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Authors: Alan Ford, Kate Mraw, Betsy del Monte
Book Design: Ford Architects (Jonny Kaczor & Alan Ford)
Project Manager: Jake Anderson
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 First Edition
ISBN: 978-1-957183-74-9
Color Separations and Printing: ORO Editions Inc. Printed in China
ORO Editions makes a continuous effort to minimize the overall carbon footprint of its publications. As part of this goal, ORO, in association with Global ReLeaf, arranges to plant trees to replace those used in the manufacturing of the paper produced for its books. Global ReLeaf is an international campaign run by American Forests, one of the world’s oldest nonprofit conservation organizations. Global ReLeaf is American Forests’ education and action program that helps individuals, organizations, agencies, and corporations improve the local and global environment by planting and caring for trees.
Contents
Foreword by Rick Fedrizzi & Rachel Hodgdon
Transformative Design by Lindsay Baker
Introduction by Alan Ford, Kate Mraw, Betsy del Monte
Case Studies: Environmental Centers, Retreats, and Learning Centers Appendix
About the Authors.....................................................................
Introduction
Alan Ford, FAIA, A4LE
Kate Mraw, CID/RID, ALEP
Betsy del Monte, FAIA, LEED BD+C
In 2007, Alan Ford wrote the book Designing the Sustainable School. It captured a vision for sustainable school design, imagining an educational environment that was welcoming and supportive of students and staff, environmentally responsive, and held an important place in the community.
Now, 17 years later, the world has undergone significant transformations. The impacts of global warming have become more pronounced with climate change influencing every facet of our lives, including the structures in which we learn. The global pandemic of 2020-2021 highlighted the critical connection between buildings and occupant health, emphasizing the need for resilient, adaptive spaces that prioritize the well-being of those within. Schools today are facing ever-increasing demands. Issues of security and protections for students and staff must be balanced with the need for openness, transparency, and connections to the community. Those community connections lead to schools as a center for resiliency, respite, and protection in times of crisis.
Creating the Regenerative School is the next iteration for school design. Through captivating case studies and interviews with subject matter experts, visionary architects, and facility leaders, we will document how creatives from around the world are already redefining the boundaries of educational architecture and learning. This book illustrates that the regenerative learning environment is not an abstract concept but a tangible reality taking root in diverse settings across the world.
With this book, we seek to illuminate approaches to educational facility design that shift the focus towards cultivating resilient, creative, and empathetic educational environments. It argues the case for schools that go beyond sustainability to ones that actively restore and revitalize their settings. This includes making a deep connection to the natural world and to the broader community context.
Regenerative design uses Whole Systems Thinking to create resilient and equitable solutions that integrate the needs of society with the integrity of nature. This kind of design works within natural systems to show that buildings can be a source of health and regeneration without damage. We focus on these buildings because this is the scale at which this crucial intersection between human and natural systems occurs. As we explore the potential of regenerative schools, we will enumerate not only how we can create them but why.
Our vision for this book is simple: to inspire, inform, and ignite further action. We want to catalyze a movement that propels regenerative strategies from the fringes to the core of learning environment design. We hope that educators, planners, designers, architects, policymakers, and communities will find in these pages not only inspirational but also practical guidance to create sustainable, nurturing, and transformative learning environments.
One of the most significant distinctions between Designing the Sustainable School and this book is the abundance of data. We’ve gone beyond anecdotes and now seek to provide empirical evidence of the impact of regenerative design strategies. It’s not enough to tell compelling stories; we must verify the outcomes, substantiate the value, and redirect the focus towards the tangible benefits of these initiatives. As you delve into the case studies within these pages, you’ll notice cultural, pedagogical, and scale diversity with examples from the East Coast to the West Coast, from China to Africa. These schools span the globe, demonstrating that the quest of regenerative design in education is broad. Their stories, experiences, and knowledge illustrate the path we have traveled so far.
The challenges we face in the realm of education and sustainability are ever-evolving, requiring us to be agile, adaptive, and relentless. There is a need to think of the broader community, the site, and buildings as part of a larger and delicate ecosystem where all the parts work in concert with one another to create a circular regenerative system.
Our journey is far from over. It is our hope that this book serves as both a reflection on the progress we’ve made and a roadmap for the future. By sharing our collective experiences, we hope to accelerate the transition towards a world where every child has the opportunity to learn in a healthy, safe, connected environment—one that not only enriches minds but also regenerates our planet.
