Project Frog, the nation’s premier component building company, and HMC Architects, a leader in the planning and design of educational environments, have teamed up to deliver “Impact,” Project Frog’s next generation building platform specifically designed around the needs of 21st century learning. This efficient component building solution is transforming the way schools approach new learning environments by providing long-term cost savings and time saving over traditional construction methods.

While all schools are facing increased pressures to build smarter, it is a critical concern for public school districts and counties. The resurgence of local school bond financing combined with new state mandates for permanent facilities has put pressure on the building industry to provide better, high-performing buildings quickly and at a price within budget.

The new building platform, called Impact, answers the call of students and teachers across the nation for healthier, inspirational buildings, while addressing the needs of administrators for speed, durability and affordability. Coined Impact to reflect the significant role these buildings will have on the student experience, the platform is distinguished by slab-on-grade permanent buildings that go up in half the time of traditional construction at a price all can afford. Entirely new campuses or additions to existing facilities can be constructed out of the Impact building components. The walls and infrastructure are reconfigurable, which allows schools to easily adapt to changes in space requirements as needs evolve.

Impact component buildings, which arrive flat-packed and are assembled by a general contractor on-site, are designed to perform 60% better than Title 24 and can achieve LEED Silver and CHPS (Collaborative for High Performing Schools) compliance right out-of-the-box. The Impact building platform incorporates the latest in innovative systems and state-of-the-art technologies. Most notable is the fully integrated LED lighting package, which coupled with the almost 12’ ceilings and large windows, contributes to 85% daylight autonomy in each building.

Impact incorporates several one- and two-story building configurations, twelve of which have already been approved by California’s Division of State Architects (DSA), either via Pre-Check or project specific approval. The platform is designed to accommodate a number of site, program and curricular contexts, spanning projects of anywhere from 1,440 to 80,000 square feet.

The Project Frog and HMC alliance has inspired several school districts and charter schools in California to take action and build smarter, including the South San Francisco, Los Angeles and Santa Ana Unified School Districts. More than 300,000 square feet of new Impact buildings for education have been specified for both portable replacement and new campus building solutions, with 50,000 square feet opening in fall 2013 alone.

“HMC and Project Frog share the same mission to improve and inspire the human condition through shaping better environments,” said Brian Staton, CEO of HMC Architects. “HMC’s goal is to bring our clients innovative and cost-effective solutions that deliver on their educational missions. The partnership with Project Frog allows us to do that—faster, smarter and more cost-effective buildings that allow schools to focus less on the construction process and more on student learning and outcomes.”

“From the get go, Impact was designed to be a flexible, easy-to-use tool for architects and general contractors. But, this collaboration marks a first for Project Frog,” said Ann Hand, Project Frog’s CEO.  “Education is core to our mission, so we didn’t choose our partners in the development of Impact lightly. HMC impressed us with their deep expertise, knowledge of the Pre-K–12 market and their desire to embrace innovation as a means to provide a wider range of low-cost and high-quality building solutions to educational clients.”

The two companies worked hand-in-hand during the system design phase to integrate HMC’s architectural and domain expertise with Project Frog’s component system criteria, as well as its performance and cost drivers. HMC Architects and Project Frog continue to work closely together to understand schools’ unique needs and the solutions that the Impact building will deliver to them for over 50 years.