Challengers Tennis Club for Boys and Girls

Photo credit: Michael Arden

Overview

• Location: Los Angeles, CA
• Building type(s): Recreation
• New construction
• 3,500 ft2 (325 m2)
• Project scope: 2-story building
• Urban setting
• Completed December 2002
• Rating: Zero Energy Building

The Challengers Tennis Club for Boys and Girls, located in an urban low-rise residential setting, is the latest addition to the Challengers Sports Center in South Central Los Angeles. The facility brings neighborhood students together to socialize, to train, and to develop into champions.

Zero Energy Building

Challengers Tennis is a net zero energy building (ZEB) due to the energy efficiency strategies embedded in the building’s design, which are detailed below. Challengers Tennis uses 60% less energy compared to a similar building constructed according to California‘s Title 24 requirements. To supply needed energy, the building has a PV array on the roof that provides 100% of the facility's annual electricity consumption. Specifically, Challengers Tennis qualifies as a:

• Site ZEB: Building produces at least as much energy as it uses in a year, when accounted for at the site. Challengers Tennis produces all of its needed electricity through a PV system that is within the building’s footprint. Any small amount of natural gas used for heating is also offset at the site by PV generation.
• Source ZEB: Building produces at least as much energy as it uses in a year, when accounted for at the source. Challengers Tennis is considered a source ZEB because the energy generated on-site through PV is greater than the energy used when accounted for at the source.
• Emissions (carbon) ZEB: Building produces at least as much emissions-free renewable energy as it uses from emission-producing energy sources annually. The excess renewable energy Challengers Tennis produces offsets the carbon emissions resulting from the building’s operations.

Environmental Aspects

The new facility incorporates a multitude of green design strategies. The community enjoys a green building that provides as much, if not more, functionality and comfort as a traditional design, while appreciating the preservation of resources for future generations.

A number of strategies work together to keep energy use low. The building has no mechanical cooling, but is kept comfortable through natural ventilation, unhindered air circulation, ceiling fans, internal thermal mass, superior insulation and glazing, and appropriate shading. Ample daylighting minimizes the use of artificial lighting, and all lighting fixtures use fluorescent lamps with either photocell or motion-sensor controls. Kitchen appliances and office equipment are Energy Star rated. The energy-efficiency measures result in the use of almost 60% less energy than a comparable building designed according to the California Title 24 requirements. The PV array provides 100% of the facility's annual electricity consumption.

About 75% of the building materials, by weight, were manufactured locally. Materials were selected for their life expectancy and for the resulting low maintenance of the facility. All wood materials contain no added formaldehyde, and all paints, varnishes, adhesives, and sealants contain low levels of VOCs.

Owner & Occupancy

• Owned by Whittier Foundation, Corporation, nonprofit
• Occupants: Corporation, nonprofit
• Typically occupied by 2 people, 40 hours per person per week; and 245 visitors per week, 3 hours per visitor per week

Keywords

Integrated team, Green framework, Transportation benefits, Indigenous vegetation, Stormwater management, Efficient fixtures and appliances, Efficient irrigation, Drought-tolerant landscaping, Passive solar, Lighting control and daylight harvesting, Efficient lighting, On-site renewable electricity, Durability, Benign materials, Local materials, Occupant recycling, Daylighting, Natural ventilation, Low-emitting materials

next topic: Process

Content Last Updated: 10/30/2008