Some projects are green and sustainable. Many are even LEED certified. But it is rare to encounter a project that reaches LEED Platinum standards, and even rarer still to find a project that is also part of the Living Building Challenge. The Lick-Wilmerding High School (LWHS) expansion and renovation project is one of these sunflowers in the desert—a project that truly pushes the limits of sustainability.

When LWHS administration set out to renovate their campus, they wanted a space that incorporated 21st century practices built around education and climate awareness. They needed their new space to truly deliver their vision of serving students from all walks of life and preparing those students with the “capacity, confidence, compassion, and commitment to change the world.”

Outdated classrooms and the high energy consumption of a 1950s-era building wasn’t cutting it. A new $30 million plan was made, and the project team got to work on delivering one of California’s most sustainable buildings.

Across 53,000sf of expansion and renovation were classrooms with minimal finishes to create more volume, height, and flexibility, while allowing for more daylight. New faculty offices were also installed with locker rooms for gym use. Delicate accommodations were made to preserve the historic building exterior.

The biggest change to the school came in a new main entry, plaza, and lobby. This change accounts for a pedestrian-heavy street and promotes the identity of the school with transparent windows to showcase student-built works.

LWHS is one of the leading College Preparatory Schools in California and with the completion of this renovation, it continues to be a leader in addressing sustainable issues with its new Net Zero Energy use campus.

Photography: Michael David Rose, Michael David Rose Photography, Owner