Impress Your Earth-Loving Friends By Name Dropping These 10 New Green Buildings
Sure, we pat ourselves on the back when recycling a Coke bottle. But we still feel small compared to these entire buildings, campuses and communities that have excelled at going green. The American Institute of Architects and its Committee on the Environment have released their annual top 10 green projects. The 19-year-old program honors architecture that reduces environmental impact. The honorees will be recognized at the AIA 2015 National Convention and Design Exposition in Atlanta. Here's a look at the COTE Top 10 (in no particular order):
Where: Seattle, WA
Architect: The Miller Hull Partnership
This self-sustaining, six-story office building is the largest certified living building at 52k SF. It has an unprecedented Energy Use Intensity (EUI) of 10 kbtu/SF/year. Sustainable designs include operable floor-to-ceiling windows, heavy timber framing, and a transparent stair with dramatic views.
Where: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Architect: Diamond Schmitt
This 174,300 SF lab and office features a design inspired by the pursuit of LEED Platinum certification. Its goal is to achieve 70% energy use reduction.
Where: Portland, OR
Architect: SERA Architects and CO Architects
This innovative building is located on a formal brownfield site. It features interior glazed walls, putting the labs on display, and an atrium with connecting bridges and informal study areas. It's one of only two projects in the United States over 500k SF that has been certified LEED Platinum.
Where: Boston, MA
Architects: Interface Studio Architects (ISA) and Urbanica Design
First completed under Boston's Energy Plus (E+) Green Building Program, this project is a prototype for family-friendly, energy-efficient, urban townhomes. The three-bedroom, 2.5 bath units are about 1,850 SF with flexible living areas.
Where: San Antonio, TX
Architect: Overland Partners
This adaptive reuse project transformed a 100-year-old warehouse into an energy-efficient studio space while maintaining the historic integrity of the building. The designers chose to preserve its open space and add a courtyard.
Where: San Antonio, TX
Architect: RTKL
The designers drew architectural inspiration from this hospital's role as a world-class burn treatment and recovery unit. Features include glazed surfaces and a long trellis canopy to provide shade.
Where: New Orleans, LA
Architect: Eskew+Dumez+Ripple
This LEED Gold research facility includes a flexible 100-person conferencing center, breakout spaces and a 2k SF café. It also captures rainwater for irrigating plants.
Where: Sonoma, CA
Architect: LEDDY MAYTUM STACY Architects
This community center for adults with autism includes four homes, therapy pools and an urban farm. The facility, which is a Pacific Gas & Electric Zero Net Energy Pilot Project, uses passive and active strategies to reduce energy consumption by 88%.
Where: Oakland, CA
Architect: David Baker Architects
A building design that features deep roof overhangs and thoughtful window placement relieves this apartment and townhouse community from the hot sun.
Where: New York, NY
Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
This LEED Gold building features a 13,500 SF green roof that detains up to 40% of annual rainfall. It also has thermal energy storage to create and store ice at night.
