USC Dick Wolf Drama Center achieves LEED Platinum certification

The USC Dick Wolf Drama Center has been honored with LEED Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, which is the most prestigious level attainable in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

LEED represents the most widely adopted green rating system globally, with platinum certification allocated to buildings that establish new benchmarks in sustainability. Originally the United University Church, the USC School of Dramatic Arts’ building was established in 1931. Its adaptive reuse enabled the consolidation of USC’s dramatic arts programs into one facility, featuring new performance, instructional, and student areas.

“The Dick Wolf Drama Center has received LEED Platinum certification. This is merely the beginning for our nationally recognized commitment to sustainable buildings, with more developments ahead,” USC President Carol Folt stated. “We are restoring and reimagining iconic campus landmarks while concurrently constructing new, sustainable facilities for upcoming generations of Trojans — and for our planet. I am thankful that we are fulfilling our Assignment: Earth objectives in significant ways that enrich the arts at USC.”

Sustainability leadership in research, policies, and practices is one of Folt’s hallmark “moonshot” initiatives.

The four-year campaign to restore the structure included transforming the former chapel into a theater space and the lower-level assembly area into a performance venue. To maintain the building’s original essence, the vaulted ceilings, arches, columns, capitals, stained-glass windows, and decorative light fixtures were preserved along with the historic organ pipes from the chapel. Contemporary electrical and plumbing systems were incorporated, and the structure received seismic reinforcement.

LEED certification: ‘Significant accomplishment’

“This significant accomplishment illustrates that creative environments can be designed with sustainability at their foundation without sacrificing the unique requirements of a dramatic arts education,” remarked Emily Roxworthy, the dean of the USC School of Dramatic Arts. “Our students now train in a facility that embodies the principles we aspire to instill in their professional paths — innovation, accountability, and visionary creativity. We take great pride in the Dick Wolf Drama Center establishing a new benchmark for sustainable design in arts education facilities while offering our students a world-class setting to refine their craft.”

LEED Platinum certified constructions must satisfy requirements across nine categories.
“`and showcase remarkable energy conservation, diminished greenhouse gas effluence, and minimal water consumption while also emphasizing a dedication to enhancing the wellness and health of residents. Structures account for 40% of worldwide energy-related carbon emissions, and repurposing an existing building significantly lessens the embodied carbon.

The updated edifice benefits from natural airflow through operable windows, augmented by a new, highly effective all-electric heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. Newly selected roof tiles, reminiscent of the historical ones, were chosen for their solar heat-reflective properties, and existing windows were refurbished with improved thermal film glazing.

“What makes this area even more exceptional is its excellence across various aspects,” stated Mick Dalrymple, USC’s chief sustainability officer. “It retains our heritage, integrates groundbreaking technologies for the arts, meets high sustainability benchmarks, and acts as a garden to nurture the artists who enhance our humanity.”

“The retrofit of USC’s dramatic arts building marks a noteworthy accomplishment,” said Zelinda Welch, the university’s director of energy and sustainability. “It was dismantled to its framework and reconstructed into a breathtaking venue that features a variety of sustainability-driven elements. To minimize its ecological footprint, it operates on energy-efficient all-electric systems.”

Historic Structures on the University Park Campus

The edifice was crafted by architect C. Raimond Johnson, a former instructor at the USC School of Architecture. It is one of over 40 historic buildings located on the University Park Campus.

“USC has ongoing commitments to the preservation, upkeep, and rehabilitation of these historical assets in line with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties,” elucidated USC University Architect Jon Soffa. “USC meticulously directed and challenged a project team to revitalize this 1931 property by blending multilayered advanced educational and live performance needs with LEED Platinum certification standards. Enhancements to modern life-safety and indoor comfort systems breathed new life into the building while preserving its charming character-defining features.”

USC collaborated with the architectural firm of Perkins Eastman | Pfeifer on this undertaking. “LEED Platinum and the adaptive reuse of a historic 1931 church are phrases that typically don’t appear together,” remarked Stephanie Kingsnorth, principal and executive director. “However, for USC and the project team, there was a challenge we were eager to undertake to showcase the incredible potential we knew was achievable.”

She further noted, “Engaging with historic buildings is distinct from new construction, particularly concerning sustainability. Building reuse transcends specific metrics; in this instance, we aimed for the utmost level of LEED, necessitating a unique perspective. The reuse of a historic structure is intrinsically sustainable, yet when combined with LEED Platinum, the dialogue shifts to what this historic structure can accommodate without adversely affecting its character-defining attributes.”

The successful restoration of the building has led to an expanding array of accolades. Last year, the project received both the Engineering News-Record Southern California Best Renovation/Restoration award and the Best Adaptive Reuse award at the Los Angeles Business Council Architectural Awards. Earlier this year, it was honored with the Los Angeles Business Journal’s CRE Gold Award for redevelopment.