The American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) has selected the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment.
Many of the new buildings that were awarded are expected to earn LEED Platinum certification, the highest level of achievement under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program
The fourteen-year-old program celebrates projects that are the result of a thoroughly integrated approach to architecture, natural systems and technology.
They reduce environmental impacts through strategies such as reuse of existing structures, connection to transit systems, low-impact and regenerative site development, energy and water conservation, use of sustainable or renewable construction materials, and design that improves indoor air quality.
The awardees include:
KAUST, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is a new international, graduate-level research university established to drive innovation in science and technology and to support world-class research in areas such as energy and the environment. KAUST's new campus is the Saudi Arabia's first LEED certified project and the world's largest LEED Platinum project.
Kroon Hall - Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut: Replacing a brownfield site, Kroon Hall was charged with being a net zero energy building. It had to function as something that inspired and encouraged people to alter their lives and become more sustainable citizens. This was accomplished through a mix of active and passive design measures and visible, invisible and interactive building features.
Manassas Park Elementary School, Manassas Park, Virginia: MPES is conceived throughout as a tool to teach environmental stewardship. Inside and out, sustainable design is integrated with the elementary curriculum. The design showcases as many teachable moments as possible.
Interior extended learning spaces offer dramatic and surprisingly intimate views of the neighboring mixed oak forest, while elementary classrooms face shady moss and fern-covered learning courtyards featuring “fallen” trees and other particularities of an eastern deciduous forest floor.
Manitoba Hydro Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba: Manitoba Hydro Place was designed utilizing a formal integrated design process to achieve daunting goals of energy efficiency, healthy workplace environment, urban revitalization, sustainability and architectural excellence.
A model for bioclimatic design, the building was engineered to harness the maximum amount of passive solar and wind energies and to provide 100% fresh air. At 88 kwh/m2/annually, it is the most energy efficient large office tower in North America, with a 66% improvement over the standard.
Twelve|West, Portland, Oregon: With a roof-mounted wind turbine, Twelve|West was designed to achieve the highest levels of urban sustainability, and is expected to earn a LEED Platinum rating.
Designers emphasized low-impact materials, including salvage, reclaimed and FSC-certified wood. Much of the concrete building structure is exposed on the interior minimizing the use of finish material and providing ample thermal mass. Simulations predict energy savings of 45% over a baseline code building.
Image courtesy of Metaefficient
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Alison Pruitt is a freelance writer/editor living near Washington DC. She has written about a variety of issues, including education, healthcare, IT, the arts, and energy/environment -- and has worked with the U.S. Department of Energy. She has a B.A. from Oberlin College and a Ph.D. in English Literature from Rutgers University.
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