Bren Hall, Educational building in Santa Barbara County, US.

Bren Hall is a laboratory and office building for the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management on the UC Santa Barbara campus, opened in April 2002 and designed by ZGF Architects. Its ocean-facing offices are cooled by ventilation air drawn through operable windows, and the building looks out over the Santa Barbara Channel and the Channel Islands.

The structure was completed in 2002 by ZGF Architects and expanded the UC Santa Barbara campus with a modern educational facility. Its construction responded to growing needs for contemporary research and teaching spaces.

Bren Hall is named for philanthropist Donald Bren, whose gift funded the home of the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. The building's ocean-facing offices are cooled by air drawn through operable windows, and reclaimed water serves the toilets and irrigation. Its furnishings, carpet, insulation and counters were made from recycled materials.

Bren Hall is a working academic and laboratory building, not a public attraction, so there are no visiting hours or tours. Its ocean-facing offices are cooled by air drawn through operable windows, and the lobby is reached from the campus core near the parking lot it replaced. Access to laboratories and offices is limited to staff and students.

The structure incorporates passive cooling and natural ventilation systems that significantly reduce energy consumption. This environmentally conscious design was an advanced approach for academic buildings when it opened in 2002.