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Belle Haven Community Campus

Belle Haven Community Campus is a new LEED Platinum, all-electric, net zero energy facility that places sustainability and resilience at the core of the historically underserved Belle Haven neighborhood. Owned and operated by the City of Menlo Park and championed by Meta, the Hart Howerton designed campus exemplifies how environmental and social justice goals can align to deliver high performance design with lasting benefits for the multigenerational community it serves.

At a Glance

Hart Howerton Architects
Menlo Park, CA
Government
36,000 SF
Hart Howerton Architects (Client)City of Menlo Park (Owner)Level 10 Construction (General Contractor)
LEED (Platinum)
  • LEED Consulting
  • Energy Modeling
  • LEED Fundamental & Enhanced Commissioning
  • Monitoring-Based Commissioning (MBCx)

The Challenge

Stok was engaged by Hart Howerton to help Menlo Park achieve ambitious sustainability and emergency preparedness goals for the project, including LEED Platinum certification and near net zero energy. A particular focus was placed on energy reduction strategies, given the campus’s energy-intensive components, including the aquatic center and commercial kitchen. Despite these challenges, the project team successfully delivered a dynamic community hub in just four years—from concept to construction—bringing together five essential community-serving programs under one roof: a library, aquatic center, youth center, senior center, and a community center with a fitness facility.

“Steve and the Stok team played a crucial role in securing LEED Platinum certification for the Belle Haven Community Campus. Despite the challenges posed by a complex program, a global pandemic, and supply chain disruptions, their guidance and support were invaluable throughout the process. Stok helped navigate the USGBC registration and certification process, ensuring all necessary credits were achieved. Their continued involvement during the final commissioning phase resulted in a facility that now stands as a model for community service for years to come.”

By the Numbers

Reduction in simulated energy performance
55%
EV charging stations
16

The Solution

DESIGNED FOR RESILIENCE

Designed for resilience, the Belle Haven Community Campus features onsite renewable energy production that will halve annual energy use, as well as battery storage that will provide standalone capacity in blackouts and brownouts, including a microgrid to enhance energy security. The aquatic center is heated through solar thermal loops and air source heat pumps, while the structural design enables the campus to serve as an emergency shelter when needed.

FROM LEED GOLD TO PLATINUM

Initially targeting LEED Gold certification, the project ultimately achieved the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) highest standard for sustainable design: LEED Platinum. Sustainability features include on-site renewables with battery back-up, grid-interactive metering with islanding capability, and robust electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Given the importance of performance verification in net zero energy facilities, Stok commissioned the campus to verify its all-electric systems operated as designed, confirming the City’s sustainability goals were met. Additional sustainability features include optimized indoor environmental quality via daylighting and healthy and sustainable materials and drought-tolerant native landscaping.

For its leadership in sustainable design and community impact, the Belle Haven Community Campus was recognized with a 2025 Green Building Honorable Mention in Sustainable San Mateo County’s Annual Sustainability Awards. 

 

Photo credit: Chris Cooper/ArchExplorer

Project Leadership

Steve Loppnow
Strategy | LEED
Sara Wing
STRATEGY | MATERIALS | ESG
Karan Pawar
Ally Duncan
MBCx | Carbon Accounting | ZNE
Jessica Shaw

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