Emmett Horowitz Aquatic Center Opens at Cate School

Thanks to the generosity of trustees, parents and alumni, the Emmett Horowitz Aquatic Center–one of the only “green” facilities of its kind in US schools–was completed this summer. The actual opening of the Emmett Horowitz Aquatic Center happened quietly in August with a few faculty families, but this Wednesday at 3:15 pm, the Cate boys’ water polo team will more formally inaugurate the new facility in a game against Villanova.

The “green” design of the Emmett Horowitz Aquatic Center is one of the few facilities like it in schools across the nation–it awaits a gold LEED (Leadership in Energy Efficient Design) certification. The facility’s electricity is powered by a micro turbine; the heat emitted from this power source is recaptured and used to heat the pool. The center also makes use of building materials from sustainable sources–like recycled roofing and siding, much like the five Platinum LEED faculty homes built two years ago on Cate’s Carpinteria campus.

Key Green features:

– micro turbine uses natural gas to power the facility

– heat recaptured from micro turbine operation heats the pool

– sustainable materials were used for facility, including sustainable roofing products

– no materials moved off site

– low flow and low energy fixtures

Cate’s Emmett-Horowitz Aquatic Center features a CIF-regulation sized double-deep competition pool for water polo and competitive swimming, a smaller recreational pool, locker and shower facilities, and the Brittingham Family Athletic Training Center to serve the needs of all the school’s athletes through comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation.

Cate School Headmaster Benjamin Williams IV says, “This splendid new aquatic facility will serve our community well for generations to come, even as it exemplifies the kind of high-performance, energy-efficient design that is the hallmark of a sustainable future. This is an outstanding achievement, particularly in comparison with standard, energy-intensive pool facilities.”

“Excellent facilities not only attract quality-seeking faculty and applicants, they also help teachers and students to do their best work,” says Williams. “Cate’s building and renovation campaign is designed not only to meet immediate needs but also to set the standard for future sustainability.”

Other educational uses of the new facility will include swimming instruction, water safety programs, fitness swimming, and beginners’ instruction in kayaking and SCUBA diving for any of the 265 students and more than 100 faculty and staff.

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In addition to the aquatic center, the school has built five Platinum LEED certified faculty residences, has just finished a wastewater treatment plant that treats water to the tertiary level suitable for virtually all the school’s irrigation. Cate’s Early Childhood Education Center for children of faculty was also granted Gold LEED certification.

The Emmett-Horowitz Aquatic Center is designed by architect Larry Clark and constructed by Hartigan-Foley.