Ho’okupu Center

Ho’okupu Center is a community gathering place managed by Kupu, an environmental education nonprofit organization in Hawaii. Kupu’s mission for the center is to educate and provide vocational opportunities for local youth through exposure to the green jobs sector, sustainable agriculture practices, and career work programs like the culinary program taught in the new commercial kitchen.

The facility is a model of sustainability, featuring a Net-Zero photovoltaic system, EV charging station, natural lighting systems, and can be fully opened up to the outside for natural cooling. Previously the Kewalo Basin Harbor Net Shed, the structure served as a working net drying shed.

The renovated 8,784 sf Ho’okupu Center features workshops, interactive classrooms, laboratory facilities, conference rooms, a farm-to-table commercial kitchen, and community space. Coffman provided electrical engineering which included the design of the power, lighting, lighting controls, telecom, and fire alarm system. The lighting redesign included coordinating with manufacturers for donated lights that would meet the design criteria. Art lighting provides additional lighting for an art display in the great room. Lighting and lighting controls comply with the recently adopted state energy code, 2015 IECC. Design features included the power design for the commercial kitchen and a level 2, dual port electric vehicle charging station. The EV charging station is believed to be the first commercial level 2 charger in Hawaii to feature dynamic load control ability based on available building power.

Industries:

  • Education
  • Civic & Local Government
  • Commercial & Retail

Services:

  • Alternative Energy
  • Electrical Engineering