The Carter School is a small but unique Boston Public School that serves students 6-12 grades with complex developmental and medical needs. The new school will include administrative areas, academic and specialty classrooms, physical therapy and gymnasium spaces, music rooms, and art studio spaces. Specialty spaces include a green roof top and custom pool. With the expansion of the school's program age range, size, and diversity of students, this new facility has demanded innovative design thinking in order serve students with complex learning needs and intensive disabilities, while also building on an active, urban site.
Rather than relying on fossil-fuel based systems, the building will use all-electric systems for heating, cooling and hot water generation. Bala is driving the design and integration of these all-electric systems such as air-source heat pumps and VRF mechanical systems. Beyond MEP/FP design, Bala is also leading a technology needs assessment and design process of IT infrastructure, security and AV systems for specialty spaces and classroom infrastructure.