TK Pahoa Kindergarten, with around 900 students from middle-to-high income families, stands
out as a modern green educational institution that has achieved Greenship Netzero Ready
certification. The design of the kindergarten emphasizes sustainability and comfort. Every
classroom, hallway, and communal area is equipped with natural ventilation. Additionally,
the classrooms feature a simple mechanical ventilation system and stack effect to ensure
adaptive thermal comfort under any condition. The green roofs provide natural cooling and
insulation, contributing to the building's overall energy efficiency. Impressively, the
kindergarten maintains a very low Energy Use Intensity (EUI), averaging 19.31 kWh/m², with
20% of its energy needs met by rooftop solar panels.
The building's rectangular masses are slender, with the longest sides facing south and
north. This orientation effectively avoids direct sunlight radiation on the west and east
sides while allowing wind to penetrate the long spaces in between, which serve as wind
tunnels. This design provides sufficient air velocity, enabling a cross-ventilation effect
throughout the indoor spaces of the classrooms.