Bush School, Upper School
Seattle, WA
Business Type
New expansion of elementary school
Size
20,000 square feet
Architect
Mithun
Certifications
- Passive House
- Net-Zero Energy
The Bush School, Upper School is one of the largest Passive House schools on the West Coast and one of the first net-zero energy schools in the nation. A true learning laboratory, the educational building includes outdoor and indoor classrooms, work rooms and multipurpose space, study lounges, administrative offices, and kitchenettes.
Video courtesy of Passive House Accelerator and Mithun
Special Features
- All-Electric
- ILFI Zero Energy
- Salmon Safe
- Projected EUI of 23 compared to typical EUI of 48.5 for schools.
- Dedicated Outside Air System (DOAS) with heat recovery and a rooftop photovoltaic (PV) solar panel array contribute to an energy savings of 73% from code baseline.
- Air-to-water heat pump with electric boiler backup.
- Passive heating and cooling help the building stay energy efficient and improve thermal comfort.
- Large windows offer an abundance of natural light, ventilation, foster a sense of connection to the outdoors, and add a learning component through operability.
- Managing and reducing stormwater runoff through thoughtful design helped the project achieve Salmon Safe Certification, supporting the protection of Pacific Northwest salmon watersheds.