Bertschi Science Wing
Seattle, WA
This multi-award-winning interactive science classroom is the first certified Living Building in Washington State
Living Building Challenge Full Certification v2.0 (All 20 Imperatives)
AIA National 2012 CAE Educational Facility Design Award
AIA Seattle What Makes It Green 2012
USGBC Best of Green Schools 2012
ED+C 2012 Excellence in Design
NAIOP Private Education Development of the Year 2012
© 2011 Benjamin Benschneider
© 2011 Benjamin Benschneider
© 2011 Benjamin Benschneider
The Science Wing at the Bertschi School is a 3,380 square-foot interactive science classroom and grounds that is the fourth project in the world ever to certify under the Living Building Challenge (LBC) fully. This rating system recognizes projects that have proven over a year of operation that they can generate as much energy as they use, capture as much water as they use, and meet more than a dozen additional strict requirements. In addition, the Bertschi project is the first to meet the standards of the LBC version 2.0 and is the first certified Living Building in Washington State.
O’Brien360 has played a key role in understanding and translating the Living Building Challenge rating system for the design team and school. Our staff provided technical assistance and research into rigorous requirements for green materials and provided quality assurance on the required documentation to ensure that the project would be successful in achieving its certification.
Because this rating system is still new and evolving, O’Brien360 also assisted the International Living Future Institute in clarifying the documentation requirements which will make it easier for future projects to certify.
O’Brien360 joined KMD Architects in a multi-disciplinary team called the Restorative Design Collective, contributing pro-bono services to the project. The Restorative Design Collective is a group of Seattle-area design professionals who share the desire to keep themselves and their firms at the forefront of the sustainable building movement, meeting the 2030 Challenge and creating net-zero buildings.