Polytechnic School, located in Pasadena, Calif., has officially achieved LEED Gold Certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

Polytechnic School has been in operation since 1906, and since then has grown, changed, and managed to maintain its historic roots. HMC’s design team was challenged with relocating and renovating existing historical buildings, designing new buildings to complement the campus, and designing an underground parking structure underneath new structures—all while adhering to the requirements of the Pasadena Historical Society.

Historical buildings on site were re-used by relocating and renovating them, preserving the history of the school while reducing the need for materials for entirely new buildings. Some of the sustainable features include:

– Significant energy performance beyond T-24 (California energy code)
– Enhanced daylighting design
– Water efficient landscape design
– Storm water management
– Underground parking
– Bicycle storage
– More than 10 percent recycled content in building materials
– 20 percent local/regional materials
– 35 percent water use reduction

The Polytechnic School was recently published in the January 2012 issue of Architectural Record.

Initial shading and daylight design studies in the North Library
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