The Center for Environmental Studies and Sustainability (CESS) is a groundbreaking regenerative school and educational facility for Henrico County Public Schools — designed to be the world’s first K–12 Living Building Challenge-certified public school project.

As both a high-performance learning environment and living teaching tool, the building operates as an integrated ecological system: solar panels generate over 105% of the energy the building consumes annually, while on-site captured rainwater—purified for drinking, cooking, and restrooms—reduces building water use by 90%. Construction uses repurposed materials and generates minimal landfill waste.