Schools & Public Sector
Energy projects at public schools are rarely straightforward. In California, they move through approval paths that fall outside typical local permitting and continue well beyond initial plan review.
MMPV Design works with school districts, communities, colleges, universities, and other public-sector institutions on solar, EV charging, and battery energy storage projects where state oversight shapes how work is planned, reviewed, and built.
State Review on School Energy Projects
Energy projects at public schools do not follow the same review process as most commercial work. In California, they are reviewed at the state level through the Division of the State Architect (DSA), with oversight that continues well past plan approval.
That ongoing review changes the project's rhythm. Questions around access, layout, and system placement tend to come up earlier, and the design team remains involved as the project moves into construction, rather than stepping away after permits are issued.
In practice, state review influences things like:
How projects are documented and described
How disciplines coordinate as the design develops
When inspections and approvals occur
How long the design team stays engaged once construction begins
Why School Sites Add Complexity
School campuses bring conditions that don’t exist on most commercial sites. Even relatively contained energy projects are shaped by how the campus functions day to day.
Working Around an Active Campus
School projects are reviewed in the context of an occupied campus. Circulation routes, controlled access points, and emergency response paths cannot be disrupted, which limits where new infrastructure can realistically be placed.
Our role is to evaluate proposed system locations against those operational realities early, so placement decisions do not create avoidable review issues.
Accessibility and Area-of-Work Definition
Solar and EV installations can expand accessibility review beyond the immediate project limits. Changes to parking or pedestrian paths are often evaluated together, even when the scope seems contained.
Small layout decisions can unintentionally expand the defined work area and trigger broader accessibility upgrades. We help teams understand what is actually required within the project scope, and make layout recommendations that won't trigger costly campus-wide modernization.
Fire and Life-Safety Review
Energy systems bring additional fire access and separation considerations. On school sites, these are reviewed closely due to occupancy, campus layout, and life-safety requirements, and can directly affect placement and constructability.
Battery systems and larger solar installations often introduce additional life-safety constraints tied to site layout and access.
Supporting School and State-Regulated Projects
MMPV Design provides architect-led support for school and institutional energy projects subject to state review. We are most often involved early, when site constraints and approval requirements can still shape layout and scope, rather than surfacing later as review comments or redesign.
Early Planning Through Construction
On state-reviewed school projects, approval considerations shape key layout decisions early. Architectural input helps address access, accessibility, and fire-safety constraints before layouts are finalized.
MMPV is typically engaged during conceptual or schematic design, when regulatory expectations can still be aligned with project infrastructure ahead of formal review. This early coordination helps limit redesign after the review process has started.
As projects move forward, we remain involved through permit review and coordinate directly with engineers, contractors, and reviewing agencies to keep issues from compounding. Where required, that involvement continues through construction and closeout to support inspections and documentation.
Educational Facilities We Work With
Our experience with state approvals includes:
K–12 school campuses
Community colleges
Universities and higher education facilities
Projects range from new installations to phased upgrades and retrofits, each with different approval and coordination implications.
Browse Recent Projects
We have supported more than 1000 school projects and regularly work in jurisdictions with heightened review standards. Browse our school and state-regulated energy projects in our project gallery.
Reducing Approval Risk
State oversight brings added scrutiny. Issues tied to accessibility, life safety, or site constraints often surface late, after key decisions have already been made.
By addressing approval considerations early and aligning documentation with how reviews are conducted in practice, MMPV helps teams set clearer expectations and avoid unnecessary redesign as projects move through review and construction.
Looking for More Detail?
School Projects Under State Review
If your project involves solar, EV charging, or battery energy storage at a school or other state-regulated facility, we can help clarify requirements and discuss the next steps for your project.