Net Zero Energy High-Performance School Prototype
Net Zero Energy High-Performance School Prototype
Net Zero Energy (NZE) High-Performance School Prototype is an innovative learning environment that is a replicable model of sustainability. The building comprises a ready-made kit-of-parts assembled from components that are pre-manufactured off-site. The NZE Prototype is a winning competition entry for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) which the District plans to build on multiple campuses for various uses throughout Los Angeles It is a ready-make kit-of-parts system assembled from off-the-shelf components for maximum performance, flexibility and adaptability. The NZE Prototype design is not a singular building solution, but rather a set of strategies for solving myriad need for one of the most complex and diverse K-12 systems in the US.
The NZE Prototype is a flexible design that is adaptable to multiple uses and can accommodate both traditional and non-traditional classroom spaces. It utilizes a pre-engineered steel superstructure for maximum interior flexibility. The design is wrapped by a solar skin which creates a double envelope for solar, acoustical, and environmental control based on variable site conditions. The solar skin—in combination with rooftop PV panels, abundant use of natural daylight and ventilation, and a low-energy heating and cooling system—will enable the prototype to be a net zero energy consumer, producing as much (or more) energy as it uses annually.
The Prototype has received design awards from the LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, the National School Boards Association, and the American Institute of Architects. Rocketship Delta Prep, Twin Rivers Charter School, and Tecoy Porter are iterations of the NZE Prototype.
Education Net Zero Energy SLO Made / NZE Prototype
Client
Los Angeles Unified School District
Team
Thornton Tomasetti, Inc., structural engineer
Butler Manufacturing, pre-engineered metal buildings
IBE Consulting Engineers, MEP engineer & sustainable design consultant