Dive Brief:
- The American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Committee on the Environment has selected its top 10 2016 green building projects, which the organization said exemplify "sustainable architecture and ecological design."
- The AIA said its 20th annual lineup of sustainable design projects highlights those that "are the result of a thoroughly integrated approach to architecture, natural systems and technology."
- The organization said it conducted a study of nearly 200 past winners and found that the honorees have consistently exceeded almost every industry standard.
Dive Insight:
Green building elements like natural light and ventilation, stormwater management and its re-use, rooftop solar and green roofs, electrical vehicle charging stations and renewable energy systems all made their way into one or more of these projects. The winners also represent a variety of building philosophies, such as net-zero, Living Buildings, WELL and LEED. In addition, with the exception of a project based in Ireland, the AIA’s 2016 list is made up entirely of U.S. projects.
The full list includes:
Biosciences Research Building (BRB), Galway, Ireland
Payette and Reddy Architecture + Urbanism
Outstanding Features: Uses natural ventilation for 90% of its cooling and heating; 45% of the building has no mechanical ventilation.
Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL), Pittsburgh
The Design Alliance Architects
Outstanding Features: Produces 100% of its own energy; holds Living Building Challenge, LEED Platinum, WELL Building Platinum and Four-Stars Sustainable SITES certifications.
Exploratorium at Pier 15, San Francisco
EHDD
Outstanding Features: Uses San Francisco Bay water for cooling; 800-foot-long roof supports a 1.3-megawatt solar array.
Outstanding Features: Uses "the first North American supermarket propane refrigeration system."
Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation, Berkeley, CA
Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects
Outstanding Features: Energy consumption is 90% below national baseline.
Outstanding Features: Focus on healthy living for former homeless, some with mental or physical disabilities; green roof with solar canopy.
The Dixon Water Foundation Josey Pavilion, Decatur, TX
Lake|Flato Architects
Outstanding Features: Certified Living Building; stresses the possible positive impacts of grazing livestock.
The J. Craig Venter Institute, San Diego
ZGF Architects LLP
Outstanding Features: First net-zero energy laboratory in the U.S.
Outstanding Features: One of the biggest solar evacuated tube installations in the U.S.; building designed in accordance with the sun’s position to maximize reflected light and reduce solar gain.
West Branch of the Berkeley Public Library, Berkeley, CA
Harley Ellis Devereaux
Outstanding Features: First certified Living Building public library in California; sunlight provides 97% of light.