Insights and Ideas
Thought Leader Voices
Bill Reed, AIA, LEED
Charles Tilley, AIA, REFP
Christine Harms, M.S.
Deke Arndt, M.S.
Ellen Mitchell, LEED AP BD+C, SEED
Eric Corey Freed, RA, LEED Fellow
Heather Holdridge, EIT, LEED Fellow
Julia Hawkinson, FAIA, ALEP
Dr. Julie Zoellin Cramer, PhD
Kjell Anderson, FAIA, LEED Fellow
Liz York, FAIA
Michelle Amt, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Ryan Gann, AIA, NOMA
Susan Mims, MD, MPH
Taryn Kinney, AIA, LEED AP
Z. Smith, PhD, FAIA, LEED Fellow
Design is a powerful force that shapes human behavior and experience. In the realm of education, it has significance far beyond the physical environment. No building can exist in isolation, each one must be considered as an integral part of a larger system.
Through a deep exploration of regenerative design, our team engaged thought leaders from across the industry to offer additional ideas and insights. Each of the individuals noted here participated in discussions with us around ideas exploring how schools can actively enhance and improve the many systems in which they participate: ecological, social, and economic.
In our research, we discerned emerging themes that prompted us to craft topic-specific essays. The following pages contain articles that emphasize the importance of designs that:
•Inspire Future Leaders Through Research
•Improve Human-Health
•Generate Renewable Energy
•Repair Ecosystems and Habitat
•Build Connected Communities
•Promote Belonging and Well-being
•Share Knowledge on Resilient Impacts
These essays, while addressing distinct aspects of sustainability, are not intended to be considered in isolation. Instead, we encourage readers to explore them as interconnected components of a holistic system that fosters connected communities, belonging, wellbeing, and the celebration of diversity in all its forms.
The path to regenerative school design is both challenging and immensely rewarding. It necessitates a shift from isolated, compartmentalized thinking to a more interconnected, holistic approach. By viewing a school as a living, breathing entity, we begin to design environments that nurture and uplift every student.
Alan Ford – Kate Mraw – Betsy del Monte
“When we learn about how to make schools more sustainable, we learn about the environment and how to take better care of it for our future. When we create sustainable schools, there will be more nature, which will make us all happier and healthier.”
promote biodiversity | energy reduction | indoor air quality | mental and social well-being | evidence-based design | social justice | communitycentered | building reuse | passive solar design strategies | nutrition and healthy food options | hydration | student engagement | sense of delight | sustainable curriculum engagement | equity, diversity, inclusion | safety and security | rainwater harvesting | renewable energy | active design strategies | user engagement in design | designing for change | professional development | universal design | social and cultural influence | permeable surfaces | energy benchmarking | natural lighting | pre-occupancy design observations | impacting through co-design with a community | cross-generational learning spaces | community meaning and history | ecological integration | energy storage | acoustical comfort | thermal comfort | post-occupancy engagement | neuroscience and architecture | resiliency | carbon reduction | healthy materials selection | zero-carbon | empower agency in students and educators | global connectedness | inspire curiosity | conservation | sustainable consumption | environmental stewardship | water conservation | local sourcing | learning gardens | energy reporting | fair trade | daylight harvesting | carbon offset | thermal insulation | life cycle assessment | smart-grid integration | community representation | addressing climate change | energy modeling | carbon filtering | airflow | views to the outdoors | human-centered design | restorative environments | biomimicry
Felix Erickson, Age 9 Sustainable Native
Adlai Stevenson High School | Image Courtesy of Wight & Company
Aspen Burlingame ECE
Aspen, Colorado, United States
FORD ARCHITECTS WITH RDG PLANNING & DESIGN
LAND + SHELTER ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING
The Aspen Burlingame Early Childhood Education Center stands as a testament to the city of Aspen’s unwavering commitment. The city, recognizing its largely unmet need for quality early childhood education, created the Kids First program to address the childcare needs of local families. Aspen Burlingame Early Childhood Education Center, designed to serve 94 students ages six weeks to six years old, along with 21 employees, intends to meet a portion of the community’s needs.
The city commissioned a multipart design team, to create the center on a one-acre site with a 30 foot grade change. After a community-based study, the team arrived at three primary goals for the project: to support the health and well-being of the students and staff, to provide researchbased opportunities for learning, and to both achieve net-zero energy and carbon. Using knowledge garnered from ten years of research on early childhood education (ECE) facilities, the proposed center takes a comprehensive approach to meet these goals and create an environment where students and teachers can thrive.
