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The American Institute of Architects Announces the 2007 COTE Top Ten Green Projects
Projects showcase excellence in sustainable design principles and reduced energy consumption
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For Immediate Release |
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Washington, D.C., April 23,
2007 — The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on
the Environment (COTE) have selected the top ten examples of
sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect
and enhance the environment. The projects will be honored on May
3rd at the AIA 2007 National Convention and Design Exposition in
San Antonio.
The project descriptions highlight both the design innovations and
sustainable strategies, along with the metrics achieved in terms of
reduced carbon emissions, reduced energy consumption and improved
building functionality.
The 2007 COTE Top Ten Green Projects program celebrates projects
that are the result of a thoroughly integrated approach to
architecture, natural systems, and technology They make a positive
contribution to their communities, improve comfort for building
occupants, and 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 jury included: David Brems, FAIA, Gillies Stransky Brems Smith
PC; Alisdair McGregor, PE, Arup; John Quale, LEED AP, University of
Virginia School of Architecture; Traci Rose Rider, LEED AP North
Carolina State University; Anne Schopf, AIA, Mahlum Architects; and
Susan Szenasy, editor-in-chief, Metropolis.
“Both the number of submissions and level of sophistication
have increased dramatically since the AIA COTE Top Ten Green
Projects program’s inception in 1997. This program examines a
metrics that address context, transportation, energy, water, light
and air, and other characteristics,” said Kira Gould, Assoc.
AIA, chair of the AIA Committee on the Environment. “We are
pleased to see design teams getting increasingly comfortable with
such metrics, which suggests that performance standards are being
effectively integrated into the design intent, rather than being
understood as something separate.”
The 2007 Top Ten Green Projects (listed in alphabetical
order):
EpiCenter, Artists for Humanity / Boston,
MA
Arrowstreet Inc.
The first Platinum LEED Certified building in
Boston, the EpiCenter is a simple, functional building that
achieves the highest levels of sustainability on a tight budget.
Rainwater collected from the roof is channeled through a
transparent drain pipe which runs through the gallery into a
holding tank to serve the irrigation needs of the grassy recessed
courtyard. Concentrated windows on the south side of the building
provides for the deep penetration of warming sunlight in the
winter. Large floor-to-floor heights, 12 and 18 feet, allow
daylight to penetrate deep into the building. The building uses no
refrigerant-based cooling.
Juror Traci Rider said, “This project is not just about
design and environmental sustainability, but reaching cultural
sustainability. They had a low budget, and there is something
terrific about what they achieved. This infill project has this
elegant photovoltaic roof, and it’s really producing for
them.”
Global Ecology Research Center /
Stanford, CA
EHDD Architects
Global Ecology Research Center at Stanford University is a 10,800
square-foot, low-energy laboratory and office building for the
Carnegie Institution of Washington. The unique sustainable design
resulted in a 72% reduction in carbon emissions associated with
building operation and a 50% reduction in embodied carbon for
building materials. Biodiversity is addressed through a thorough
pursuit of salvaged, recycled, and certified materials. The
building facing directly to the south and north maximizes
daylighting, sunshading, and ventilation opportunities.
Juror John Quale said, “LEED ratings were helpful for some
of our considerations, but that played out in different ways. In
this project, they intentionally opted out of the LEED process to
push their own agenda. We appreciated the independent thinking and
the explanation about it.”
Government Canyon Visitor Center /
Helotes, TX
Lake/Flato Architects
Key goals included designing spaces that respond to climate and
demonstrate both active and passive green solutions. The structures
have operable windows, generous open porches and a screened exhibit
building oriented toward the prevailing summer breeze, while
shielding the cold winter winds. Large overhanging roofs, flaps,
and deep porches shield these spaces from direct solar gains, while
allowing daylight to penetrate deep into the interior. The narrow
footprint allows for maximum use of indirect daylight from both the
south and the north in all occupied spaces, resulting in 90% of
occupied space with effective daylight and views with 100% of
spaces with ventilation controllability.
