LEED Buildings

Two of our buildings have earned Gold certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

Soka Performing Arts Center and Wangari Maathai Hall

The 1,000-seat Soka Performing Arts Center and adjacent academic building Wangari Maathai Hall opened in September 2011 and were constructed to meet energy-efficient and eco-friendly standards. Both were designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP of Los Angeles.

  • Vegetated green roofs (providing insulation and helping absorb rain water)
  • Photovoltaic cells on the PAC (generating approximately 15% of the facility’s electrical needs)
  • Building materials made from recycled content that were locally extracted, processed, and regionally manufactured
  • Water- and energy-saving features such as low-flow water fixtures and high-efficiency instantaneous gas water heaters
  • Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood and low-emitting adhesives, sealants, paints, carpets, and composite wood products
  • Operable windows and displacement ventilation (Maathai building)
  • Sunshade structure surrounding the lobby and bioswale to help manage storm water runoff (PAC)

In order to achieve the Gold LEED rating, McCarthy used sustainable construction methods throughout the project, including:

  • Minimizing unrecyclable construction waste,
  • Maintaining proper indoor air quality, and
  • Ensuring that subcontractors installed the specified green materials.

The Soka University project team was focused on sustainability from day one and worked hard to make this goal a reality… We are proud to have been involved in producing this high performance facility that will sustain our environment and serve the Orange County community for years to come.

Mark Mardock
McCarthy Executive Vice President
Image of exterior of the PAC.

A view of the sunshade structure surrounding the Performing Arts Center lobby.

Exterior of the PAC

Sustainable Design Achievements

28%
less energy consumed than if built to conventional building codes
45%
less water used than a conventionally-designed building
75%
of the project's construction waste was recycled