Keep Tahoe Blue goes green on its new South Shore environmental education center

For nearly seven decades, the League to Save Lake Tahoe has been one of Lake Tahoe’s strongest voices, advancing restoration, preservation and sustainability. So when it came time for the League, which also goes by its famous slogan Keep Tahoe Blue, to expand its own offices, the nonprofit knew it wanted to practice what it preached. 

Native landscaping in the Lane Native Garden, the Sand Hill Foundation Garden Patio and an amphitheater constructed from local granite boulders provide ample space for outdoor education, photo by Joshlyn Wright, courtesy Keep Tahoe Blue

“The mission of Keep Tahoe Blue has always been the same, to protect and restore the Basin, but our team of experts has been growing to keep up with the challenges and opportunities that face Tahoe,” says chief operating officer Kristiana Almeida, who served as the organization’s lead on the project.

In 2019, Keep Tahoe Blue purchased a professional building at the centrally located corner of Lake Tahoe and Al Tahoe boulevards. At first, the plan was simply to accommodate a growing staff, but the vision changed to incorporate multifunctional spaces, and then to become a community education center. 

“We really wanted to make sure this space was set up to host not just our staff, but our partners, our community members, our donors and anybody who wants to learn more about how to Keep Tahoe Blue,” Almeida says. 

The guiding philosophy, she notes, was inspired by a quote from Brian Wallace, former chairman of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, who said at the inaugural Tahoe Summit in 1997, “The health of the land and the health of the people are tied together, and what happens to the land also happens to the people. When the land suffers so too are the people.” 

From left, Lawrence Young, Crystal Virrey and Rob Larkins of Truckee-based Ward | Young Architects stand among interactive educational exhibits and reclaimed lumber from the Caldor Fire in the Alexandrova Bailey Family Atrium, photo by Joshlyn Wright, courtesy Keep Tahoe Blue

Keep Construction Local

With the project, Keep Tahoe Blue seized the opportunity to do what it advocates: redevelop an existing structure located within a town center using best practices, with an eye for sustainability.

From the start, Keep Tahoe Blue was committed to using local companies. “It’s a building for the community and we wanted it to be a building made by the community,” Almeida says. 

On the architectural side, they chose Truckee’s W | Y Architects. The project team consisted of architects Ron Larkins and Lawrence Young and designer Crystal Virrey. 

“Our primary goal was to create a space that not only fulfilled the League’s functional needs but also embodied its values and identity as an environmental nonprofit,” Larkins says. “We envisioned a building that would serve as a welcoming community hub, foster collaboration and inspire its users, all while achieving high standards of environmental performance. Striking a balance between aesthetics, functionality and sustainability guided every design decision.”

The design process began in 2020 and took a little over a year. 

One significant decision was choosing to renovate the existing building—which was dated and had previously housed multiple businesses—rather than building new. 

Working within the original footprint, Larkins says he and his team prioritized materials, systems and design strategies that aligned with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) principles, such as low-emitting finishes, efficient lighting, water-saving fixtures and improved indoor air quality. 

“Each decision was made with both performance and environmental stewardship in mind,” Larkins says. 

The team also included South Lake Tahoe’s Sierra Sustainable Builders (SSB), chosen for its dedication to sustainability and quality construction, Almeida says. 

“One goal was to contribute our experience with high-performance envelope details, showing that retrofits and remodels can achieve high levels of comfort and efficiency,” SSB partner Brandon Caskey says. “We felt fortunate that the League was committed to doing the remodel right, correcting the conditions we found and providing a long-lasting, solid structure.”

The building under construction in 2022, photo courtesy Keep Tahoe Blue

Green Design

Now known as the Spurlock/Evers Environment & Education Center, the building is 5,500 square feet, with approximately 800 square feet of outdoor areas, including covered patios and a small amphitheater. On the exterior, materials are primarily cedar siding—certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)—and metal cladding with stucco. Gabion walls filled with Sierra granite act as retaining walls and landscape. A living roof showcases low-maintenance grasses and plants. 

