Nueva School

Project Summary

Expansion of the student center and construction of a new ground-up two-story building with four science rooms and administration spaces nestled among acres of trees and serene views. Existing offices were converted into one new classroom with related offices and counseling rooms. The original student center café was transformed into a new multi-purpose building with increased seating capacity and a fully remodeled kitchen. The new environmental science center features two rooms each for grammar and middle school students, four general assignment classrooms and two faculty/flex rooms. It will use no natural gas and is projected to be Net Zero Carbon. A new tree canopy elevated walkway provides an accessible path of travel between both buildings. Leveraging energy reduction strategies, this project was designed to advance the cutting edge of sustainable school design. The two new buildings were designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, as well as Net Zero Energy performance. All energy required to operate these buildings will be provided by on-site renewable energy resources such as solar power, filtered natural light, and energy-efficient lighting with daylight dimming controls. To address storm water management challenges on the campus and to reduce potable water use in the process, rainwater captured by the building roofs will be harvested, stored in large underground cisterns, and then used for toilet flushing. Building materials utilized high recycling / renewable content, as well as non-toxic materials to create excellent indoor air quality.