Solar Panels and 36 Wind Turbines at New Seaside Campus Designed by CO Architects

On breezy bluffs with views to Catalina Island is where construction will start next year on the first high school in the nation to generate 100 percent of campus-wide net electrical consumption. The pathbreaking facility was conceived by Los Angeles-based CO Architects, a firm nationally recognized for its portfolio of green academic and institutional projects for public universities, private and community colleges, hospitals, and schools.

Solar panels and 36 wind turbines will harness sun and wind, while a green roof, shaded and operable windows, daylighting, and efficient HVAC systems will reduce electricity use at the 115,000-square-foot Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) South Region High School #15, slated for a 2012 completion date. Arguably, it will be the greenest high school ever built.

About 30 percent of the school’s electrical needs will be met by the wind turbines, and the balance will be generated by solar panels. The $85-million new school’s main buildings are oriented to let in sea breezes and natural light, and have enough thermal mass to balance the mild temperature fluctuations of the location. The built area was minimized to preserve natural space and maximize space for playing fields at the school site. Only drought-tolerant native California species will be planted.

CO Architects is nationally recognized for its deep portfolio of academic, healthcare, and institutional projects. CO Architects has designed award-winning facilities for the University of California (seven campuses), Claremont Colleges, Los Angeles Community College District, five state university systems, and many private schools and colleges. CO Architects is sought after for functional, green and graceful solutions to academic, civic, and institutional needs, including facility evaluation, renovations, new structures, and comprehensive campus planning.

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