Back in November, we brought you word that the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh was taking on the deep green challenge set by the Pacific Northwest’s arm of the U.S. Green Building Council and the International Living Building Institute. Now we’ve got specs in our hot little hands for the new Center for Sustainable Landscapes, set to open this spring, and man-oh-man, is there any green building strategy in the known universe this building doesn’t showcase?
Sure, it’s got all those green build prereqs: a high-performance building envelope, low-e windows, and an impressive amount of insulation, as well as natural daylighting and smart-control building/occupant sensors. Low-flow faucets and fixtures, check; solar power, check; solar thermal (hot water system), check. You’ll also find recycled/sustainably sourced materials throughout, a green roof, native/drought resistant landscaping, and a rainwater harvesting system.
But this is pretty much where comparisons between the Phipps Conservatory’s Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL) and the majority of green build projects we cover begins to break down. Because this building goes further—much further.
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