a case study in sustainable design - opsis architecture

www.opsisarch.com academic instructional center western washington university bellingham, washington LEED CERTIFIED a case study in sustainable design Sustainable Sites The building is intentionally low in scale to allow maximum sun exposure to the quad and to retain glimpses of the tree- lined hill to the east. The AIC responds to the scale of the new Communications Facility to the north, and its siting defines the southeast edge of the quad. Water Efficiency The AIC incorporates low-flow fixtures and dual flush toilets to increase water efficiency. Energy and Atmosphere One of the most remarkable characteristics of the AIC is its extensive natural ventilation system. Where most buildings rely on mechanical systems to warm and cool the building, the AIC employs an integrated system of operable windows, trickle vents, radiant panels and ceiling fans and cloud ceilings to increase energy efficiency while offering greater user control and air movement through the building’s spaces. Materials and Resources Interior finish materials and adhesives were selected based on a high level of recycled material content and sustainable manufacturing processes, resulting in low embodied energy. Construction waste was carefully managed to incorporate recycling of excavated asphalt paving and re-use of harvested wood for campus academic programs. Indoor Environmental Quality The natural ventilation system offers substantial user control over the temperature and air flow in the building. Low VOC interior finish materials and adhesives were selected to minimize off-gasing to ensure excellent indoor air quality. Innovation & Design To ensure that the natural ventilation system of the AIC would be used efficiently and effectively, a comprehensive system of signage and user manuals have been created and installed. Operable windows and ceiling fans allow building users to control the temperature of their learning environment through natural ventilation. Transparent surfaces allow daylighting and views to penetrate into the building’s core. The recently completed Academic Instructional Center provides much needed classroom space and computer labs for the Communications Sciences and Disorders and Psychology Departments. The building not only carefully responds to its site context, it employs a highly innovative and energy efficient natural ventilation system.

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Page 1: a case study in sustainable design - Opsis Architecture

www.opsisarch.com

academic instructional centerwestern washington universitybellingham, washington

LEEDCERTIFIED

a case study in sustainable design Sustainable Sites�Thebuildingisintentionallylowinscaletoallowmaximumsunexposuretothequadandtoretainglimpsesofthetree-linedhilltotheeast.

�TheAICrespondstothescaleofthenewCommunicationsFacilitytothenorth,anditssitingdefinesthesoutheastedgeofthequad.

Water Efficiency�TheAICincorporateslow-flowfixturesanddualflushtoiletstoincreasewaterefficiency.

Energy and Atmosphere�OneofthemostremarkablecharacteristicsoftheAICisitsextensivenaturalventilationsystem.Wheremostbuildingsrelyonmechanicalsystemstowarmandcoolthebuilding,theAICemploysanintegratedsystemofoperablewindows,tricklevents,radiantpanelsandceilingfansandcloudceilingstoincreaseenergyefficiencywhileofferinggreaterusercontrolandairmovementthroughthebuilding’sspaces.

Materials and Resources�Interiorfinishmaterialsandadhesiveswereselectedbasedonahighlevelofrecycledmaterialcontentandsustainablemanufacturingprocesses,resultinginlowembodiedenergy.

�Constructionwastewascarefullymanagedtoincorporaterecyclingofexcavatedasphaltpavingandre-useofharvestedwoodforcampusacademicprograms.

Indoor Environmental Quality�Thenaturalventilationsystemofferssubstantialusercontroloverthetemperatureandairflowinthebuilding.

�LowVOCinteriorfinishmaterialsandadhesiveswereselectedtominimizeoff-gasingtoensureexcellentindoorairquality.

Innovation & Design�ToensurethatthenaturalventilationsystemoftheAICwouldbeusedefficientlyandeffectively,acomprehensivesystemofsignageandusermanualshavebeencreatedandinstalled.

Operablewindowsandceilingfansallowbuildinguserstocontrolthetemperatureoftheirlearningenvironmentthroughnaturalventilation.

Transparentsurfacesallowdaylightingandviewstopenetrateintothebuilding’score.

The recently completed Academic Instructional Center provides much needed classroom space and computer labs for the Communications Sciences and Disorders and Psychology Departments. The building not only carefully responds to its site context, it employs a highly innovative and energy efficient natural ventilation system.