The Koppel Center
- Home
- /
- The Koppel Center
BEFORE
AFTER
As our programs have expanded, the initial vision of the mid-19th century barn being converted to serve as a year-round space was revived. Thanks to a major jumpstart from generous donors, the renovation began in February 2024, and the Koppel Center to Preserve Cape Cod opens its doors in May 2025. The renovated barn, that once served as a wool store and then a furniture store in years past, is now a space for meetings and staff offices.
After 48 years of renting office space, we found our forever home in Dennis on 1.3 acres at 482 Main Street, Route 6A—the geographical center of Cape Cod. The antique home was first retrofitted to be ADA accessible and to generate clean energy with solar panels and a heat pump system for energy efficiency. The typical traditional landscape was converted to be predominantly native plants in a more naturalistic style that reduces our maintenance, is chemical free and conserves water. The house has served as APCC’s headquarters since the spring of 2016.
Photography by Peter Julian Photography
Walking the Talk
We’ve done our best to employ best practices for being energy efficient, managing stormwater, and minimizing nutrients entering groundwater. How?
Environmentally thoughtful choices. Efforts were made to preserve the historic nature and feel of the barn by insulating it from the outside with SIP panels (Structural Insulation Panels), thus being able to retain the original interior ceiling, walls, and floors. Where modifications were made to the floor plan, original wood was salvaged and reused.
In some places we needed additional insulation and we used TimberBatt—a product made in Maine from wood fibers by TimberHP—a sustainable product with lots of benefits.
Our energy will be provided by solar panels on the building roof. This capitalizes on solar panels we installed on the main building and shed. Excess energy generated by the solar panels is available at metered electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in our parking area.
We are appreciative of the funding we received from the Tern Foundation to make our campus reliant on the energy of the sun and running fossil fuel-free!
Our heating and cooling is provided by a super energy efficient heat pump system. (Don’t let someone tell you they are not ready for prime time, they are. Heat pump systems are commonly used farther north in the state of Maine.) With a heat pump system and the solar panels means the building will be heated and cooled by the energy of the sun!
Our wastewater is handled by composting toilets using a Clivus system and the gray water goes to the existing septic system.
A metal roof means stormwater runoff is cleaner.
Stormwater from the roof is further managed by entering rain gardens and we are harvesting rainwater in a series of rain barrels for garden use.
Stormwater is managed on the site to minimize runoff and maximize infiltration. The entrance asphalt driveway was removed and replaced with permeable pavers, which were also used for the walkways. Turfstone, another permeable material, was installed over part of the parking area where the EV stations are located and infilled with gravel. (We know grass doesn’t have a chance, despite what you might see in some advertising photos.)
Bird-friendly windows. Acopian bird savers hang on the outside of the grand windows to save birds from collision. Learn more here: What birds see.
Design Choices. The main lighting fixture is the work of Steve Swain, a local artist and owner of the Frying Pan Gallery, who created the light that hangs in the main space.
We were thoughtful in our purchase of furniture to ensure functionality and longevity. Our meeting tables and office furniture were purchased locally from the Mill Store. The meeting chairs are by Hon and are constructed of 40 percent recycled materials.
The Renovation Team
We are grateful to our stellar team that helped create this beautiful space:
- Our architect: Alison Alessi – A3 Architects, Dennis
- Our general contractor: Matt & Sylvia Logan – Sesuit Construction Management, LLC, Dennis
- Solar contractor: E2 Solar, Dennis
What’s Coming? Tours by appointment, lectures, workshops, trainings, collaborative meetings, social and celebratory events. If you receive our weekly enewsletter, you’ll receive notice of upcoming events. Stay tuned!
