Designers leading Medford’s new high-school project convened an advisory-team listening session on sustainability, MEP systems, materials and interior/exterior design and heard a mix of technical recommendations and community priorities from parents, teachers, students, city staff and contractors.

Matt Rice, the SMMA principal in charge for the project, opened the meeting by outlining the advisory-team process and schedule, saying the project remains in the feasibility stage and that the team’s goal is a school opening targeted for July 2030. He framed the meeting as a listening session to gather priorities the design team will develop into recommendations for the building committee.

Why it matters: The advisory team will shape early design decisions that affect long-term operating costs and maintenance burdens for Medford Public Schools. Several speakers warned that decisions taken now — about materials, mechanical systems and utility connections — can lock in decades of expense and maintenance responsibilities.

Key takeaways

- Sustainability baseline and incentives: Martine Dion, sustainable design director, summarized what she described as the project’s “givens,” including the MSBA Green School policy (the current policy “dates from 2023” and requires LEED Silver) and Medford’s adoption of the Massachusetts specialized stretch energy code. She said compliance choices affect MSBA reimbursement and noted that pursuing the specialized stretch code can yield additional reimbursement percentages.

- Electrification pathways and recommendations: Dion laid out three compliance pathways under the specialized stretch code and recommended the all‑electric pathway for heating, cooling and domestic hot water while noting that if fossil fuels were used the project would need installed PV offsets and electrification readiness measures.

- Operations, commissioning and maintainability: Ken Lord, chief operations officer for Medford Public Schools, urged rigorous MEP and envelope commissioning, long-term maintenance planning and staff training so that systems perform as intended once the building is occupied.

- Grid and bus electrification concerns: City and consultant speakers flagged the need for early utility engagement. Brenda, the city’s climate planner, said a draft bus-electrification plan exists and can be shared; several participants warned that utility upgrades (substations, distribution) can be costly and time-consuming and should be coordinated early.

- Vocational/CTE needs and gas access: Teachers and CTE advocates emphasized that some vocational programs (culinary, HVAC training) require gas for instruction; Audrey, an environmental-science teacher with long tenure, noted the practical need for selective gas access for vocational programs even while supporting broader electrification goals.

- Materials, durability and community identity: Multiple participants — including architects, parents and the school principal — urged durable, timeless exterior materials and interior finishes that support student artwork, signage and flexible classroom uses. Student participants asked for spaces that are inclusive and reflective of Medford’s identity.

What wasn’t decided

No formal motions or votes were recorded at this meeting. The group collected priorities to be refined in future advisory meetings; the design team said staff will return in January with more detailed material and technical proposals.

Next steps

The advisory team will reconvene in January for a ‘review and respond’ meeting; the design team will bring additional materials around the topics raised (commissioning, utility loads, bus electrification loads, material options and maintenance strategies). Participants were invited to submit written comments after the meeting.

Attribution: Quotes and specific technical guidance in this article are drawn from participants and project staff at the Medford High School exterior/interior advisory-team meeting as recorded in the project transcript.