| NEWS | DESIGN | BUILDING | DESIGN TOOLS | ENVIRONMENT | CULTURE |
| NEWS | ||
|
|
Who Cares? | |
|
|
Resident Excellence | |
|
|
Endangered America | |
|
|
AIA Green Buildings 2006 | |
|
|
|
|
||
|
AIA Green Buildings 2006 The World Birding Center, in Mission, Texas, by Lake/Flato is an interpretive center of 13,000 square feet (1,210 square meters). The new building forms a gateway between disturbed land that was cleared for agricultural purposes and over 1,700 acres (690 hectares) of adjacent native habitat that is being reclaimed as a preserve. All landscape planting was strictly limited to species native to the region. A 47,000-gallon (178-cubic-meter) rainwater collection system serves as irrigation and a wildlife trough. A series of rainwater guzzlers, natural pools, and water seeps provides much-needed water for birds and butterflies. Water-efficient fixtures and waterless urinals minimize indoor potable water use. The Renovation of the Motherhouse, Monroe, Michigan, by Susan Maxman and Partners was part of a move by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary to upgrade their historic facility to ecologically responsible 21st-century standards. All shower and lavatory water is routed to a constructed wetland and reused for flushing toilets. Daylighting and a ground-source heating and cooling system contribute to an expected 20 percent reduction in energy use, compared to a conventional building. Materials were selected for their durability and environmental responsibility. The sisters see this project as an opportunity to teach the public about environmental issues. The Ballard Library and Neighborhood Service Center, Seattle, by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, presents a new civic face along a pedestrian corridor. Sheltered and grouped site furnishings encourage interactions. The gently curving green roof absorbs water, reducing stormwater runoff. A periscope and observation deck invite visitors to engage in the roof's ecology above the street. Daylighting is maximized despite varying intensities of light availability, and photovoltaic glass panels shade the service center lobby. The design team wanted to create a facility — albeit on a modest budget — that would aid in teaching environmental awareness to young visitors. The School of Nursing and Student Center, at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, by BNIM Architects, is intended to serve as a pedagogical model of wellness, comfort, flexibility, and environmental stewardship. The building is expected to use 41 percent less energy than a conventional, minimally code-compliant building. Each of the four elevations and the roof uses unique strategies to accept desired daylight and reject unwanted heat. Three vertical atria, a horizontal atrium, a breezeway, and perimeter operable windows provide occupants with daylight and ventilation and connect the building to its site and environment. Building materials include reclaimed brick and cypress and recycled-content aluminum panels, structural steel, and concrete. Low-emission materials protect indoor air quality. Three-fourths of the building's demolition and construction waste was salvaged or recycled. The Philadelphia Forensic Center, by the Croxton Collaborative Architects PC, with associate architect Cecil Baker Associates is a new 58,700-square-foot (5,450-square-meter) laboratory for the Philadelphia Police Department. The project's many green features include precise mapping and load separation of areas requiring 100 percent outside air to minimize mechanical loads; envelope upgrades resulting in a super-insulated building; "clean" products and finishes resulting in improved indoor air quality; and deep daylighting achieved by ceiling configurations. The project also substantially increases pervious areas of the site, with vegetated swales providing bioremediation of runoff and reduction of input into city sewers. The Ben Franklin Elementary School, Kirkland, Washington, by Mahlum Architects entails 56,800 square feet (5,280 square meters) of new construction designed to extend the curriculum beyond the classroom to environmental awareness. >>> Discuss this article in the Architecture Forum...
|
|
|
