homeWelcome, sign in or click here to subscribe.login
     


 

 

Construction


print  email to a friend  reprints add to mydjc  

Project of the Week logo

August 22, 2016

Frick Environmental Center

Photos by Nic Lehoux [enlarge]

Frick Environmental Center in Pittsburgh is the world's first municipally owned project aimed at meeting the Living Building Challenge.

Designed to meet Living Building and LEED platinum standards, the center will teach public school students about the environment, and act as a gateway to the 644-acre Frick Park.

The building has classrooms and offices, as well as a public “living room” and gallery space. Features include the Slavery to Freedom Garden and a rain veil art installation.

To meet Living Building Challenge and LEED platinum standards, the building will use 35 percent less energy than similar structures. It will reach net-zero energy and water use with ground-source heat pumps, radiant floors, a photovoltaic array, and a reclaimed water system for irrigation, the fountain and other non-potable purposes.

To minimize its carbon footprint, all materials have come from within 1,200 miles of the site, and subcontractors were hired in the Allegheny County-Western Pennsylvania region.

Living Building Challenge certification is targeted for spring 2018.

Owners: City of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy

Architect: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

General contractor, construction manager: PJ Dick

Landscape architect: La Quatra Bonci Associates

Structural engineer: Barber & Hoffman

Civil engineer: H.F. Lenz Company

MEP+FP engineer: RAM-TECH Engineers

Sustainability consultant: Atelier Ten


Do you have photos of recent projects? Share them with DJC readers. Send high-resolution images and information to lisa.lannigan@djc.com.


Previous columns:



Email or user name:
Password:
 
Forgot password? Click here.