Green Field Notes
Nov 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Sustainable-design principles put into action in today's education institutions.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, East Hall — Worcester, Mass.
Architect: Cannon Design
What considerations were given to green products and processes?
WPI's East Hall, intended as a model for all future green buildings on campus, embodies the institutional commitment to sustainable practices, supporting the school's academic mission while conserving energy and natural resources. All interior finishes and building materials were chosen for their sustainable merit in order provide the framework for all future campus buildings. Details such as the stormwater monitor and testing station in the ground-floor lobby educate students and the public about green design.
What are some unique green aspects of the facility?
The 4,800-square-foot palletized roof system, situated on 17,800 square feet of Energy Star roofing, was designed to be an experimental roof for educating students and conducting research in green roof technology. The roof has two water-monitoring stations built into the facility to help observe and document stormwater flow reduction and water-quality improvement issues generally associated with green roof technology.
The accomplishments of sustainability also are integral to the aesthetics of the building through the signage and wayfinding system. Each floor is themed with one LEED category subtly expressed in the room signage and aggressively featured as educational information in lobbies where students wait for elevators.
What was the community response to the project being environmentally responsible?
In a supporting letter, Worcester's mayor, Konstantina B. Lukes, commended the institution on the city's first green roof and its ongoing efforts toward sustainability, also citing WPI's student involvement in the city's first major wind turbine installation at a local high school.
Congressman James P. McGovern, 3rd District, Massachusetts, also wrote, "The university further deserves to be congratulated for its very visible regional leadership and ongoing achievements with facilities sustainability planning."
- Return to the 2009 Architectural Portfolio's Green Field Notes main page to view more projects where sustainable-design principles were used in today's educational institutions.
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