(QKA) and Pechara Studio The American Canyon High School designed by Quattrocchi Kwok Architects(QKA) is one of the first high schools in California successfully built to CHPS standards.

Rendering: Quattrocchi Kwok Architects

A new high school built in California's Napa Valley is one of the country's first to be aCollaborative for High Performance School (CHPS) - verified "green" school. The CHPS program helps communities design and build high performance school environments that are not only energy and resource efficient, but are also healthy, comfortable, well lit, and contain the amenities for a quality education. Designed by Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA), the American Canyon High School is a model of education architectural innovation. The school is organized around an elliptical campus green flanked by four Small Learning Communities, each with its own smaller courtyard. The small learning communities ensure that students have a stronger sense of belonging, while teachers and administrators are better able to offer personalized academic and emotional support. Across the campus green is an elliptical library and administration building, flanked by a theater and gymnasium, which make up the public front to the campus.

The high school incorporates numerous innovative sustainable design elements including a 1 Megawatt photovoltaic solar array to provide up to 80 percent of the campus' electricity. The design also includes an advanced ground source heat pump mechanical system, extensive daylighting controls, many sustainable materials and numerous water conservation measures.  Together these features will make American Canyon an excellent example of green design.

QKA used the BIM model throughout the length of the project to design and document the school, coordinate the design with engineers and consultants, create presentation renderings and drawings, and perform energy and daylighting analysis, according to Aaron Jobson, an architect at QKA. "American Canyon High School was designed to incorporate state of the art technology and educational philosophy. The 3D capabilities of BIM were essential to the successful realization of this design," he said.

Ryan House, a state-of-the-art palliative health care facility for children and adults, was a successful collaboration of Orcutt | Winslow, architects working with contractors and a not for profit care giving owner. Using a 3D BIM model enabled experimentation and collaboration with the staff in a variety of designs, tailoring each space to its unique care-giving function.