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Architecture

Gallery: Red, white and ... green - the USA's best sustainable architecture

By Adam Williams
April 23, 2018
Gallery: Red, white and ... green - the USA's best sustainable architecture
The New United States Courthouse, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, is one of the 2018 COTE Top Ten Awards winners
The New United States Courthouse, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, is one of the 2018 COTE Top Ten Awards winners
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Albion District Library is located in Toronto, Canada
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Albion District Library is located in Toronto, Canada
Albion District Library was designed by Perkins+Will
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Albion District Library was designed by Perkins+Will
Albion District Library is one of the busiest libraries in Toronto
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Albion District Library is one of the busiest libraries in Toronto
Albion District Library features a large solar panel array on its roof
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Albion District Library features a large solar panel array on its roof
Albion District Library's solar panels produce around 9 percent of its required electricity
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Albion District Library's solar panels produce around 9 percent of its required electricity
Albion District Library also boasts other sustainable additions, including heat source pumps, efficient glazing and low-flow plumbing
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Albion District Library also boasts other sustainable additions, including heat source pumps, efficient glazing and low-flow plumbing
The interior of Albion District Library is light-filled and comfortable
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The interior of Albion District Library is light-filled and comfortable
Albion District Library was designed by Perkins+Will
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Albion District Library was designed by Perkins+Will
Inside Albion District Library
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Inside Albion District Library
A novel seating area in Albion District Library
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A novel seating area in Albion District Library
Sonoma Academy’s Janet Durgin Guild and Commons is located in Santa Rosa, California
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Sonoma Academy’s Janet Durgin Guild and Commons is located in Santa Rosa, California
Sonoma Academy’s Janet Durgin Guild and Commons has a green roof
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Sonoma Academy’s Janet Durgin Guild and Commons has a green roof
Sonoma Academy’s Janet Durgin Guild and Commons was designed by WRNS Studio
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Sonoma Academy’s Janet Durgin Guild and Commons was designed by WRNS Studio
Inside Sonoma Academy’s Janet Durgin Guild and Commons
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Inside Sonoma Academy’s Janet Durgin Guild and Commons
Sonoma Academy’s Janet Durgin Guild and Commons is powered by a solar panel array
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Sonoma Academy’s Janet Durgin Guild and Commons is powered by a solar panel array
The Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House is run by a not-for-profit organization
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The Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House is run by a not-for-profit organization
The Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House provides free temporary housing to families of seriously ill children
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The Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House provides free temporary housing to families of seriously ill children
The Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House is rated LEED Platinum
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The Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House is rated LEED Platinum
The Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House was designed by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects
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The Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House was designed by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects
The Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House is run by a not-for-profit organization
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The Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House is run by a not-for-profit organization
Inside the Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House
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Inside the Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House
The Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House
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The Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House
The Georgia Tech Engineered Biosystems Building is rated LEED Platinum
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The Georgia Tech Engineered Biosystems Building is rated LEED Platinum
The Georgia Tech Engineered Biosystems Building is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and was designed by Lake|Flato Architects
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The Georgia Tech Engineered Biosystems Building is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and was designed by Lake|Flato Architects
Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School is located in Washington, D.C.
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Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School is located in Washington, D.C.
Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School includes indigenous plants that support migratory insects and birds
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Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School includes indigenous plants that support migratory insects and birds
Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School was designed by Studio Twenty Seven Architecture
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Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School was designed by Studio Twenty Seven Architecture
Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School features stormwater capture and reuse
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Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School features stormwater capture and reuse
Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School is certified LEED Platinum (a green building standard)
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Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School is certified LEED Platinum (a green building standard)
Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School is located in Washington, D.C.
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Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School is located in Washington, D.C.
Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School features stormwater capture and reuse
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Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School features stormwater capture and reuse
Inside the Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School
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Inside the Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School
Kieran Timberlake transformed a former beer bottling factory in Philadelphia called the Ortlieb's Bottling House into a new sustainable office
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Kieran Timberlake transformed a former beer bottling factory in Philadelphia called the Ortlieb's Bottling House into a new sustainable office
Ortlieb's Bottling House features a focus on natural daylight and passive ventilation
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Ortlieb's Bottling House features a focus on natural daylight and passive ventilation
Ortlieb's Bottling House's renovation has resulted in the reduction of mechanical ventilation costs by 70 percent
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Ortlieb's Bottling House's renovation has resulted in the reduction of mechanical ventilation costs by 70 percent
Ortlieb's Bottling House was also awarded the Top Ten Plus honor for exceptional post-occupancy performance
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Ortlieb's Bottling House was also awarded the Top Ten Plus honor for exceptional post-occupancy performance
Local firm Kieran Timberlake transformed a former beer bottling factory in Philadelphia called the Ortlieb's Bottling House into a new sustainable office
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Local firm Kieran Timberlake transformed a former beer bottling factory in Philadelphia called the Ortlieb's Bottling House into a new sustainable office
Ortlieb's Bottling House features a focus on natural daylight and passive ventilation
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Ortlieb's Bottling House features a focus on natural daylight and passive ventilation
Ortlieb's Bottling House's renovation has resulted in the reduction of mechanical ventilation costs by 70 percent
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Ortlieb's Bottling House's renovation has resulted in the reduction of mechanical ventilation costs by 70 percent
Ortlieb's Bottling House was also awarded the Top Ten Plus honor for exceptional post-occupancy performance
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Ortlieb's Bottling House was also awarded the Top Ten Plus honor for exceptional post-occupancy performance
The San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center has a rooftop solar panel array that provides all required electricity
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The San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center has a rooftop solar panel array that provides all required electricity
The San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center was designed by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects
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The San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center was designed by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects
The San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center is located at the edge of San Francisco Bay, an historic US Army warehouse at Fort Mason
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The San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center is located at the edge of San Francisco Bay, an historic US Army warehouse at Fort Mason
San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center is a new hub for expanded arts education and public engagement
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San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center is a new hub for expanded arts education and public engagement
San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center has a hydronic heated floor
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San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center has a hydronic heated floor
The San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center has a rooftop solar panel array that provides all required electricity
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The San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center has a rooftop solar panel array that provides all required electricity
The San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center was designed by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects
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The San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center was designed by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects
The San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center is located at the edge of San Francisco Bay, an historic US Army warehouse at Fort Mason
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The San Francisco Art Institute - Fort Mason Center is located at the edge of San Francisco Bay, an historic US Army warehouse at Fort Mason
Sawmill is located in California's Mojave Desert
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Sawmill is located in California's Mojave Desert
Sawmill is a sustainable single family home
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Sawmill is a sustainable single family home
Sawmill is designed to stand up to the severe climate of the Tehachapi Mountains
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Sawmill is designed to stand up to the severe climate of the Tehachapi Mountains
Sawmill runs completely off-the-grid
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Sawmill runs completely off-the-grid
The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum was the first purpose-built art museum in the USA, built in 1859 to the design of architect James Renwick, Jr.
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The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum was the first purpose-built art museum in the USA, built in 1859 to the design of architect James Renwick, Jr.
The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum renovation achieved a 50 percent reduction in annual energy use
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The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum renovation achieved a 50 percent reduction in annual energy use
The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum renovation replaced and improved major building infrastructure, enhanced historic features, and improved flexibility for exhibitions
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The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum renovation replaced and improved major building infrastructure, enhanced historic features, and improved flexibility for exhibitions
Inside the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
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Inside the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
The New United States Courthouse features a rooftop photovoltaic array
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The New United States Courthouse features a rooftop photovoltaic array
The New United States Courthouse, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, is one of the 2018 COTE Top Ten Awards winners
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The New United States Courthouse, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, is one of the 2018 COTE Top Ten Awards winners
The New United States Courthouse is LEED Platinum
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The New United States Courthouse is LEED Platinum
View gallery - 59 images

