BUSH SCHOOL PASSIVE HOUSE

A high-performance learning environment designed for sustainability

EXPANDING THE BUSH SCHOOL CAMPUS

The Bush School’s New Upper School is a 20,000 ft² educational building in Seattle, WA, completed in 2022. Designed by Mithun, the project added classrooms, flexible learning areas, and community gathering spaces within a constrained urban campus. Developed as a model for sustainable school design, the building achieved Passive House, net-zero energy, and Salmon Safe certification.

Project partners

Location

Seattle, WA

Product

Universal Series

Completion

2022
Fixed Window Icon

Fixed

Awning Window Icon

Awning

Outswing Casement Window Icon

Casement

Outswing Patio Door Icon

Swing Doors

Tilt and Turn Window Icon

Tilt & Turn

A versatile window and door package for ambitious performance goals

UNIVERSAL SERIES FENESTRATION

Cascadia Windows & Doors supplied Universal Series™ fixed, awning, outswing casement, and tilt-and-turn windows, along with outswing fiberglass doors. The range of fixed and operable configurations supported varied openings across classrooms, shared spaces, and circulation areas throughout the new school.

The fiberglass frames and triple-glazed units contribute to the high-performance enclosure required for Passive House certification. Carefully planned glazing also introduces daylight and views, while operable units provide access to fresh air. Together, the window and door package supports the project’s net-zero energy goals and comfortable indoor conditions for students and staff.

PROJECT SCOPE:

  • 51 triple-glazed Universal Series™ windows and doors
  • Fixed, awning, casement, and tilt-and-turn configurations
  • Screens and motorized window operators
  • 3 outswing fiberglass swing doors
  • 3-storey, 20,000 ft² educational facility with 11 classrooms
Creating stronger connections to the surrounding campus

DAYLIGHT, VIEWS AND OPERABILITY

The New Upper School uses glazing to connect classrooms and shared spaces with the surrounding campus and mature urban forest. Operable windows give students and staff access to fresh air, while carefully positioned openings bring daylight deeper into learning and circulation areas throughout the building.

Daylight-filled breakout spaces at each end of the upper-level corridor overlook the campus, forested hillside, and Lake Washington, creating inviting settings for small-group learning. The windows also give students direct control over ventilation, making the building’s sustainable design strategies a visible and interactive part of the learning environment.

Pairing lower-carbon structure with high-performance fenestration

MASS TIMBER DESIGN

The upper learning levels feature an exposed mass plywood panel structural system that supports the project’s embodied-carbon goals while bringing the warmth and texture of wood into classrooms, circulation areas, and shared spaces.

Cascadia’s triple-glazed fiberglass windows and doors complement the mass timber design by supporting the high-performance enclosure required for PHIUS+ 2018 Source Zero certification. Together, the exposed structure, natural light, views, and energy-efficient fenestration make environmental stewardship visible throughout the building.

Building a high-performance educational facility?

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Cascadia Windows & Doors supplies fiberglass window and door systems for schools, institutional facilities, and commercial buildings with demanding energy and design goals. Our team collaborates with architects, consultants, and contractors to support product selection, envelope performance, and project-specific requirements.

Contact our team to discuss your project and request a quote.

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