On August 14, 2020, the new Albany Middle School Annex received California’s highest distinction for sustainable schools, The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) verification. Located at 601 San Gabriel Avenue in Albany, Calif., the Annex, which opened in June 2019, was designed by SVA Architects and built by Rodan Builders, Inc. Verification by the CHPS program demonstrates that SVA’s design for Albany Middle School has satisfied one of the strictest standards for green school design, a benchmark only a small percentage of schools have met.
CHPS schools focus on creating educational facilities that are healthy, energy-efficient, safe, adaptable, instructive, and serve as a community resource. The zero net energy Annex creates minimal environmental impact and its conservation features provide rich learning opportunities for students. Its sustainable features include low energy innovations, daylighting, natural ventilation, high efficiency heat pumps, and an 81kW solar PV array which provides all of the electricity needed for the Annex. Under the CA-CHPS v1.02 Criteria, the project earned 144 points, far exceeding the threshold of 110 points to earn CHPS verification.
CHPS managing director, Elisabeth Krautscheid says that CHPS welcomes “Albany Middle School Annex to the distinguished rank of educational facilities that are leading the movement to build this new generation of healthy, high performance, green schools.” She continues, “High performance learning environments will deliver many benefits to schools, including making a significant improvement in the health and education of our children, inspiring future leaders and creating a stronger America.”
The new Annex has relieved overcrowding at the 20-year-old Albany Middle School campus by adding a two-story classroom building and a drama building connected by a covered breezeway. The project included 12 classrooms, a computer lab, a flexible drama lab and an administrative space. The $11.7 million facility has improved the teachers’ ability to provide a quality education to the 6th – 8th grade students.
Nathan Herrero, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal at SVA Architects, states, “We’re very pleased to receive the CHPS verification. Working with Albany Unified School District was a fantastic experience, as SVA and the District are very aligned in our value of sustainable building. We’re thrilled that this facility has become such an asset for educating youth in this community.”
About SVA Architects, Inc.
Founded in 2003, SVA Architects has become one of the Country’s most innovative and respected design and planning organizations. The award-winning firm specializes in urban planning, architecture, and interior design of public, private, and mixed-use projects. Among the firm’s portfolio are civic, educational, residential, commercial and mixed-use developments. SVA Architects values institutional and public environments as the foundation of a community and the backdrop against which we live, learn, work, worship, and play. The company is headquartered in Santa Ana with offices in Oakland, San Diego, and Honolulu. For more information, visit www.sva-architects.com.
