Professional Systems Engineering, LLC (PSE) provided educational technology direction, goals, and performance criteria for this Secaucus, NJ Design-Build project. Our services included IT/Communications, Security, Educational Technology, Acoustics & A/V Design for the new Hudson County Schools of Technology (HCST) multi-school endeavor.
This new leading-edge, 20-acre site houses a progressive high school facility as a collaborative effort between the HCST and the Hudson County Improvement Authority. The school houses 1,500 students and 200 administration and staff members, with a gross building area of approximately 335,000 SF at the cost of $175 Million.
The school spaces support the curriculum of Project Based Learning for Career Academies, providing state of the art education and career paths for students. HCST is likely one of the few fully digital schools performance based upon a digital future for sciences, engineering, and performance/broadcasting.
Jason Delp, PE, CDT, VP Engineering, was asked to design a 100% digital school by Dr. Joseph Sirangelo, Director of Planning, Research, and Evaluations. The success in achieving this unique goal was met with universal appreciation by the students and staff.
As the Owners representative during the Design-Build phase for networks/IT, communications, security/safety, educational technologies, and all audio/visual and performance arts systems, Jason and his Schools of Technology and Art Design Studio followed all construction and turn-over to the users.
The school spaces support a curriculum of Project Based Learning for various Career Academies, providing progressive education and career paths for students. The building houses the School of Vocation Trades, School of Architecture/Engineering, the School of Applied Sciences, and the School of Performing Arts. Classrooms provide flexible teaching environments along with spaces for remote learning and group collaboration. The School of Performing Arts features performance venue-based Auditorium and Blackbox Theater technologies specified by PSE for professional level productions utilizing advanced video, sound, media, and lighting systems. Each classroom has been furnished with 80-inch LED interactive displays, and all of the theaters are equipped with state-of-the-art technology that includes digital lighting, sound, and rigging controls.
Receiving LEED® Gold certification, HCST attained the high standards and requirements for sustainability and has been recognized as the green project of the year for schools in the State of New Jersey by the U.S. Green Building Council. Jason was among the HCST design team recently honored and recognized for their achievements at the USGBC NJ 2019 Awards Gala celebrations this past May.
Not being our first highly technical school, PSE has completed over five million square feet of schools since 1998 at a construction value exceeding $400 Million.
