Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor Fall 2020 - 16

"When guests explore the Center for
Sustainable Landscapes green roof, it
helps make clear this notion that we
strive to demonstrate at Phipps - that
humans are part of the natural world, not
separate from it. They can experience
first-hand that green buildings aren't
about being "less bad," rather they are
beautiful, engaging spaces that can
enhance ecosystem services, which
improves both human and environmental
health and well-being."
- Richard V. Piacentini,
President and CEO,
Phipps Conservatory
and Botanical Garden

CATEGORY
Intensive Commercial/
Industrial/Institutional
PROJECT
Center for Sustainable
Landscapes

DEMONSTRATING SUSTAINABILITY
TO CATALYZE REAL CHANGE

P

art of the Phipps Conservatory's mission is to advance sustainability and promote
human and environmental well-being through action and research. In support
of this mission, the objective was to help transform the way people relate the
built and natural environments. The project was designed to be an education and
demonstration site to explicate the efficacy of sustainability, and the beauty of living
in harmony with the natural world. It is the first and only building project to meet
five of the highest green certifications.
The project site is home to more than 100 species of native plants, including 50
on the green roof alone, creating habitat, enhancing biodiversity, and assisting in the
stormwater management goals, reducing annualized runoff by 85 per cent.
Community and project partners were welcomed early to the project to contribute energy, systems, computational fluid dynamics modeling, restoration ecology,
green building, innovative technology, life cycle assessment and other consulting
services. Partnerships were sought with the goal of pursuing environmental
research, education and outreach through the involvement of scientists, research
fellows and department members so that collaborative research opportunities
could create a "critical mass" and enhance the ability to obtain grants for research
of greater scope and importance. Many organizations, associations, government
officials, university faculty members and students were invited to participate in early
charrettes while a select groups of interested stakeholders were further invited to
continue through the design, construction and operational monitoring process as
main project partners.
Judges praised this project for its high level of living systems integration for
multiple benefits and commitment to engaging multiple stakeholders.
LIVING ARCHITECTURE MONITOR / FALL 2020 / 14

LOCATION
Pittsburgh, PA
AWARD WINNER
Phipps Conservatory
and Botanical Gardens
TEAM MEMBERS
Architect
The Design Alliance
Civil Engineering
and Water Engineering
Civil & Environmental
Consultants
Green Roof Construction
Burns and Scalo
Integrated Design Facilitation,
Energy Modeling,
Daylighting Analysis and Materials
7group, LLC
MEP Engineering
CJL Engineering
Planting Plan, Planting, Maintenance
Phipps Conservatory and
Botanical Gardens
Structural Engineering
Atlantic Engineering Services
LIVINGARCHITECTUREMONITOR.COM
http://www.LIVINGARCHITECTUREMONITOR.COM
Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor Fall 2020

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