“Aspen Burlingame ECE represents many of the opportunities embedded in research informed design.”
Alan Ford Principal, Ford Architects
Alice West Fleet Elementary School
Arlington, Virginia, United States
VMDO
For a large school on a small site, VMDO produced a building that not only maximizes regenerative opportunities but also highlights its sustainable features for its young students. The Alice West Fleet Elementary School, named for the first African American reading teacher in Arlington Public Schools (APS), uses innovative approaches to compact site design, energy efficiency, sustainability, and learning in a LEED Gold project with lessons to share.
Fleet Elementary is the second of three net-zero energy schools that VMDO created for APS, the first county in Virginia to sign onto 100% renewable electricity by 2035. Wyck Knox, principal of VMDO, says that the size of the project was a first for the region; with four above ground floors and 111,634 square feet, the building serves 750 prekindergarten through fifth-grade students. But VMDO’s regenerative design for a previous APS school made the task seem doable. “We knew all the steps that we could take to get it down to an EUI of 20 or less,” says Knox, “because we just proved it on another project.”
Instead of following conventional thinking about sustainability that you start by conserving—“You have to eat your conservation veggies before you get your solar-panel dessert,” as Knox puts it—production drove the design of Fleet Elementary. According to Knox, “The massing of the project was driven by one question: how do you block and stack to capture the sun?”
Project Data
Project Type: High School
Completion: 2013 - Ongoing
Size: 23,275 Sq. Ft.
Cost: $540,900 USD
Number of Students: 320
Certifications & Awards:
• 2019, AIA COTE Top Ten Project
• +4 Design Awards
Image Credit:
• Sam De Jong (Images 2, 3, 5-14)
• BNIM (Images 1 & 4)
Regenerative Summary:
RNet positive energy RNew access to fresh water via regional water wells
RNet-zero water RRegional materials, local labor, and community engagement RSite development and native planting RCommunity garden RThe floating metal roof fosters natural cooling RThe roof and ceiling design also mitigates the extreme noise caused by rainstorms RImproved agriculture and healthy livestock RLocally-sourced materials
Asilong
Project Data
Project Type: K-5
Completion: 2017
Size: 103,700 Sq. Ft.
Cost: $26.7 million USD
Number of Students: 755
Certifications & Awards:
• 8 Design Awards
Image Credit:
• VMDO (Image 1)
• Lincoln Barbour (Images 2, 3, 5-8, 10)
• Alan Karchmer (Images 4 & 9)
Regenerative Summary:
RNet-zero ready, the project is tracking an energy use index (EUI) of 18 RIncorporates healthy low-emitting materials RPromotes natural daylighting and abundant views to nature RHealthy air quality REmploys innovative stormwater capture and management RHigh-performance envelope design RGeothermal HVAC system RThe design embraces cultural diversity R76% feel this building promotes a sense of safety among its occupants R90% feel this building fits well with the surrounding environment R86% feel this building is an asset to the community R93% feel this building connects them to nature and the outdoors R76% feel this building makes me feel happy R60% feel this building encourages me to make more sustainable choices
RLargest net-zero verified education building in the United States (at the time of verification) RState-of-the-art sustainable infrastructure R1,704-panel solar array RThe rooftop solar panels produce 646 kW of energy in one year and offset CO2 emissions equivalent to 623,249 pounds of coal burned R90 geothermal wells connected to electric water-source heat pumps RElimination of natural gas RLighting designed with Power Over Ethernet and tied to daylight sensors and Building Automation System RState-of-the art 125 kW battery RElectrochromic (Sage Glass) with automatic daylight sensors RSuper insulated exterior envelope design RLow-E, Argon filled, low U-value double pane window glazing RMERV 16 filters and high air intake and air changes for fresh air RBiophilic design – interior design materials, learning images, furniture and wayfinding, green roofing RDaylighting to all teaching spaces in the building RAccess to local parks and bike trails RLow VOC materials
Project Data
Project Type: Elementary School
Completion: 2021
Size: 89,000 Sq. Ft.
