Architecture

AIA's 2014 top ten green buildings in the US

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The American Institute of Architects has revealed its pick of the top ten green buildings in the US for 2014 (Photo: Joe Fletcher)
The Bud Clark Commons building was designed by Holst Architecture (Photo: Sally Schoolmaster)
The building is a key part of Portland, Oregon's decade-long effort to combat homelessness (Photo: SkyShots)
The Bud Clark Commons building contains a walk-in day center, support services, 90 temporary shelter beds, and 130 furnished studio apartments which serve as permanent housing (Photo: Bruce Forster)
Green features in the LEED Platinum project include greywater recycling, solar hot water, high performance heat recovery ventilation, and natural daylight (Photo: Sally Schoolmaster)
The Bud Clark Commons building was designed by Holst Architecture (Photo: Sally Schoolmaster)
The Bud Clark Commons building is a key part of Portland, Oregon's decade-long effort to combat homelessness (Photo: Sally Schoolmaster)
Green features in the LEED Platinum Bud Clark Commons building include greywater recycling, solar hot water, high performance heat recovery ventilation, and natural daylight (Photo: Sally Schoolmaster)
The Bushwick Inlet Park project was designed by Kiss and Cathcart Architects (Photo: Malcolm Pinckney)
The Bushwick Inlet Park project is the first phase of a planned transformation of the Brooklyn's Williamsburg waterfront (Photo: Kiss + Cathcart)
So far, the Bushwick Inlet Park project has added play fields, classrooms, public facilities, and park maintenance buildings (Photo: Paul Warchol)
The Bushwick Inlet Park also received a large multi-use community center with green roof (Photo: Paul Warchol)
Other green features of the Bushwick Inlet Park include ground source heat pump wells, rainwater harvesting and drip irrigation (Photo: Paul Warchol)
So far, the Bushwick Inlet Park project has added play fields, classrooms, public facilities, and park maintenance buildings (Photo: Paul Warchol)
The Bushwick Inlet Park also received a large multi-use community center with green roof (Photo: Paul Warchol)
The high-rise Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt (EGWW) Federal Building Project serves as the federal government's main digs in Portland (Photo: Nic Lehoux)
Originally constructed in 1975 by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the recent modernization by SERA Architects and Cutler Anderson Architects sought to update the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt (EGWW) Federal Building (Photo: Nic Lehoux)
EGWW sports a facade comprising novel "reeds" – or sunshades – to limit solar heat gain, along with a roof-based solar array and rainwater collection system (Photo: Nic Lehoux)
The Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt (EGWW) Federal Building Project is reckoned to be on track to be one of the lowest energy-use buildings in the US (Photo: Nic Lehoux)
The high-rise Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt (EGWW) Federal Building Project (Photo: Nic Lehoux)
The John and Frances Angelos Law Center building is located in downtown Baltimore (Photo: Brad Feinknop)
The law school brings the classrooms, faculty offices, administrative areas, and the entire law library under one roof single roof for the first time (Photo: Brad Feinknop)
The John and Frances Angelos Law Center building has been designed to maximize natural ventilation and daylight, water collection and re-use (Photo: David Matthiesen)
The John and Frances Angelos Law Center building is located in downtown Baltimore (Photo: David Matthiesen)
The interior of John and Frances Angelos Law Center, by Behnisch Architekten and Ayers Saint Gross (Photo: David Matthiesen)
Exterior shot of John and the Frances Angelos Law Center (Photo: David Matthiesen)
Exterior shot the John and Frances Angelos Law Center (Photo: David Matthiesen)
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Headquarters was designed by architectural firm EHDD (Photo: Jeremy Bitterman)
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Headquarters is based in Los Altos, California (Photo: Jeremy Bitterman)
It serves as the new premises of philanthropic organization, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation (of Hewlett-Packard fame) (Photo: Jeremy Bitterman)
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Headquarters sports several layers of sun-shading, glare control, rainwater collection, a near-airtight envelope to help maintain a relatively constant temperature, natural ventilation, and solar power (Photo: Jeremy Bitterman)
Following a year's operation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation Headquarters has already proven itself to be energy positive (Photo: Jeremy Bitterman)
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Headquarters was designed by architectural firm EHDD (Photo: Jeremy Bitterman)
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Headquarters is based in Los Altos, California (Photo: Jeremy Bitterman)
The American Institute of Architects has revealed its pick of the top ten green buildings in the US for 2014 (Photo: Joe Fletcher)
