Swift Lee Office’s Net Zero Energy (NZE) High-Performing School Prototype has been successfully built on three sites in California. SLO is now a contender to design and manufacture the prototype classroom buildings for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) at various school sites, where it is shifting the discussion on building cost away from the short term to examine sustainability across the building’s life cycle.

The Global Holcim Awards 2012 finalist certificate was presented to architects Nathan Swift and Gloria Lee from Swift Lee Office (SLO) at the offices of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Guests included Krisztina Tokes, Director of Asset Management, LAUSD; Brianna Garcia, Charter School/Prop 39, LAUSD; Kevin Newman, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Senior Design Manager, LAUSD; Nicci Solomons, Hon. AIACC, Executive Director AIA/Los Angeles: a Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and Paul O’Connor, Manager, Marketing Communications, Holcim (US).

The projects that received Holcim Awards Gold, Silver, or Bronze in each of the five regions of the world were automatically qualified to compete for the Global Holcim Awards 2012. The more extensive submission on the Zero net energy school building for the global phase of the competition can be found here:

Project posters »

The winners of the 3rd International Holcim Awards competition for sustainable construction projects and visions from North America have been announced. A total of USD 300,000 was presented to ten diverse and innovative projects from Canada and the USA at a ceremony in Washington, DC. The winning projects show how greater levels of sustainability can be reached in building and construction through people-focused designs that include simple adaptation, innovative materials, and clever architecture.

The jury was impressed by the thoroughly developed and comprehensively presented design, which manages the integration of a coherent technical and structural concept, yet retains spatial and conceptual simplicity. The promising approach for sustainability considers the full life-cycle of the structures including dismantling, and integrates a pragmatic concept for the use of renewable energy sources.

The public school project is designed as a prototype to be built on multiple campuses throughout Los Angeles. Its aim is an economical, flexible and yet, in its spatial concept, ambitious design that can be adjusted to different pedagogical models and learning styles. The two-level building can accommodate up to 500 students and may also be reconfigured for other communal functions. The sustainability concept intends to reach net zero energy building standards, and achieve LEED Platinum rating.