SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Tucked into the Northern Bay Area hills, Terra Linda High School’s (TLHS) $27 million gymnasium has officially been recognized with the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) certification. The certification program provides a strategic framework schools can follow to deliver high-performance and modern building that improves health for students and staff members. ��

In determining certification, CHPS collects documentation from building and project leaders at the conclusion of the design and construction phases, detailing compliance with carefully monitored planning, design, execution and operational strategies, materials and products. Points are awarded based on alignment with CHPS criteria, which are then used to certify buildings for efficiency.��

Officially opened in 2023, TLHS’s gymnasium was developed by local design-build team comprised of Santa Rosa, Calif.-based Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and BHM Construction (BHM) in Napa, Calif. The team’s goal was to create an environmentally conscious hub on campus for athletic events and schoolwide assemblies that could also double as a community resource for emergency situations.��

“San Rafael City Schools has had a long-term commitment to CHPS, and this certification was identified as a requirement early in the project and part of the selection of the design-build team,” said Aaron Jobson, CEO and president of QKA. “It’s always great to follow through on our commitments and achieve certification of a project as well as for the [school] district and design-build team’s commitment to high-performance schools to be recognized.”��

Representatives from the San Rafael City School district (SRCS) as well as school faculty members collaborated with the design-build team to ensure the project met CHPS guidelines as well as student and educator needs. The solar-ready gym is the district’s first building to utilize reclaimed water from dual piping for sanitary facilities and irrigation. On the interior, low-flow plumbing, daylight-responsive lighting controls and highly efficient HVAC systems are powered by 60% renewable energy. Additionally, the facility is future-proofed with capabilities to eventually install a microgrid battery system.��

Outside areas were redeveloped to include new bike paths, sidewalks, safe crossings and bicycle racks to support safe, human-powered transportation to the site. These changes and additions were created in collaboration with the city of San Rafael and the design-build team, according to Jobson.��

“The strong partnerships forged between QKA, BHM and the district resulted in an outstanding new facility which will enhance the TLHS campus and school community,” said Steve Kwok, QKA principal emeritus, in a statement. “Our expertise in high-performance education buildings allowed the design-build team to center the district’s priorities around making the building a safe and efficient campus landmark.”��

The 22,000-square-foot, regulation-size gym and offers a seating capacity of 2,500, making it an ideal competition venue for basketball, volleyball and other on-campus athletic activities. Additional spaces include a complete weight and cardio conditioning room, team rooms, student physical training facilities and conference areas. The project’s ambitious design now allows TLHS to hold league sporting events for the first time in school history, including home tournaments, that will not only draw in revenue but also boost interdistrict morale.��

“This project successfully creates an improved new frontage environment for the TLHS campus as well as for the neighborhood with the addition of a new two-way bicycle pedestrian pathway and underground utilities,” said Jim Hogeboom, superintendent of SRCS, in a QKA statement. “In addition to providing comprehensive California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) regulation facilities to host athletic events, the new gymnasium will double as a much-anticipated community safety refuge in the event of emergency situations. With gratitude for the support that made Bond Measure B and this project possible, we hope to provide essential resources to our community at-large.”��

The post Northern California School Earns Recognition for High-Performance Gymnasium appeared first on �鶹������.

The post Northern California School Earns Recognition for High-Performance Gymnasium appeared first on �鶹������.

��HOLLISTER, Mo.—A recent decision by the Hollister School District to move toward a more-renewable energy source by adding a solar panel system to its elementary school building will help save money.

“For the last five or six years, we’ve been trying to do things that are more green,” explains Hollister School Assistant Superintendent Sean Woods.

The district has partnered with All Tech Energy, a local company, to pursue a grant through Liberty Utilities and its subsidiary, Empire District Electric Company.

“Anytime we can take the business side of school and cut costs in the long run, we can keep those dollars in the classroom. So, when we looked at solar, it’s been so expensive for so long, it wasn’t feasible for us to do it. Then, Liberty Utilities, through Empire District, offered a $50,000 grant on a 100 (kilowatt) system.”

This system, Woods says, feeds directly into the school’s meter and could save up to $2,000 a month in their electric bill in just that one building.

Looking forward, it is the hope that this system will pay for itself in approximately six years.

“That’s revenue generated because they’re 20 to 25-year panels,” he adds. “We should be able to draw revenue off of them for 20 years. Over a 20-year period [that] is a lot of money and we’re looking at that impact on learning five and 10 years down the road.”

The addition of solar energy and other green efforts may also help the district from needing to raise taxes to pay for larger projects.

“As we do a good job of saving money, we don’t have to go to taxpayers and say we have this big project, but we have to raise taxes to do it,” continues Wood. “We want to save money and be responsible and use that money to fund projects.”

The Department of Natural Resources is conducting a feasibility study with Hollister and one other school district in southwest Missouri to determine when further solar systems could be added to the district.

Woods says then the decision will need to be made on where the next solar-powered building will be.

“Should it be at the high school? What would give us the quickest return on our investment.”

In addition to revenue saving, another benefit of this move to solar energy is the educational opportunities it has provided for some students in the district who were able to take down the panels and explore the different steps required of installing and plugging them in.

The post Missouri School Goes Solar for Long-Term Savings appeared first on �鶹������.

The post Missouri School Goes Solar for Long-Term Savings appeared first on �鶹������.