USC Dick Wolf Drama Center obtains LEED Platinum certification

The USC Dick Wolf Drama Center has been recognized with LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the highest level possible in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

LEED is the world’s most widely used green rating system and platinum certification is reserved for structures that set new standards in sustainability. The USC School of Dramatic Arts’ building, formerly the United University Church, was built in 1931. Its adaptive reuse allowed USC’s dramatic arts programs to be consolidated into one building, with new performance, teaching and student spaces.

“The Dick Wolf Drama Center has been awarded LEED Platinum certification. It’s just the beginning for nationally recognized leadership in sustainable buildings, with more to come,” USC President Carol Folt said. “We’re restoring and reimagining historic campus landmarks while also building new, sustainable ones for future generations of Trojans — and for our planet. I’m grateful we’re achieving our Assignment: Earth goals in meaningful ways that expand the arts across USC.”

Leadership in sustainability research, policymaking and practice is one of Folt’s signature “moonshot” initiatives.

The four-year effort to rehabilitate the building included converting the existing chapel into a theater space and the lower-level meeting area into a performance space. To preserve the structure’s original character, the vaulted ceilings, arches, columns, capitals, stained glass windows and decorative light fixtures were all retained along with the historic organ pipes in the chapel. Modern electrical and plumbing systems were added, and the structure underwent seismic reinforcement.

LEED certification: ‘Milestone achievement’

“This milestone achievement demonstrates that creative spaces can be designed with sustainability at their core without compromising the specialized needs of a dramatic arts education,” said Emily Roxworthy, dean of the USC School of Dramatic Arts. “Our students now train in a facility that models the values we hope they’ll carry forward in their careers — innovation, responsibility and forward-thinking creativity. We’re immensely proud that the Dick Wolf Drama Center sets a new standard for sustainable design in arts education facilities while providing our students with a world-class environment to develop their craft.”

LEED Platinum certified buildings must meet standards in nine categories and demonstrate exceptional energy efficiency, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and minimal water usage as well as a commitment to improving the health and well-being of occupants. Buildings are responsible for 40% of global energy carbon emissions, and by reusing an existing building embodied carbon is significantly reduced.

The renovated structure benefits from natural ventilation through operable windows complemented by a new, highly efficient all-electric heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. New roof tiles that are similar to the historic tiles were selected for their ability to reflect solar heat, and existing windows were reused and upgraded with thermal film glazing.

“What makes this space even more special is that it excels on so many dimensions,” said Mick Dalrymple, USC’s chief sustainability officer. “It preserves our history, incorporates cutting-edge technologies for the arts, achieves high sustainability standards and serves as a garden to cultivate the artists who strengthen our humanity.”

“USC’s dramatic arts building’s retrofit is a significant achievement,” said Zelinda Welch, the university’s director of energy and sustainability. “It was stripped down to the shell and rebuilt into a stunning site that includes a range of sustainability-inspired features. To reduce the impact on the Earth, it runs on all-electric energy efficient systems.”

Historic buildings on the University Park Campus

The structure was designed by architect C. Raimond Johnson, a former lecturer at the USC School of Architecture. It is one of more than 40 historic buildings on the University Park Campus.

“USC has ongoing interests for the care, maintenance and rehabilitation of these historic resources in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties,” USC University Architect Jon Soffa explained. “USC carefully guided and challenged a project team to bring new life to this 1931 property fusing multilayered cutting-edge learning and live performance requirements with LEED Platinum certification criteria. Modern life-safety and indoor comfort system improvements gave new life and were integrated with the preservation of delightful character-defining features of the building’s historic fabric.”

USC worked with the architectural firm of Perkins Eastman | Pfeifer on the project. “LEED Platinum and adaptive reuse of a historic 1931 church are not two phrases that most people consider in the same sentence,” said Stephanie Kingsnorth, principal and executive director. “But for USC and the project team, it was a challenge we were willing to take on to demonstrate the amazing possibilities that we knew were feasible.”

She added, “Working with historic buildings is not like new construction, especially when it comes to sustainability. Building reuse is not about a specific metric, but in this case we were aiming for the highest level of LEED, which requires a different mindset. Reuse of a historic building is inherently sustainable, but when overlaid with LEED Platinum the discussion shifts to focus on what can the historic building accommodate without negatively impacting its character-defining features.”

The successful rehabilitation of the building has resulted in a growing list of honors. Last year, the project was recognized with both the Engineering News-Record Southern California Best Renovation/Restoration award and the Best Adaptive Reuse prize at the Los Angeles Business Council Architectural Awards. Earlier this year, it was awarded the Los Angeles Business Journal’s CRE Gold Award for redevelopment.