Puesta del Sol Elementary has officially achieved Net-Zero status following a full year of monitoring and verification. It is exciting to see this milestone confirmed after the project team set out to make it a reality from the very beginning.
As a Spanish immersion magnet school for the Bellevue School District, Puesta del Sol was designed with a clear goal, to become the first public Net-Zero PK–12 school in Washington State. Today, that goal has been fully realized.
This achievement reflects the strong partnership between the Owner and Design Team, along with the coordination and effort required across all disciplines to deliver a project of this complexity. From early planning through construction and performance verification, collaboration played a key role in the project’s success.
Built on a constrained site surrounded by wetlands and residential neighborhoods, the project required thoughtful planning to minimize impacts while maintaining access for the surrounding community. In addition to the school facility, the project included significant infrastructure improvements and careful coordination throughout construction.
Puesta del Sol incorporates a range of sustainable systems, including a 382-kW solar array, geothermal well field, battery energy storage, and a custom energy control system. Together, these elements allow the school to produce as much energy as it uses over the course of a year.
Spee West is proud to have been part of this project and to support the Bellevue School District in achieving this important milestone. Puesta del Sol stands as a meaningful example of what can be accomplished through shared vision and collaboration.
