De Anza College
Kirsch Center for Environmental Studies

As one of the first examples of a sustainable "green" building in the California Community College system, the 22,000 sq. ft. Kirsch Center is a state-of-the-art educational centre combining interdisciplinary environmental studies, energy management technology, and community outreach. Electrical energy use is projected to be at least 88% lower than a comparable building which meets California's new Title 24 energy standards.

A series of workshops was held with faculty, staff and students to establish the progressive goals and program for the building.

This building is unique in that ½ of the building is designed for natural ventilation and the other ½ uses forced air ventilation with a raised floor.

LEED™ Platinum Certified

Winner of the 2006 AIA-SF Energy and Sustainability Design Citation Award.

Winner, First Place of U.C. Berkeley's Center for the Built Environment's 2007 National "Livable Buildings Awards" for its "exceptional performance in occupant satisfaction, resource efficiency, and overall design".

"The Kirsch Center has so many ratings in the top 100 percentile. ..And it has acoustical, comfort, and air quality scores just not heard of in almost any building[s]." "It looks like a very, very livable building indeed."

~ Jury Comments

"The kids want to be here. They don't want to leave. It's gone beyond all our expectations."

~Julie Phillips, Director, Environmental Studies Department