We are proud to share exciting news. The Homewood-Flossmoor High School Net Zero Science Addition has been honored with a 2026 Project of Distinction award from Spaces4Learning in the prestigious Education Design Showcase, recognized in the New Construction category. The feature appears in the magazine’s June issue and online, celebrating a project that proves a public high school can lead the way in sustainable, future-ready education.
The Education Design Showcase is an annual program that highlights some of the most innovative learning environments in the country. Spaces4Learning recognized the Homewood-Flossmoor High School Net-Zero Addition as a Project of Distinction. This honor is featured in their June issue and on the Spaces4Learning website.
This award places the project among a select group of school designs recognized nationally for advancing how students learn, how buildings perform, and how communities benefit. For everyone who poured their energy into this work, it’s a meaningful milestone and a moment worth celebrating.
Recognition and Celebration
Great learning environments are never built alone. This achievement reflects a true partnership, and the credit belongs to everyone who helped shape it.
To our partners at Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School District 233, thank you. The educators who shared how they teach, the students who told us how they learn, and the administrators who championed this vision from day one all left their fingerprints on the final design.
We rolled up our sleeves and listened. That collaborative spirit guided every decision, from lab layouts to gathering spaces. We’re grateful, too, to the construction partners, consultants, and our own design team who turned an ambitious idea into a working, living building. This award is a shared one. It belongs to all of us.
The Jury’s Perspective
Spaces4Learning describes the Education Design Showcase as a vehicle for highlighting innovative yet practical solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Established in 1999, the program looks for projects that push the field forward while solving real-world challenges. That dual standard makes the recognition especially meaningful.
The Homewood-Flossmoor Net Zero Addition meets that bar in several ways:
- A STEM learning mission. Thirteen advanced science labs, a central chemical lab, a Maker Space, and a College Engineering Lab give students the tools to explore science, technology, engineering, and math through hands-on, inquiry-based learning.
- A living-laboratory concept. The building teaches as it operates. Interactive displays and real-time energy dashboards let students track solar production and geothermal performance, connecting classroom theory to the systems around them.
- Sustainability systems that perform. A high-performance envelope, a rooftop solar array, and an efficient geothermal system work together to power the building responsibly.
- Net zero ambition. The facility was designed to produce as much energy as it consumes, pursuing Zero Energy Certification from the International Living Future Institute.
- Lasting educational impact. Biophilic design, abundant daylight, and flexible spaces support student wellness and adapt to evolving curricula for years to come.
Together, these qualities reflect exactly what the showcase celebrates: design that is forward-thinking and grounded in everyday usefulness.
Project Context
The Net Zero Science Addition is a future-ready STEM and sustainability-focused learning environment created for Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School District 233. More than a science wing, it’s a model for how thoughtful design can inspire curiosity, support educators, and prepare students to lead.
The addition delivers advanced science labs, each with adjoining prep and break-out rooms, built to support modern, standards-aligned instruction. A central Learning Commons with a Learning Stair links the new space to the existing school, while collaborative zones, a Maker Space, and a College Engineering Lab encourage students from different disciplines to work together on real problems.
At its core, the building champions sustainability. By pursuing Zero Energy Certification and exposing its own systems as teaching tools, the addition turns environmental stewardship into a daily, hands-on lesson. The result is a space that serves students today and demonstrates what’s possible for schools everywhere.
Want to see how it all came together? Explore the design, the spaces, and the full story behind this award-winning project on our project portfolio page.
This recognition affirms what we believe most: thoughtful design can empower students, support educators, and lead a community toward a more sustainable future. Congratulations to everyone involved at Homewood-Flossmoor… and here’s to building learning environments that make a lasting difference.