Juror Susan Szenasy said, “The building opens up and
shades itself and fits into the landscape in an unaggressive way.
There is also something really familiar and comfortable about it.
The composition is very carefully controlled, from the site plan to
details.”
Hawaii Gateway Energy Center /
Kailua-Kona, HI
Ferraro Choi and Associates
The Hawaii Gateway Energy Center is an excellent example
of the integration of passive design strategies to conserve natural
resources and achieve exceptional building performance. Passive
design strategies such as induced stack ventilation, daylighting,
shading, and renewable cooling from deep seawater reduce initial
energy requirements to an absolute minimum. A copper roof acts as
the "engine" that triggers a thermo-syphon, radiating heat from the
sun into a ceiling plenum. The heated air begins to rise and is
exhausted through "chimneys" on the building's north face. This
hot, exhausting stream of air is continuously replenished with 100%
fresh outside air that is routed across occupied space from a
vented under-floor plenum.
Rider added, “We were impressed by the way they blended
active and passive technologies. This project uses PV and calls
attention to that, and uses seawater and condensation. It’s
really using all of earth’s devices, then dramatizing that
with this visible structure. This is a great advertisement for a
new technology - calling attention to an ancient
‘technology,’ the sun.”
Heifer International / Little Rock,
AR
Polk Stanley Rowland Curzon Porter Architects, Ltd.
The fundamental goal of the design team was to create
integrated building systems that maximized both energy savings and
educational potential. Gray water collected from sinks and drinking
fountains, condensate from outside air units, and rain water from
the water tower are reused in toilets and cooling tower. The
building is designed to use up to 54.9% less energy than a
conventional office building. 75% of the building’s
construction waste was recycled. Significant overhangs with crown
like perforated metal edges reduce solar heat gain. To promote
indoor air quality, materials were selected with low emission of
volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Juror Alisdair McGregor said, “This deals with water in a
very demonstrable way. It takes condensation, stores it, and uses
that for cooling towers and wetlands during dry periods. Energy
performance is about 54% below ASHRAE 99. The sustainable features
are visible, but not in your face.”
Sidwell Friends Middle School /
Washington, DC
Kieran Timberlake Associates
Solar chimneys with south-facing glass are designed for passive
ventilation, operating without additional energy. Sunlight heats
air within the glass chimney tops, creating a convection current
which draws cooler air into the building through north facing open
windows. The building uses natural daylight in lieu of artificial
light as much as possible. Artificial lighting consists primarily
of fluorescent light sources equipped with high efficiency lamps.
The green roof functions to reduce storm water runoff volume,
improve the quality of infiltrated runoff, and reduce municipal
water use. The roof, walls, and windows perform over 200% better
than the minimums set by the energy standard.
Szenasy commented, “The building itself is a teacher. It
tells the students where they are. It helps them be conscious of
the water and light. There are all these cues connecting them to
the natural world. This project is really comprehensive. They have
a great attitude about water. They were very careful with light. It
is beautiful. It is a really aggressive kind of
renovation.”
Wayne L. Morse U.S. Courthouse / Eugene,
OR
Morphosis & DLR Group
This facility is a Security Level IV facility – one level
below buildings such as the Pentagon. An under floor air
distribution system serves a majority of spaces, including the six
courtrooms. This system provides more efficient air-conditioning,
uses less fan power, and provides better air quality than a
traditional overhead ductwork system. The building system minimizes
potable water use and associated sanitary waste with water-saving
fixtures including waterless urinals, and ultra low flow
lavatories, sinks and showers. Combined with fixture sensors at
public locations, these measures result in savings of more than 40%
over baseline case analysis.
Juror Anne Schopf said, “The security issues are such a
big challenge in a building like this, and getting the daylight in
while dealing with those issues is a very smart response in a
complex building type. They made a big move, getting the courtrooms
raised up to the light. That’s the big story here. This
addressed the issue that there are some federal requirements that
work directly against sustainability goals.”
