QKArchiblog » construction industry

Targeting Net Zero – Energy Design Best Practices

Amy — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 20:45:27 +0000

Brought to you by the Redwood Empire Chapter of AIA and the City of Santa Rosa,
QKA Project Architect Diane Rappold will be a panelist at this evening’s discussion about how to achieve deep savings in building energy use during the early stages of planning and design.

When: Wed Sep 28th, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Where: City of Santa Rosa building – 35 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa

American Canyon High School – A Case-Study and Tour in Sustainability, Community and Education

Amy — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:12:46 +0000

QKA’s Aaron Jobson will be leading a tour of American Canyon High School on Wednesday June 29, 2011 from 5:30-7:30pm. Here’s the info (scroll to bottom for sign-up link):

Join your local chapter of the US Green Building Council and the American Institute of Architects in celebrating the green design, engineering and community asset that is American Canyon High School.

This Napa County High School opened its doors in Fall of 2010 to welcome students and community to an ultra-sustainable and energy efficient campus. The campus achieved Gold certification in the US Green Building’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Program.

The project boasts a 1MW photovoltaic station that provides about 85% of the electricity needed for the campus and a ground source heat pump that uses the earth’s temperature to help heat and cool buildings.

Did you know that the average school is 42 years old, and energy inefficiencies cost it approximately $100,000 a year? Come hear from Aaron Jobson of Santa Rosa’s Quattrocchi Kwok Architects and Costa Engineer’s Chris DelCore, plus others directly involved in this top project as they share how the building and design increased efficiencies, while creating a sense of community, supported career-driven education, and improved public access to amenities on the campus.

Raising Ross School

Amy — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 00:13:27 +0000

Ross School is one of the most unique projects in our firm’s 25 year history. We secured an unprecedented $1 million in FEMA funding to lift a portion of the school four feet out of the flood plain. As the final phase of our work at Ross continues, here is a visual preview of what we’ve recently completed.

Ross Gym’s Big Beam

Amy — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:44:19 +0000

Construction on the gym is well underway at Ross School. Recently an 85 foot beam that spans over the bleachers and supports five trusses that cross the gym was lifted by a 300 ton crane. The beam weighs 264lbs./linear foot and was 83.5′ long, 40″ deep. That’s roughly 11 tons!

Get Ready for Some Football (and Soccer!)

Amy — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 21:00:11 +0000

The new Napa Stadium is nearing completion. Click the image above for a closer glimpse at the renderings.

American Canyon High School Dedication

Amy — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:02:10 +0000

June, 2010
Over 1,000 people were in attendance! It was very moving to hear the speeches but best of all were the comments and awestruck looks from parents and students as they walked around the campus. Can’t wait to post final photography to our website in September and give everyone a closer look at this amazing campus.

First Verified Collaborative for High Performance (CHPS) School in California

Amy — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 21:03:49 +0000

Our Latest News—American Canyon High School is the first school in California verified by the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)—the United States’ first green building rating program especially designed for K-12 schools. A dedication ceremony will be held June 18th with doors opening to students in August. Developed to serve the growing community of American Canyon, Napa Valley Unified School District’s state of the art high school campus is planned to accommodate over 2,000 students. Designed by Quattrocchi Kwok Architects, this highly sustainable campus features extensive daylighting, a geothermal system to minimize heating and cooling energy, recycled materials and a one megawatt photovoltaic power system which when complete will generate over 80% of the campus’ electricity. ACHS will be formally recognized as CHPS Verified later this summer when construction is completed.

“For years, Napa Valley Unified School District has been active in establishing programs and obtaining equipment to save energy and lessen the carbon footprint of its operations. The construction of American Canyon High School brings the latest technologies and green operating features together, at one site. [By] incorporating green efforts into the learning environment of a high school rich with technological amenities from which students will participate and witness our changing world, is a very positive educational experience.” – Don Evans, Napa Valley Unified School District.

“Upon setting foot on the American Canyon High School campus, students and staff will immediately know their community’s commitment to them and to their school. ACHS has been designed to be a learning environment that is healthy and productive, as well as resource-efficient and community-oriented. It is truly a model high performance school. Napa Valley Unified showed an early commitment to ‘green’ by being the first to go through the CHPS Verified design review in California. We will be lucky to count such an impressive project among the list of CHPS Verified schools.” – Bill Orr, Executive Director, Collaborative for High Performance Schools.

Growing Greener Schools Documentary on PBS

Amy — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:30:02 +0000

April 4, 2010 – April 25, 2010
Growing Greener Schools is a PBS television event showing students, teachers, and parents how to incorporate green ideas into their physical school buildings and classroom curriculums, paving the way for a sustainable future. It airs at different times on PBS stations across the country.

KQED World, San Francisco, Sunday, April 18, 10pm; Monday, April 19, 4am; Thursday, April 22, 9am and noon; Saturday, April 24, 2pm

KCSM, San Francisco/San Mateo, Thursday, April 22, 9pm

KRCB, San Francisco/Rohnert Park, TBA

Sponsor: Media Policy Center and PBS

American Canyon High School Ranked #1 Construction Project

Amy — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:06:58 +0000

If you recently received a copy of the North Bay Business Journal’s Book of Lists, check out page 61–American Canyon High School is ranked by value as the #1 construction project in Sonoma, Napa, Marin and Solano counties. This progress shot was taken December 2009.

QKA Associate Aaron Jobson Named “Top 40 Under 40″ (again!)

Amy — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:38:59 +0000

We’re proud to announce that QKA Associate Aaron Jobson was selected as a Top 40 Under 40 professional in the A/E/C industry by national publication Building Design + Construction. Aaron is in good company–BD+C refers to this group of 40 professionals as “some of the brightest stars in the AEC universe”. This commendation follows Aaron’s previous award as Top 40 Under 40 by the North Bay Business Journal. Congrats Aaron!