Circulation is integral to the Sustainability Treehouse and recalls the fascination of childhood exploration (Photo: Joe Fletcher)
The Sustainability Treehouse has outdoor terraces to minimize indoor space and create dynamic opportunities for observation of the natural world (Photo: Joe Fletcher)
Indoor spaces of the Sustainability Treehouse are immersed within the forest canopy and rely on natural cooling and foliage for shading (Photo: Joe Fletcher)
The Ground Viewing Gallery of the Sustainability Treehouse provides interactive teaching opportunities and a focus on the forest floor ecosystem (Photo: Joe Fletcher)
Interactive exhibits in the Sustainability Treehouse empower visitors to translate knowledge into action (Photo: Joe Fletcher)
In the Sustainability Treehouse, wind turbines work in concert with photovoltaic panels above to achieve net zero energy balance (Photo: Joe Fletcher)
View from Highway 313 Looking West (Photo: Paul Crosby)
The US Land Port of Entry Public lobby & officer work area (Photo: Paul Crosby)
Primary Inspections Canopy of the US Land Port of Entry (Photo: Paul Crosby)
South Area of the US Land Port of Entry site looking toward primary canopy & office (Photo: Paul Crosby)
US Land Port of Entry secondary canopy and main entrance (Photo: Paul Crosby)
US Land Port of Entry outbound inspection canopy (Photo: Paul Crosby)
North façade & primary inspection area of the US Land Port of Entry (Photo: Paul Crosby)
The Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse was redesigned by Westlake Reed Leskosky and The Beck Group (Photo: Kevin G. Reeves)
The Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse building was originally constructed to serve as a U.S. Post Office and Courthouse in 1918 (Photo: Kevin G. Reeves)
The Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse has now been updated with enough sustainable technology and design to turn it into what's reportedly one of the most energy-efficient historic buildings in the country (Photo: Kevin G. Reeves)
The Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse now sports a roof-mounted photovoltaic array, a passive geo-exchange system, fluorescent and LED lighting, and post-occupancy monitoring (Photo: Kevin G. Reeves)
The Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse was redesigned by Westlake Reed Leskosky and The Beck Group (Photo: Kevin G. Reeves)
Interior of the Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse (Photo: Kevin G. Reeves)
The Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse now sports a roof-mounted photovoltaic array, a passive geo-exchange system, fluorescent and LED lighting, and post-occupancy monitoring (Photo: Kevin G. Reeves)
The interior of the SUNY-ESF College of Environmental Science & Forestry Gateway Center (Photo: David Lamb)
The SUNY-ESF College of Environmental Science & Forestry Gateway Center is the oldest institution in the US that focuses on the study of the environment (Photo: David Lamb)
Gateway Center – SUNY-ESF College of Environmental Science & Forestry, Architerra(Photo: David Lamb)
The LEED Platinum campus center fosters teaching and research, and makes up part of SUNY-ESF's commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2015 (Photo: David Lamb)
The LEED Platinum SUNY-ESF College of Environmental Science & Forestry Gateway Center campus was built using metal shingles and recycled concrete block, in addition to sustainably-sourced wood (Photo: David Lamb)
A green roof, solar panels, solar hot water, and a very efficient rainwater-collection system were all installed in the SUNY-ESF College of Environmental Science & Forestry Gateway Centerduring the build (Photo: David Lamb)
The SUNY-ESF College of Environmental Science & Forestry Gateway Center (Photo: David Lamb)
Arizona State University Student Health Services, by Lake Flato Architects, Orcutt Winslow (Photo: Bill Timmerman)
Arizona State University's new Health Services Building is an adaptive reuse project that featured the transformation of an existing unappealing and inefficient clinic into something far more welcoming – and green (Photo: Bill Timmerman)
The Arizona State University Student Health Services project involved the demolition of approximately large parts of the existing buildings that made up ASU's Health Services Building (Photo: Bill Timmerman)
The LEED Platinum Arizona State University Student Health Services building now sports energy-usage monitoring software, a photovoltaic array, and rainwater recycling (Photo: Bill Timmerman)
Arizona State University Student Health Services, by Lake Flato Architects, Orcutt Winslow (Photo: Bill Timmerman)
Arizona State University Student Health Services, by Lake Flato Architects, Orcutt Winslow (Photo: Bill Timmerman)
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The American Institute of Architects has revealed its 2014 selection of top ten green buildings in the US. As was the case with last year’s list, the judges came up with an interesting list of buildings that includes some lesser-publicized green-building projects, such as a homeless shelter, a treehouse, and even a Net-Zero energy courthouse. Read on as Gizmag takes a look at each of the selections.

