The Mill Complex at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park forms a gateway to a network of walking and ski trails on Mount Tom in Woodstock. This project involved a complete restoration of a historic barn as well as the new construction of an Education Center sited adjacent to the barn.
The historic barn houses an exhibit area meant to orient visitors and showcase the history of Mount Tom and sustainable forestry while also providing firewood storage for the Complex. The Education Center provides flexible classroom and meeting space for the Park and the Billings Farm and Museum. Together these buildings form the center for education and learning programs at the Park.
This project is the first LEED Platinum building in Vermont and was designed to showcase sustainable building techniques and material sourcing. All wood products used in the building, including framing, sheathing, interior, and exterior finishes were harvested from the surrounding Park forest. The highly-insulated building also utilizes a low-emissions boiler, running on firewood harvested from the Park, for its primary heating. Roof-mounted solar photovoltaic panels provide electricity for the building.