Inside, the building includes office and meeting spaces, a retail store and phase one of the education center. A second phase is expected to open next spring and will include a new array of hands-on exhibits. 

“We wanted to create an opportunity for anybody visiting the South Shore to learn more about this national treasure and understand how their actions can protect the lake today and for the next generation,” Almeida says. “We’re very excited to be welcoming folks into this space.”

Two-story atrium windows, a living roof and FSC-certified cedar siding are among the highlights of the new exterior, photo by Joshlyn Wright, courtesy Keep Tahoe Blue

While work is currently being completed toward LEED certification for the building, green elements feature prominently throughout. High-performance envelope upgrades include recycled denim insulation and high-efficiency mechanical and electrical systems. Eco-friendly Fireclay Tiles, made regionally, complement wood from South Shore’s 2021 Caldor Fire, which was milled and cured, then repurposed as open shelving in the kitchen and conference room, as well as stair railing top caps and bathroom accent. Roof shingles from Malarkey Roofing Products absorb and reduce air pollution. Abundant windows provide natural light, while the central location, along a bike path and bus lines, as well as EV charging stations and secure bicycle facilities, encourages alternative transportation. 

“One of the laudable aspects about Sierra Sustainable Builders is that they are also committed to ensuring that the majority of their subcontractors are located within the Tahoe region,” Almeida says. “This helps reduce the amount of vehicle miles traveled in and out of the Basin, which reduces traffic and pollution and protects lake clarity, while also supporting our local economy and community.”

“I think the League is leading by example on what is possible in renovating and revitalizing an older property,” Caskey says. “It’s very fitting to house their offices and educational space.”

Spurlock/Evers

Named for two families, the story behind the Spurlock/Evers Environment & Education Center “is both really sweet and deeply historical,” Almeida says, noting both families have a long history of fighting to protect Lake Tahoe. 

In 1957, Bill Evers Sr. cofounded what would become the League to Save Lake Tahoe along with other concerned citizens. In its first years, the organization halted a plan that would have built a bridge over Emerald Bay and expanded the Basin’s year-round population to about the size of San Francisco. 

Recycled and repurposed furniture fills the main workspace, which features exposed beams and casement windows, photo by Joshlyn Wright, courtesy Keep Tahoe Blue

“Stopping that development plan was our organization’s first win, and it led to decades of protecting Tahoe and a legacy that was passed on through the generations,” Almeida says. 

In 2015, Evers’ son Will Evers joined the board; Will’s good friend, Steve Spurlock, joined the same year. Since then, both have served as board chairs, and were deeply involved in conceptualizing and fundraising for the center. 

“We are extremely grateful for the generosity of Katy and Steve Spurlock and the entire Evers family for their impact and dedication to protecting Lake Tahoe,” Almeida says.

The center opened this past June. Since then, it has welcomed hundreds of visitors monthly. With Keep Tahoe Blue’s many volunteers, citizen scientist training sessions, partner events and speaker series, the hope is that the new building will help spread the message of conservation to many more. 

“What stands out most is the League’s commitment to its values throughout this project,” Virrey says. “Rather than opting for a new building, they made the more sustainable—and often more challenging—choice to transform what already existed. We were honored to help bring that vision to life.”

Now a place for staff, volunteers, locals and visitors, the Spurlock/Evers Environment & Education Center is a beacon for Lake Tahoe’s future, serving as a model of sustainable design while also supporting education. Here, guests can learn about native and invasive species, watershed health and the effects of plastic pollution. They can also make a personal pledge to keep Tahoe blue. 

“We wanted to create an opportunity for anybody visiting the South Shore to learn more about this national treasure and understand how their actions can protect the lake today and for the next generation,” Almeida says. 

The Spurlock/Evers Environment & Education Center is located at 2877 Lake Tahoe Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe. It’s free and open to the public Thursday through Saturday from 12–5:30 p.m. Learn more at keeptahoeblue.org. 

Writer and editor Alison Bender is based in Reno.