Bud Clark Commons - Holst Architecture

The Bud Clark Commons building was designed by Holst Architecture (Photo: Sally Schoolmaster)

As a key part of Portland, Oregon's decade-long effort to combat homelessness, the Bud Clark Commons building provides a safe place for vulnerable people to transition from sleeping on the streets to living in a stable home. The building features a walk-in day center, support services, 90 temporary shelter beds, and 130 furnished studio apartments which serve as permanent housing.

Green technology in the LEED Platinum project include greywater recycling, solar hot water, heat recovery ventilation, and natural daylight.

Bushwick Inlet Park – Kiss and Cathcart Architects

The Bushwick Inlet Park also received a large multi-use community center with green roof (Photo: Paul Warchol)

The Bushwick Inlet Park project represents the first phase of a plan to transform Brooklyn's Williamsburg waterfront from an industrial brownfield site into a public park. So far, the area has seen play fields, classrooms, public facilities, and park maintenance buildings added.

The park also received a large multi-use community center complete with green roof, in addition to a large solar trellis that produces half of the total electricity used in the building. Other green features include ground source heat pump wells, rainwater harvesting and drip irrigation.

EGWW Modernization – SERA Architects and Cutler Anderson Architects

EGWW sports a facade comprising novel "reeds" – or sunshades – to limit solar heat gain, along with a roof-based solar array and rainwater collection system (Photo: Nic Lehoux)

The high-rise Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt (EGWW) Federal Building Project was originally constructed in 1975 by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. The recent modernization by SERA Architects and Cutler Anderson Architects sought to update the aging building with modern energy-efficient technologies. Clearly this worked, as it's lauded by the AIA judges as being on its way to becoming one of the lowest energy-use buildings in the US.

EGWW sports a facade comprising novel sunshades that limit solar heat gain, along with a roof-based solar array and rainwater collection system.

Gateway Center – SUNY-ESF College of Environmental Science & Forestry and Architerra

The LEED Platinum campus center fosters teaching and research, and makes up part of SUNY-ESF's commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2015 (Photo: David Lamb)

The SUNY-ESF College of Environmental Science & Forestry Gateway Center is the oldest institution in the US to focus on the careful study of the environment. Its new LEED Platinum campus center fosters teaching and research, and makes up part of ESF's ambitious commitment to reach complete carbon neutrality by 2015.

The LEED Platinum campus was built using metal shingles and recycled concrete blocks, in addition to sustainably-sourced wood. A green roof, solar panels, solar hot water, and a very efficient rainwater-collection system were all installed during the build.

Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse – Westlake Reed Leskosky and The Beck Group

The Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse now sports a roof-mounted photovoltaic array, a passive geo-exchange system, fluorescent and LED lighting, and post-occupancy monitoring (Photo: Kevin G. Reeves)

Originally constructed to serve as a US Post Office and Courthouse back in 1918, the Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse recently received a LEED Platinum renovation. Based in Grand Junction, Colorado, the building has duly been updated with enough sustainable technology and design to turn it into what's reportedly one of the most energy-efficient historic buildings in the country.

The courthouse sports a roof-mounted photovoltaic array, a passive Geo-Exchange system, and energy-efficient LED lighting.

John and Frances Angelos Law Center – Behnisch Architekten and Ayers Saint Gross

The John and Frances Angelos Law Center building is located in downtown Baltimore (Photo: David Matthiesen)

The John and Frances Angelos Law Center recently received modern new (and green) premises. Located in downtown Baltimore, the building brings all the law school's classrooms, faculty offices, administrative areas, and its entire library under one single roof for the first time.

It also signifies a nudge toward carbon neutrality from the University of Baltimore, as the building has been designed to maximize natural ventilation and daylight, and water collection and re-use. However, there's no on-site renewable or alternative energy systems such as solar or wind power. According to the AIA brief, this is due to Baltimore's comparatively low grid-based energy costs.

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Headquarters – EHDD

Following a year's operation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation Headquarters has already proven itself to be energy positive (Photo: Jeremy Bitterman)

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation (of Hewlett-Packard fame) recently received new headquarters. Based in Los Altos, California, the new building is said to be the world's largest building so far to receive official Net Zero Energy Building Certification from the International Living Future Institute energy-certification body.

The facility sports several layers of sun-shading, glare control, rainwater collection, a near-airtight envelope to help maintain a relatively constant temperature, natural ventilation, and solar power. After a year's operation, it has already proven energy positive.

Sustainability Treehouse – Mithun and BNIM


The Ground Viewing Gallery of the Sustainability Treehouse provides interactive teaching opportunities and a focus on the forest floor ecosystem (Photo: Joe Fletcher)

The aptly-named Sustainability Treehouse, located within a forest at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, West Virginia, is a great example of a tree-based dwelling that goes all-out to exist in harmony with nature. This particular treehouse was built for the Boy Scouts of America and serves as a location for education and social gatherings.

The treehouse caught the AIA judges' eyes, thanks to green technology that includes a photovoltaic array, two wind turbines, a rainwater collection and water cleansing system, and the fact that it operates at Net-Zero energy.

U.S. Land Port of Entry – Snow Kreilich Architects

North façade & primary inspection area of the US Land Port of Entry (Photo: Paul Crosby)

The US Land Port of Entry, located along the Minnesota-Canada border, supports the Customs and Border Protection as it carries out its work. Composed of three primary buildings, the LEED Gold-certified complex is the country's first to feature a ground source heat pump system, and it also sports a facade comprising sustainably-grown cedar, rainwater collection, and the replanting of native species.

Arizona State University Student Health Services – Lake Flato Architects, Orcutt Winslow

Arizona State University's new Health Services Building is an adaptive reuse project that featured the transformation of an existing unappealing and inefficient clinic into something far more welcoming – and green (Photo: Bill Timmerman)

Arizona State University's new Health Services Building is an adaptive reuse project that saw the transformation of an existing unappealing clinic into something more welcoming – and efficient.

The project involved the demolition of large parts of the existing buildings that made up ASU's Health Services Building, which were then replaced by far more efficient structures. The LEED Platinum building now sports energy-usage monitoring software, a photovoltaic array, and rainwater recycling.

That rounds out the AIA’s top ten green buildings in the US for this year. Head to the gallery to see more images of the selections.

Source: AIA

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1 comment
Anonymous756
"Sustainability Treehouse, West Virginia, ...it operates at Net-Zero energy."
Wippity doo dah. Try achieving that with a family of five living in it full time, in a colder climate, including winter. It's easy to build a summer cottage that requires little energy.