Many factors play a role in creating a safe, nurturing environment that promotes mental wellness. For example, the aesthetics of a health-care facility can affect how people feel while spending time there—think of the stereotypical drab, dreary hospital surroundings that come to mind when someone describes a space as “institutional.”

Fortunately for clients staying at the new, 77,610-square-foot campus for Cordilleras Mental Health Center, owned by San Mateo County in California, careful planning and consideration has produced a sanctuary designed with the healing process in mind—from the look and feel of the buildings and grounds to an overall environmentally minded, disaster-resilient ethos.

As its clients set and achieve personal goals, Cordilleras is well on its way to reaching an ambitious goal of its own: The center has the distinction of being the first behavioral-health facility in California—and the largest one in the United States—to target net-zero energy. The upgrade is the latest evolution of a place that serves as a symbol for always striving upward; Cordilleras was founded as a tuberculosis hospital in 1952 before transforming into a behavioral-health facility in 1978.

“Our job is to take care of the most vulnerable,” says Dave Pine, president of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, “and folks here are the most vulnerable of the vulnerable.”

DIAGNOSING A NEED

Situated on a wooded hillside within a canyon in Redwood City, California, Cordilleras offers adult clients a place to stay while dealing with severe mental-health issues. The facility has long been owned and run by San Mateo County’s health department. According to county officials, the former building’s old age meant expensive repairs were needed on a frequent basis. Also, “the large size and layout of the facility contributed to difficulty in maintaining safety and tailoring programming to the diverse needs of the clients,” says Sam Lin, interim director of the county’s Project Development Unit.

The county sought input from those closest to the people who would spend time at Cordilleras. “Through many studies, and in consultation with advocates of client families and friends,” Lin says, “San Mateo County leaders share the vision that building smaller residences tailored to address the different needs of individual clients will help them realize their full potential, achieve their goals for recovery and return to living independently in the community.”

The best plan of action seemed to be one that combined forward thinking with a facility that would exist in harmony with its environment, in every conceivable way. “To meet the challenges of San Mateo County’s Sustainable Guidelines, California’s revised Title 24 energy codes and Cordilleras’ vision to heal through nature, we looked to the zero-net-energy standard,” Lin says. “By pursuing a ZNE strategy, the project will also meet many of the requirements necessary to achieve a rating in the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design program.”

For those new to net zero or in need of a refresher: “Net zero is a balance of energy usage being offset by onsite energy sources,” says Lindsay Corotis, vice president and account manager for Skanska, the general contractor on the $150-million project. “The less energy needed, the fewer solar panels or other renewable-energy sources are needed.” How’s that working out so far? Corotis says: “The entire campus has created enough onsite energy through solar panels to offset usage.”

INNER AND OUTER HARMONY

Skanska collaborated on the project—which is scheduled for completion by late 2024—with Redwood City–based design firm CannonDesign as well as with Dusty Robotics in Mountain View, California, to use automated construction technology to reduce costs and waste while boosting efficiency and safety.

The result of the county’s holistic plans will be a transformed campus of four single-story rehabilitation centers, each accommodating 16 clients, and a three-story cohousing building for 57 residents. There’s a central open space with outdoor seating sheltered from the insistent California sun, community gardens and recreation areas.

Clients staying at Cordilleras will be able to immerse themselves in the continuation of local landscapes as reflected in the buildings’ design. The idea is to bring the outdoors inside—until clients are ready to re-enter the outside world. “The campus itself is in a canyon, and the design took into account providing views to nature as part of a healing environment,” Corotis says. “The interior colors and finishes also reflect natural colors and materials.”

There are also outdoor courtyards available for clients at the campus’s Mental Health Rehabilitation Centers.

The center’s upgraded buildings have also been strengthened to withstand harsher turbulence and storms, especially important in a part of the world known for its extreme weather. “The project included the construction of a new water tank above the site to provide a source of water in case of fire or any interruption to the site’s water source,” Corotis says. “A new, four-foot-diameter storm drain was installed to handle a large rain event, because in the past, the site would flood. The storm drain was heavily tested this past winter with all the rains, and it did its job. In case of a power outage, the site has full generator backup for 72 hours.”

NET ZERO ON A SMALLER SCALE

While Cordilleras is a big-ticket project, for those hoping to achieve net-zero energy usage with a tighter budget, Corotis says: “A key factor is designing a building with low energy usage or needs. You could use natural ventilation and accept a greater temperature variant—for example, 68 to 74 degrees throughout the day in lieu of the standard 72 degrees.

“You could also use structures to create shade on the building,” Corotis says. “There are also financing options available to rent solar and other systems that can make net zero more achievable.”