• Images courtesy of Lara Swimmer.

  • Images courtesy of Lara Swimmer.

  • Images courtesy of Lara Swimmer.

  • Images courtesy of Lara Swimmer.

  • Images courtesy of Lara Swimmer.

  • Images courtesy of Lara Swimmer.

Bush School, Upper School

Seattle, WA

Project Categories

Seattle
High-performing buildings
All-Electric
K-12 education

Business Type

New expansion of elementary school

Size

20,000 square feet

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

Architect

Mithun

Services

Mechanical engineering

Electrical engineering

Plumbing engineering

Building performance analysis

Sustainability

Certifications

  • Passive House
  • Net-Zero Energy

Progress Report

  • All-Electric
  • ILFI Zero Energy
  • Salmon Safe

Special features

  • 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.