building performance standards. This includes a high-performance building enclosure with a continuous air vapor barrier and insulation which creates a well-insulated building to reduce energy loads. Wood framing was used to reduce an embodied carbon footprint and locally sourced thermally modified wood was selected for its longevity. To limit solar heat gain during the summer cooling season and allow it during the winter heating season, new recessed windows and sunshades were installed to reduce loads and operational energy. The solar panels that line the roof combined with the five ground-mounted solar arrays can power both The Mathey Center and the adjacent farmhouse.

To protect the surrounding site and environment, Chapman worked alongside the NH Natural Heritage Bureau to develop a plan to ensure construction would not disrupt any rare animal species or “exemplary natural communities.” Tree clearing was selective and many trees that had to be taken down were hauled off site, milled, and used in the building as wall paneling, ceilings, beams, stairs, and wainscoting. A stormwater pollution protection plan was implemented to monitor the site’s stormwater runoff and prevent potential hazards from contaminating water sources.

Chapman launched a sustainability initiative committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. To support this endeavor, Chapman has calculated its operational carbon footprint, is shifting away from fossil fuels, and is fully electrifying its already LEED Platinum certified headquarters. Following EPA’s Scope 1 and 2 corporate protocols, Chapman will eliminate direct emissions from sources such as natural gas for heating equipment, gasoline and diesel for fleet vehicles, fugitive emissions from cooling equipment, while generating enough onsite clean renewable energy to meet its electricity demand resulting in net zero emissions.

The project team includes:

• Owner/client: Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire

• Construction manager: Chapman Construction

• OPM: Bruss Project Management

• Architect: Sheldon Pennoyer Architects

• Civil engineer: Altus Engineering, Inc.

• Structural engineer: Roome & Guarracino

• HVAC & plumbing design: Design Day Mechanicals, Inc.

• Electrical power and lighting: Electrical Systems Engineering, Inc.

• Energy modeling: Resilient Building Group, Inc.

• Code review & consulting: SFC Engineering Partnership, Inc.

“From the outside in, The Mathey Center reflects everything we hold dear as an organization,” said Brian Hart, executive director of SELT. ”Our shared love of conservation, combined with the desire to bring our communities closer to the outdoors can be found woven through this new building, the centerpiece of the Burley Farms vision.”