Northern California School Earns Recognition for High-Performance Gymnasium
By Fay Harvey听听
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. 鈥 Tucked into the Northern Bay Area hills, Terra Linda High School鈥檚 (TLHS) $27 million gymnasium has officially been recognized with the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) certification. The certification program provides a strategic framework schools can follow to deliver high-performance and modern building that improves health for students and staff members. 听
In determining certification, CHPS collects documentation from building and project leaders at the conclusion of the design and construction phases, detailing compliance with carefully monitored planning, design, execution and operational strategies, materials and products. Points are awarded based on alignment with CHPS criteria, which are then used to certify buildings for efficiency.听
Officially opened in 2023, TLHS鈥檚 gymnasium was developed by local design-build team comprised of Santa Rosa, Calif.-based Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and BHM Construction (BHM) in Napa, Calif. The team鈥檚 goal was to create an environmentally conscious hub on campus for athletic events and schoolwide assemblies that could also double as a community resource for emergency situations.听
鈥淪an Rafael City Schools has had a long-term commitment to CHPS, and this certification was identified as a requirement early in the project and part of the selection of the design-build team,鈥 said Aaron Jobson, CEO and president of QKA. 鈥淚t’s always great to follow through on our commitments and achieve certification of a project as well as for the [school] district and design-build team’s commitment to high-performance schools to be recognized.鈥听
Representatives from the San Rafael City School district (SRCS) as well as school faculty members collaborated with the design-build team to ensure the project met CHPS guidelines as well as student and educator needs. The solar-ready gym is the district鈥檚 first building to utilize reclaimed water from dual piping for sanitary facilities and irrigation. On the interior, low-flow plumbing, daylight-responsive lighting controls and highly efficient HVAC systems are powered by 60% renewable energy. Additionally, the facility is future-proofed with capabilities to eventually install a microgrid battery system.听
Outside areas were redeveloped to include new bike paths, sidewalks, safe crossings and bicycle racks to support safe, human-powered transportation to the site. These changes and additions were created in collaboration with the city of San Rafael and the design-build team, according to Jobson.听
鈥淭he strong partnerships forged between QKA, BHM and the district resulted in an outstanding new facility which will enhance the TLHS campus and school community,鈥 said Steve Kwok, QKA principal emeritus, in a statement. 鈥淥ur expertise in high-performance education buildings allowed the design-build team to center the district鈥檚 priorities around making the building a safe and efficient campus landmark.鈥听
The 22,000-square-foot, regulation-size gym and offers a seating capacity of 2,500, making it an ideal competition venue for basketball, volleyball and other on-campus athletic activities. Additional spaces include a complete weight and cardio conditioning room, team rooms, student physical training facilities and conference areas. The project鈥檚 ambitious design now allows TLHS to hold league sporting events for the first time in school history, including home tournaments, that will not only draw in revenue but also boost interdistrict morale.听
鈥淭his project successfully creates an improved new frontage environment for the TLHS campus as well as for the neighborhood with the addition of a new two-way bicycle pedestrian pathway and underground utilities,鈥 said Jim Hogeboom, superintendent of SRCS, in a QKA statement. 鈥淚n addition to providing comprehensive California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) regulation facilities to host athletic events, the new gymnasium will double as a much-anticipated community safety refuge in the event of emergency situations. With gratitude for the support that made Bond Measure B and this project possible, we hope to provide essential resources to our community at-large.鈥听