Cost: Withheld
Number of Students: 550
Certifications & Awards:
• Pursuing LEED Platinum
• WELL Certified
• +13 Design Awards
Image Credit:
• Joseph Romeo Photography (Images 2-7, 9)
• Perkins Eastman DC (Images 1 & 8)
Regenerative Summary:
RLEED Platinum Certified ROptimal site orientation RBio-retention ponds onsite manage storm water RLandscape creates functioning ecosystems and supports local flora and fauna RAmple daylighting strategies eliminate the need for high levels of electric light RViews to the outside RDemand control ventilation with MERV 13 filters RGeothermal well field REnergy use is offset in surplus due to PV array RCareful consideration towards acoustical design
John Lewis Elementary School Perkins Eastman D.C.
Little Star Montessori Infant and Toddler Building
Winthrop, Washington, United States
PRENTISS + BALANCE + WICKLINE ARCHITECTS
In 2013, Little Star Montessori School approached Prentiss + Balance + Wickline Architects (PBW) about a possible expansion. The school, located in Winthrop, a 504-person town in Okanogan County, Washington, had served preschoolers for 30 years, and the county’s population had grown by roughly 34% during that time. Studies revealed the need for Little Star to “grow down” to accommodate unmet needs for infants and toddlers; 5.4% of the county’s current population is under five years old.
Little Star Montessori Infant and Toddler Building, completed in 2018, doubles the school’s size and capacity to serve a growing community of young working families. The 6,000-square-foot addition contains three classrooms for toddlers and infants, administrative offices, and an indoor play space. In addition, the project includes an expanded playground and outdoor space.
“Part of the sustainability of the project—and this is probably getting a bit philosophical—is that having early childhood education and care for infants, for families to continue to work, is absolutely essential for our small community to thrive,” says Margo Peterson-Aspholm, principal at PBW. “We were trying to set the stage for that in the best way possible and to have a healthy and lovely environment for the children.”
Classrooms
Circulation
Active Space
Project Data
Project Type: K-10 Girls School
Completion: 2021
Size: 9,000 Sq. Ft.
Cost: $310,000 USD
Number of Students: 400
Certifications & Awards:
• 2022, Aga Khan Awards for Architecture
• +9 Design Awards
Image Credit:
• Vinay Panjwani (Images 2-4, 6-10)
• Diana Kellogg Architects (Images 1 & 5)
Regenerative Summary:
R95% of materials locally sourced RCrafted by local workers RPassive cooling strategies ROptimal building orientation to maximize prevailing wind and manage sunlight RRooftop PV panels provide for all of the school’s electrical needs RUtilizes ancient rainwater harvesting techniques RSpecifically helps girls living below the poverty line, where female literacy is 36% RRecycled tile used as roof material
Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School
Project Data
Project Type: High School
Completion: 2019
Size: 293,400 Sq. Ft.
Cost: $138 million USD
Number of Students: 1,800
Certifications & Awards:
• Certified LEED Gold
• +10 Design Awards
Image Credit:
• Benjamin Benschneider (Images 2-8, 10, 11)
• Mahlum Architects (Images 1 & 9)
Regenerative Summary:
RSocial sustainability and equity in design RReduced carbon load as a renovation based project RStudents reported that they felt safer and more connected to others while circulating through the modernized buildings RDesigned a more inclusive community in which all students feel welcome, accepted, and connected regardless of physical ability, race, socioeconomic status, or gender identity RProvided 100% all-access, inclusive restrooms RCreate fluid, internal connectivity between all levels and spaces
Mahlum
Lapalala Wilderness School
Vaalwater, Limpopo, South Africa
LOCAL STUDIO
Lapalala Wilderness School is a net-zero environmental education campus designed by Johannesburg based Local Studio. The school conducts weeklong environmental and conservationcentered programs. Each year it serves approximately 3,000 students between the ages of 10 and 18, most of them from local communities in northern, rural South Africa.
The design brief called for new infrastructure for an established environmental education program, which moved from a site within the Lapalala Wilderness—a 120,000-acre private game reserve—to neighboring property. The building program includes educational, dining, and administration buildings, short-term residential accommodations for up to 128 visiting students, and long-term apartments for as many as eight teachers and staff.
Thomas Chapman, founder of Local Studio, credits the school board with the idea to make this wilderness retreat. “But I think what they were imagining was something like a five-star safari lodge,” he says. “From the beginning we said, ‘We have to make this a village.’ Because you have to make a space for community to happen.”
As a wilderness school, the design had to be sustainable. And as a community center, it had to respond to its locale, a place that is both an official UNESCO biosphere and the site of the most apartheid-era all-Black enclaves in South African provinces.