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) has revealed the sustainable buildings that make up this year's COTE Top Ten Awards winners. As always, it's a strong selection of top-tier green architecture by some of the best firms in the business.

Now in its 22nd year, the COTE Top Ten Awards highlights projects that exemplify design excellence and environmental performance by architecture firms licensed in the United States (though the project itself can be located anywhere in the world). The winners will be honored at the AIA Conference on Architecture 2018 in New York City, June 21-23.

Notable projects this year include Olson Kundig Architects' Sawmill family home, pictured below, which is designed to withstand the harsh climate in California's Mojave Desert and runs totally off-the-grid with a solar panel array.

Sawmill runs completely off-the-grid
Sawmill runs completely off-the-grid

Other standouts include Keiren Timberlake's Ortlieb's Bottling House, a renovation of a Philadelphia beer bottling plant that involved turning it into an energy-efficient office for a growing company. In addition, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill's New United States Courthouse in Los Angeles reduces its grid-based energy requirements with solar panels and a rainwater capture system.

Head to the gallery to see each of the winners of the 2018 COTE Top Ten Awards.

Source: AIA

View gallery - 59 images

Tags

ArchitectureBuilding and ConstructionSustainableArchitectsLEEDOwings & MerrillSkidmoreGallery
2 comments
Adam Williams
Adam Williams
Adam scours the globe from his home in Spain in order to bring the best of innovative architecture and sustainable design to the pages of New Atlas. Most of his spare time is spent dabbling in music, tinkering with old Macintosh computers and trying to keep his even older VW bus on the road.

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jshaw
I'm tired of flat-roofed boxes.
ePhoto1
Agree with jshaw. This is painfully boring.