EcoMap California
Search
Table of Contents
Locations
California Green Buildings
LEED
Platinum
Environmental Nature Center Preschool
2020 Sustainable Innovation Awards
Project of the Year
Opened in 2019 for 72 students, the 10,380-square-foot preschool added to the larger 4.5 Acre Environmental Nature Center Campus, the Preschool supports the ENC’s mission to deliver quality, nature-based education for children ages 2 ½ to 5. Developed in conjunction with educators, the community and ENC leaders, the preschool complements the existing facility while seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor spaces, providing children with an intuitive understanding of nature and the natural world.
The design begins with an understanding of the site, which historical climate data indicated was ideally suited for naturally ventilated buildings. Mechanical ventilation was eliminated in lieu of operable windows, large sliding glass doors, and efficient ceiling fans to enhance air movement.
The buildings are oriented in courtyard clusters with deep roof overhangs creating shaded outdoor areas and protecting the building openings from direct solar heat gain. Radiant floor heating system provides low energy, mild heating as required. To achieve ZNE, photovoltaic systems were installed on both buildings. Operational since September 2019 and predicted be Net Positive, the preschool will generate 105% of the power needs. No natural gas is used within the building; the buildings run solely on electricity for all power needs.
In Southern California where rainfall is limited to just a few months a year, capture and re-use of storm water is not a practical and dependable strategy. A more focused design approach was required. Rainwater received on-site is treated as an educational tool for the community, teaching the users on-site how rainwater makes its way from the building site to the ocean. Single-sloped roofs capture rainwater and channel it via rain chains down into a rock basin. Water is then channeled into bioswales where it is treated and clarified by plant materials before it leaves the site to recharge aquifers and ultimately make its way to Newport Bay. All the planting across the 4.75-acre ENC campus is comprised of California Native plants. There is no irrigation system installed at the ENC. Water efficiency measures make their way inside the building as well with efficient fixtures and faucets, reducing the potable water use by 35%.
With a focus on passive, efficient design, the ENC campus is serving as a living laboratory and educational tool for smart green design and conservation.