Capitol Campus Childcare Center

The Capitol Campus Childcare Center is the first building on the Washington State Capitol Campus to reach both net-zero and net positive energy performance.

A LONG AWAITED RETURN
The Capitol Campus Childcare Center is a LEED Gold certified facility with six classrooms and offers a research-based curriculum for children from infancy to age seven.

Driven by the vision of Washington State’s Former First Lady, Trudi Inslee, this project marks the long-awaited return of childcare to the Capitol Campus after a 13 year absence. Today, state workers receive priority enrollment for their children—an enduring benefit that honors their service to the state.

A NEW MILESTONE
The new 9,500 SF Capitol Campus Childcare Center is an important milestone in Washington State’s goal to transition the entire campus to all-electric power and eliminate 100% of Greenhouse Gas emissions from state operations. Moving away from fossil fuels lowers harmful emissions and advances Washington State’s commitment to a cleaner energy future.

To achieve net zero, the design team focused on multiple strategies: all-electric energy, a tightly sealed and well insulated exterior utilizing mass timber, large fiberglass windows, passive cooling, energy recovering ventilation, solar shading, and thoughtful building orientation. These features keep the building interior comfortable throughout the year while also significantly reducing energy demand.

A GREEN GATEWAY

The building is situated as a gateway onto the Capitol Campus and serves as a model for innovative and effective investment of resources. Upon arrival, children, staff, and visitors are greeted by native shrubs, fruit trees, granite boulders, and locally harvested logs set within the landscape. A deep, protective overhang highlighted by Western Red Cedar and Douglas Fir is filled with daylight and creates a warm entry. The project provides improved accessibility with widened sidewalks, curb ramps and a new pedestrian crossing at Capitol Way to better serve pedestrians traveling to the Capitol and surrounding buildings. Existing connections to the East Plaza are improved and expanded upon so that adults, as well as the children, can easily access the park-like setting and pedestrian overpass that leads to the Capitol Building.

NATURE BASED PLAY

Today, children are spending less time connecting to the natural outdoor environment and this change is producing a wide range of behavioral problems, resulting in a negative impact on childhood development. The design of the building gives children the opportunity to reconnect with nature and the outdoors. The classrooms have direct access to an outdoor learning environment, while pathways, plantings, hillocks, and timber stages balance discovery with development of gross motor skills, balance, and tactility.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE BY DESIGN
Powered by 186 solar panels installed on the roof, the building produces more clean electricity each year than it uses. To boost energy performance, the exterior walls were increased to 2×8 construction, allowing for insulation levels that exceed code requirements.

HYBRID MASS TIMBER STRUCTURE
Crafted as a hybrid mass timber structure, the load bearing walls are built with light wood framing, while the exposed roof structure features cross-laminated timber panels supported by glue-laminated timber beams. Wood’s inherent thermal performance—far superior to steel or concrete due to its much lower thermal conductivity—helps maintain comfortable interior temperatures with less energy. Wood also naturally stores and sequesters carbon which helps reduce the greenhouse gases that drive climate change.