AIA Green Design Showcase Part II of the Series The Atlanta Chapter of The American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment (COTE) accepted submissions from local designers for both built and un-built projects for display and discussion at Greenprints 2003. The projects selected illustrate regional efforts to integrate environmentally responsible design methods and materials into buildings.

Projects addressed environmental design in the following categories:

• SITE - preserving water and eco-system quality
• ENERGY - conserving and creating
• WASTE - limiting during construction and/or occupation
• MATERIALS – recycling, re-using, regional sourcing and/or limiting
• INDOOR AIR QUALITY – protecting and/or enhancing
• LIVABLE COMMUNITIES – enhancing connections within communities
• INTEGRATION – integrating green design in the design process

This article includes six of the 18 projects submitted. The next issue of the Southface Journal will have the six remaining entries highlighted. Here are some architects’ insights that bring to life the goals, attributes and challenges of each project.

The National Environmentally Sound Production Agricultural Laboratory holistically integrated site/landscape, materials, energy efficiency, air/water quality and waste.	National Environmentally Sound Production Agricultural Laboratory – Academic Building by Harrison Design Group for the University of Georgia LEED™/Sustainable Consultants: The Epsten Group, Inc. This Board of Regents Laboratory for the University of Georgia integrates laboratories, offices, greenhouses, meeting areas and visitor areas while incorporating a variety of sustainable design concepts. Site/landscape, energy efficiency, materials, water quality and waste were all considered in the design.
This was a pioneering project for the Board of Regents, and design goals had to be carefully balanced with cost restraints. Recognized with an AIA Georgia Honor Award for Excellence in Architecture, Sustainable Design, this project is intended to serve as a prototype for future facilities, demonstrating the practical applications of energy conservation, ecological impact and sustainable design, combined with state-of-the-art technology, incorporated within conservative budget constraints.

It’s estimated that the Emory Math & Science building will have almost 20 percent reduction in total energy consumption because of the energy efficiency measures incorporated in the design and building process.	Science and Mathematics Building – Emory University Education and Research Facility by Cooper Carry LEED™/Sustainable Consultants: CH2MHill, Hydro Environmental, Travis Pruitt, Uzun & Case, Newcomb & Boyd Emory University’s science and mathematics building provides classroom, lecture and office space in a design expected to be LEED™® certified. Water efficiency and site planning were particular areas of consideration for this building. The building was sited to minimize the impact on existing forest and reduce the visual impact on the surrounding neighborhood.
Existing turf areas have been converted to forest to compensate for areas removed in construction. A stormwater retention vault and xeriscaped landscaping eliminates the need for potable water to be used for irrigation. Communication between designers, contractors and subcontractors was identified as a challenge for the team, especially given the scale of this particular project.

The Golf Clubhouse has been designed to incorporate daylighting in every space.	Golf Clubhouse– Richard Russell State Park, Elberton, GA by MSTSD, Inc. LEED™/Sustainable Consultants: The Epsten Group, Inc. The golf clubhouse planned for the Russell State Park golf course will be within a permanently preserved public parkland adjacent to a recreational lake. A goal for this project was to demonstrate that a typical public design-bid-build process and off-the-shelf affordable technology can easily result in a LEED™ Certified building. Ultimate success will be determined upon completion of construction, but the design team is confident that the project will meet the goal of LEED™ Certification without compromise.
The clubhouse is also intended to serve the community in ways beyond just golf—it includes a conference room available for luncheons, business meetings, and weddings.

The Visitor’s Center uses many recycled and reused materials, and has a 98% recycled aluminum roof.	State Park Visitors Center– Okefenokee State Park, Waycross, GA by Culpepper, McAuliffe and Meaders, Inc. LEED™/Sustainable Consultants: The Epsten Group, Inc.
The Fargo Visitors Center is currently under construction in the Okefenokee State Park. The center is to provide educational displays both on the natural environment of the park and on the sustainable design aspects of the building itself, and it is hoped the center will achieve a LEED™ gold rating. Control of runoff, water efficiency and erosion control were major concerns for the project. Permeable parking surfaces and a compact construction site help to mitigate runoff and erosion. As with many LEED™ projects, the team says that having LEED™ consultants work more closely with designers earlier in the process would have been advantageous.

Unlike most laboratory buildings that cost $2.50 to $3.50 per square foot per year to operate, according to the energy analysis run by the designers, the Whitehead building will only cost about $1.70 per square foot per year to operate.

Biomedical Research Building– Emory University Whitehead Biomedical Research Building by Hellmuth Obata & Kassabaum, Inc. LEED™/Sustainable Consultants: Nottingham Brook and Pennington, CH2MHill This LEED™ silver educational building is equipped with special heat-recovery systems projected to save $100,000 in energy costs annually and condensate-recovery units that could save 2.5 million gallons of water per year. Storm water from the roof and plaza is collected and used for irrigation. With its many windows, natural light is available to 90 percent of the building’s occupants, saving on electricity. It was decided to go for LEED™ certification after the building was already under construction, yet the team was very successful in meeting the LEED™ requirements. The project has received the 2002 Energy User News Best New Project Award and has been submitted for an ASHRAE award. The Emory Board of Trustees has endorsed LEED™ for use as a guiding principle in the development of all the University’s construction and renovation projects.

Especially useful for a University setting, a primary goal in the design of Technology Square was to enhance opportunities for access other than by car. Creating a safer bridge, across the freeway, for pedestrians and bikers and the availability of bicycle racks, showers and changing rooms encourage people to ride or walk rather than drive automobiles through the area.	Technology Square– Georgia Tech education and retail space by Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates, Inc. LEED™/Sustainable Consultants: The Epsten Group, Inc. Technology Square’s integrated classroom and commercial structures occupy 600,000 square feet—of which 200,000 are LEED™— in Atlanta’s Midtown, contributing to the rapid renewal of the area. This building complements the larger strategic plan of Georgia Tech and also the state’s plans for economic development in sustainable environmental technology. It also encourages interdisciplinary collaboration to create a curriculum that focuses on sustainability. A LEED™ Accredited professional has been on board during the entire design and construction process, coordinating the LEED™ team process and assisting with efforts to develop high-performance, sustainable solutions.
Design challenges included lighting efficiency in high-ceilinged retail spaces and achieving daylighting throughout the building within budget constraints. The project also sought to address transportation issues through access to Atlanta public transit and natural gas trolleys to the main area of Georgia Tech’s campus.

* The information provided in this article was obtained from the person(s) who submitted the respective projects’ 2003 AIA Showcase applications. For information about sustainable design consultants on the projects in the Summer 2002 AIA Showcase article, please contact Southface. This series of articles does not reflect the opinion of Southface or any Southface staff.