Whitney Water Purification Facility /
New Haven, CT
Steven Holl Architects
The new facility provides an abundant water supply to south Central
Connecticut, creates a vibrant watershed ecosystem, and includes a
public park and educational facility while providing a diverse
habitat and sanctuary for migrating species of birds. The 30,000
square foot green roof with glazed bubbles floods the facilities
below with daylight. All electrical lighting comes from low-energy
fluorescent fixtures. 100 % of staff space is day lit. The
geothermal system saves 850,000 kilowatt hours annually as compared
to electrical resistant heaters and air cooled chillers.
Juror David Brems remarked, “They reinvented the building
type along with the programmatic understanding of a water
purification facility by combining it with a park, putting some
thing under ground, and being really inventive with
form-making.”
Willingboro Master Plan & Public
Library / Willingboro, NJ
Croxton Collaborative Architects, PC
The Public Library conserves 100% of the structural steel frame and
concrete foundations of the original building. Since the building
orientation could not be changed, seven major clearstory skylights
were oriented on a true north-south axis to maximize the duration
and traverse of daylighting. These true north/south clerestories
for daylighting create a criss-cross infill of existing beams and
joists which achieve 95% diffuse light with transitory
“dappled light” effects. The building utilizes a
gas-fired heater/chiller which can be easily retrofitted to
accommodate bio fuels and various fuels presenting "cost
opportunities".
Schopf added, “It was a shopping mall that had gone
defunct. The master plan kept many of the existing structures in
place, renovating and transforming them. This is a tremendous
example of how to make something beautiful and functional out of
practically nothing … the original Woolworth structure with a
new wrapper. This is so relevant to so much of the existing
building stock that exists in this country. Addressing these
neglected facilities in this way is complex. This project really
transformed place in a holistic way.”
Z6 House / Santa Monica, CA
LivingHomes, Ray Kappe
The Z6 House is a single family residence that was added to a
multi-family zoned lot with an existing duplex. The building takes
advantage of natural ventilation and has been designed to optimize
passive solar heating. The heating is accomplished through a
radiant heating system that is powered by a solar hot water
collector. There is a 2.4KW PV array above the roof. This array
acts as a shade canopy at the roof stair access. The PV array was
designed to provide 60-75% of the homes energy usage. The building
has a comprehensive environmental monitoring system that will track
the total water, gray water and rain water usage.
Quale said, “Spatially this is a sophisticated project.
There is a subtlety to the spacemaking. Also, there are a lot of
prefab projects out there that have very little rigor to the
sustainability, and this challenges that.”
Honorable Mention 2007 Top Ten Green
Projects:
William J. Clinton Presidential Center /
Little Rock, AR
Polshek Partnership Architects
Example of reclaiming a contaminated Brownfield, and a catalyst for
area improvement.
Gerding Theater at the Armory / Portland,
OR
GBD Architects Inc.
Project establishes connection between historic
preservation and sustainability.
Provincetown Art Association and Museum /
Provincetown, MA
Machado and Silvetti Associates
Modern take on traditional regional design, with beautifully
integrated into existing context.
Stillwell Avenue Terminal Train Shed /
New York, NY
Kiss + Cathcart Architects
Highly visible use of photovoltaics in a public transportation
project.
About the AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Green
Awards
The AIA’s Committee on the Environment represents
more than 7,300 AIA members committed to making sustainable or
“green” design integral to the practice of architecture.
The AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Project Awards initiative was developed
by the AIA in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy and
BuildingGreen.com, publishers of Environmental Building News
magazine. In 2003 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY
STAR® Program joined as an additional sponsor.
About The American Institute of
Architects
For 150 years, members of The American Institute of Architects have
worked with each other and their communities to create more
valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings and
cityscapes. AIA members have access to the right people, knowledge,
and tools to create better design, and through such resources and
access, they help clients and communities make their visions real.
www.aia.org
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