Zero net energy school building in California

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    “Doing the most with the least lies at the core of our practice, and we view as prerequisite to economical and sustainable design.” – Gloria Lee.

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    Project update March 2017 - Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles, USA

    By focusing the design on systems and performance, the discussion of building cost is shifted away from the short-term cost of construction to life cycle cost.

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    Project update March 2017 - Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles, USA

    Reconfigurable gymnasium.

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    Twin Rivers Charter School near Sacramento, California: assembled from pre-fabricated and factory-built components to reduce construction time, cost, and construction-related waste, traffic, and pollution.

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    Winners of the Holcim Awards Silver 2011 North America for "Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles, CA, USA" (l-r): Gloria Lee and Nathan Swift, Swift Lee Office, Los Angeles, USA

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    Project entry 2011 - Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles, USA: Exterior rendering with perforated solar skin with apertures of various size to control daylight and view, and wall panels with applied graphics.

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    Presentation of Global Holcim Awards 2012 finalist certificate for "Zero net energy school building", Los Angeles, USA (l-r): Paul O’Connor, Holcim US; Krisztina Tokes, Director of Asset Management, LAUSD; Brianna Garcia, Charter School/Prop 39, LAUSD; Nathan Swift and Gloria Lee, Swift Lee Office (SLO); Kevin Newman, AIA, Senior Design Manager, LAUSD; Nicci Solomons, Hon. AIACC, Executive Director AIA/Los Angeles: a Chapter of the AIA.

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    Project entry 2011 - Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles, USA: Solar skin.

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    Project entry 2011 - Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles, USA: Rendering and site plan.

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    Project entry 2011 - Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles, USA: Plans and systems diagrams.

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    Project entry 2011 - Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles, USA: Prototype variations.

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    Project entry 2011 - Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles, USA: Rendering of building section and exploded exterior wall and solar skin assembly.

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    Project entry 2011 - Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles, USA: NZE design strategies.

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    Project entry 2011 - Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles, USA: Exterior elevations.

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    Project entry 2011 - Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles, USA: Renderings and sections.

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    Project entry 2011 - Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles, USA: Typical classroom.

  • Awards Silver 2011–2012 North America
  • Awards Building Better Recognition 2017–2018 North America

The public school project is designed as a prototype to be built on multiple campuses throughout LA. Its aim is an economical, flexible and yet, in its spatial concept, ambitious design that can be adjusted to different pedagogical models and learning styles. The 2-level building can accommodate up to 500 students, may be reconfigured for other communal functions, and its sustainability concept intends to reach a zero net energy building standard.

By Gloria Lee, Nathan Swift - SwiftLeeOffice, Los Angeles, CA, USA and

Ideas: Embodied Carbon

The public school project is designed as a prototype to be built on multiple campuses throughout Los Angeles. Its aim is an economical, flexible and yet, in its spatial concept, ambitious design that can be adjusted to different pedagogical models and learning styles.

The 2-level building can accommodate up to 500 students, may be reconfigured for other communal functions, and its sustainability concept intends to reach a zero net energy building standard & achieve LEED Platinum rating.

Zero net energy school building in California

Project authors

  • Gloria Lee

    SwiftLeeOffice

    USA

  • Nathan Swift

    SwiftLeeOffice

    USA

  • SR
    Steve Ratchye

    Thornton Tomasetti Inc.

    USA

  • Tom Waldron

    Butler Manufacturing Company

    USA

  • Peter Simmonds

    IBE Consulting Engineers

    USA

Project updates

March 10, 2017 | Project update | Yuba City, CA, USA

Net Zero Energy schools are best in class

Swift Lee Office’s Net Zero Energy (NZE) High-Performing School Prototype has been successfully built on three sites in California. SLO is now a contender to design and manufacture the prototype classroom buildings for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) at various school sites, where it is shifting the discussion on building cost away from the short term to examine sustainability across the building’s life cycle.

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August 06, 2012 | Global Finalist Certificate Handover | Los Angeles, USA

Zero net energy school building recognized for full life-cycle sustainability

The Global Holcim Awards 2012 finalist certificate was presented to architects Nathan Swift and Gloria Lee from Swift Lee Office (SLO) at the offices of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Guests included Krisztina Tokes, Director of Asset Management, LAUSD; Brianna Garcia, Charter School/Prop 39, LAUSD; Kevin Newman, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Senior Design Manager, LAUSD; Nicci Solomons, Hon. AIACC, Executive Director AIA/Los Angeles: a Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and Paul O’Connor, Manager, Marketing Communications, Holcim (US).

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February 07, 2012 | Global Project Entry | Los Angeles, USA

Extended project submission 2012 Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles

The projects that received Holcim Awards Gold, Silver, or Bronze in each of the five regions of the world were automatically qualified to compete for the Global Holcim Awards 2012. The more extensive submission on the Zero net energy school building for the global phase of the competition can be found here:

Project posters »

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October 20, 2011 | Holcim Foundation Awards 2011 | Washington, DC, USA

People-focused designs at the heart of sustainable construction

The winners of the 3rd International Holcim Awards competition for sustainable construction projects and visions from North America have been announced. A total of USD 300,000 was presented to ten diverse and innovative projects from Canada and the USA at a ceremony in Washington, DC. The winning projects show how greater levels of sustainability can be reached in building and construction through people-focused designs that include simple adaptation, innovative materials, and clever architecture.
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July 15, 2011 | Regional Jury Report – North America | Cambridge, MA, USA

Regional Jury Report for Zero net energy school building, Los Angeles, USA

The jury was impressed by the thoroughly developed and comprehensively presented design, which manages the integration of a coherent technical and structural concept, yet retains spatial and conceptual simplicity. The promising approach for sustainability considers the full life-cycle of the structures including dismantling, and integrates a pragmatic concept for the use of renewable energy sources.

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March 31, 2011 | Project Entry & Details | Los Angeles, USA

Project Entry 2011 for Region North America

The public school project is designed as a prototype to be built on multiple campuses throughout Los Angeles. Its aim is an economical, flexible and yet, in its spatial concept, ambitious design that can be adjusted to different pedagogical models and learning styles. The two-level building can accommodate up to 500 students and may also be reconfigured for other communal functions. The sustainability concept intends to reach net zero energy building standards, and achieve LEED Platinum rating.

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Related information

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Location

pin Los Angeles, USA

Los Angeles, USA

Videos

“So much to gain through scale” – Sustainable design by Gloria Lee

“So much to gain through scale” – Sustainable design by Gloria Lee