A Smarter Kind of Library: How Barrington Built for Efficiency and the Future

Tucked away in Barrington New Hampshire, the Barrington Public Library is many things: a place to read, learn, and attend community events. What’s easy to miss, though, is that the building itself is doing a lot of work behind the scenes, using far less energy than a typical public building and saving the town money year after year.

As far back as the early 2000s, it was already clear that Barrington’s former library space was too small for a town growing toward 9,000–10,000 residents. Professional assessments and visits to other libraries across New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts consistently reached the same conclusion: the existing building could not support the evolving role libraries were being asked to play. At the same time, there was a long-standing and understandable concern among some residents that a new library wasn’t necessary. From that perspective, what Barrington already had felt “good enough.”

The Library's solar panels soaking in the sun

For members of the Barrington Library Foundation, this became one of the most important challenges of the project—not overcoming opposition, but engaging with it thoughtfully. Rather than dismissing concerns, Foundation members made a deliberate effort to seek them out, listen carefully, and respond respectfully, including on social media. The goal was to acknowledge those perspectives while also sharing a broader vision for a library that could serve the entire community, both now and in the decades ahead.“We knew we had to bring people along with us,” says Roger Gingrich, a retired physician who moved to Barrington in 2012 and became involved with the Foundation. “That meant making sure people felt heard and understood at every step.”

That emphasis on communication shaped the entire process. Community members, volunteers, town agencies, and multiple committees were involved throughout, with regular updates and open channels for feedback. Having a community member who was serving as the library trustee chair and had previously served as a Select Board member proved especially valuable, helping navigate town processes and keep communication clear and coordinated.

For Cindy Hoisington, a member of the Barrington Library Foundation, energy efficiency has long been part of everyday life. After moving to Barrington in 2001, she worked with New Hampshire Saves to retrofit her 1978 Cape-style home, gaining firsthand experience with how efficiency upgrades can improve comfort and reduce costs. Cindy brought that experience with her to the library. 

“When the town was able to purchase a former medical building and convert it into a library, we saw a real opportunity,” Cindy explains. “We could create a space that worked better for the community and cost less to operate over time.” The goal wasn’t just to create a new community space, but to build an efficient, well-performing building. Utilizing the cherry wood from the previous businesses' door, builders fashioned the bookshelves, windowsills, and other furniture out of the wood, while other functional material, such as the cabinetry, was donated to a nonprofit to reduce waste during the renovation. 

Layout of the Library's Rooftop Solar

Roger Gingrich and his wife moved from Iowa where they lived in an all-electric home with a geothermal HVAC system. Once in Barrington, they built a 5-star energy certified, all-electric home with a solar powered geothermal HVAC system. Roger, seeing the need for a new town library, joined the effort through the Barrington Library Foundation. A lifelong learner with a strong personal commitment to sustainability, he saw the project as a chance to connect education with practical action. “The library is already about learning,” he explains. “It made sense for the building itself to reflect those values.”

Community feedback reinforced that idea. Listening sessions, surveys, and social media made it clear that residents strongly supported sustainability and solar to be part of the plan. Working with SMP Architects and Bauen Corporation, the Building Committee focused on both energy production and energy conservation from the start.

How Air-Source Heat Pumps Work (Source: MA Clean Energy Center)

The result is an all-electric library that relies on air-source heat pumps for heating and cooling, an energy recovery system that captures about 70% of the heat or cooling from outgoing air, a variable refrigerant flow system, and high levels of insulation and air sealing. LED lighting is used throughout the building and parking areas, reducing electricity use and maintenance needs.

Solar plays a major role as well. The library’s rooftop and ground-mounted arrays—147 panels total—produce an estimated 74,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. In August, solar generation covered roughly 90% of the building’s electricity use, with only a small amount drawn from the grid. These choices add up to significant savings. The projected energy utilization per square foot will be about 30, which is well under the oft-sighted 70 benchmark value for a public library. Energy costs over the library’s first year of operation are currently being monitored. 

The Library's solar is ready for action

Now that the building is complete, the Foundation is thinking about what comes next. Rather than stepping back, members are exploring how the library can continue to serve as a practical example for the community; sharing what worked, hosting conversations about efficiency, and building long-term support for the library through an endowment.

The Barrington Public Library shows that energy-efficient buildings don’t have to be flashy or complicated. With thoughtful planning and community input, they can be comfortable, affordable to operate, and well suited to the role they serve.