BNIM Annual Review
foreword
As global and local citizens, we are facing issues today that are diverse, but solvable. Across the country, municipalities and private clients are looking for new ways to maintain success and fulfill their purpose. Together with our clients and collaborators, we are taking steps to maximize social health, invigorate a sustainable economy and restore natural systems. Collectively, we will positively define the outlook for our cities and communities— in both the near and distant future. With this Annual Review, we want to share what we are doing to help our clients maintain a competitive advantage in an ever-changing world.
contents
Ready
set go
07
21
29
ready / The projects we completed in 2008 are ahead of their time in creating livable, sustainable and prosperous spaces and places.
set / Our passion for excellence, education and outreach keeps us looking forward with optimism. Our clients share this vision and give us purpose.
go / The projects on our horizon reimagine what is possible for academics, for workplace, for cities and communities and for our profession.
bnim the ideas of today are building the communities of tomorrow
bnim annual review 2008
2
In the early 90s, we began to realize that sustainable design was just the beginning of what we could do to lessen the impact on our natural resources, improve financial bottom lines and increase the vibrance and connectedness of our communities, businesses and the individuals that comprise them. About this time, my partner, Bob Berkebile, began talking about regenerative design by asking how we move beyond simply doing less harm to creating built systems that are regenerative, even restorative, by nature.
Regenerative design is the next frontier for sustainable design, and BNIM is again leading the way. Two of our projects are targeting “Living Building” status through the Cascadia Region Green Building Council’s program. The Omega Institute for Sustainable Living, when complete in 2009, is anticipated to be the first certified Living Building in the world. The Odum School of Ecology, on page 40, is another example of regenerative design. In today’s world, sustainable practices at all levels that were once elective are now required. Environmental concerns have been made even more important in the current economic climate. No longer economic burdens, sustainable innovations are being sought to create a new economy that will replace the failed construct of the past. Bold ideas are necessary to build healthy, beautiful and economically sound places that will endure. For BNIM and our clients, this green conscience is guiding us to the leading edge of what is possible. It underlies our work and inspires us to unite people, planet and prosperity without sacrificing conveniences or financial responsibility. This past year has been an awakening. Like every organization, BNIM has felt the effects of an unfriendly economic climate, but we have committed to using this experience to build a stronger, more resilient practice. For us, this has also been a time of good results that reinforce the reasons for doing the right thing and making sustainable decisions. The School of Nursing and Student Community Center at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston costs 50% less to operate than adjacent buildings. The Lewis and Clark State Office Building in Jefferson City, Missouri has shown a 7.5% reduction in absenteeism and the lowest construction cost per square foot of any other state office building. At the General Service Administration Federal Supply Service, productivity has increased. New orders are being fulfilled 60% faster and back orders have been reduced by 80%. In this Annual Review, we showcase the projects, research, people and achievements that are poised to define what communities will look like tomorrow. Each of our featured projects represents the great vision of our client partners and addresses themes that shape our collective and best future through regenerative design. We thank our wonderful team of colleagues, clients and other collaborators for their ongoing support. Sincerely,
Steve McDowell, FAIA / Principal / BNIM
3
the ideas of today triple bottom line
People. Prosperity. Planet. BNIM embraces the belief that truly sustainable design is regenerative and maximizes benefits between social, economic and environmental factors. The integration of people, prosperity and the planet means that each project in our practice considers significant topics, such as health, economy and energy, that drive decisionmaking for our clients. These themes are deeply integrated in our work.
bnim annual review 2008
4
Each page of this Annual Review contains text and icons representative of key elements that are denoted by the following key.
People Health, Community and Innovation driven by human ingenuity are at the heart of what people need to thrive and evolve in a sustainable economy
Prosperity To regain robust commerce, consideration of Economy, Productivity and Infrastructure are essential to the utilization of our financial and environmental capital
Planet Energy, Water and Ecology are key issues to consider when valuing our finite natural resources, utilizing our vast renewable resources and regenerating the natural environment
integration
HEALTH
community
INNOVATION
The condition of being sound in mind, body and spirit
An interacting population of various kinds of individuals that share a common location
The creation of something new or the process of thinking about something in a new way
ECONOMY
PRODUCTIVITY
INFRastructure
The structure or conditions of financial interaction and exchange in a country, area or period
The state of bringing something about (work, change, etc), especially in abundance
The underlying foundation or basic framework of our cities and communities
ENERGY
WATER
ecology
Usable power (heat, electricity) and the resources for producing such power
The liquid that is the major constituent of all living matter and a limited natural resource
The pattern of relations between organisms and their environment
*all definitions are adapted from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
bnim is ready
6
The projects we completed in 2008 are ahead of their time in creating livable, sustainable and prosperous spaces and places
rea
ady
The site’s 7.65 acres use restorative strategies to regenerate the native wild life habitat and ecosystem. Landscape design strategies, including a vegetated roof, eliminate the need for irrigation, encourage percolation of rainwater and minimize erosion — so that 95% of water is managed on site. A geothermal ground source heat pump and highly efficient radiant heating and cooling delivery system contribute to the building’s lower operating costs. It is also wired for the future installation of a photovoltaic array. The center is 100% daylit, which contributes to a 57% overall energy savings when compared to a conventionally designed baseline building.
Fort Osage Education Center sibley, missouri
Located on the banks of the Missouri River, the Fort Osage Education Center invites patrons of all ages to learn about the significance of this location on the river as a historic military outpost. In celebration of the Lewis and Clark bicentennial, the fort’s owners made plans for a new visitor center to support the County’s educational mission. The design integrates the cultural history of the fort and site, while addressing the center’s pedagogical mission. Nestled into the site, the building has a strong visual link to the fort and the river. Expansive views encourage visitors to explore the site. The program includes a primary museum, temporary exhibit space, classroom and auditorium. This building recognizes centuries of history, but it also takes a progressive step forward in its mindful use of the resources and restoration of the land that Lewis and Clark marveled over. Passive design strategies include a vegetated “green roof” and high thermal mass walls is to minimize the need for heating and cooling. Landscape strategies focus on restoring the habitat and native landscape, using of water resources responsibly and connecting the site’s amenities via a trail system.
Fort Osage was constructed by William Clark as a military garrison and trading post serving as the gateway to the West in the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase. The fort signaled military strength and promoted healthy relations with the Native Americans in the territory. Today, the Fort Osage Education Center serves Jackson County in its mission to educate thousands of students, residents and visitors about the legacy of this national historic landmark and the importance of this place in our nation’s early history.
ABOUT OUR CLIENT
bnim is ready
8
“This immense river so far as we have yet ascended, waters one of the fairest portions of the globe, not do I believe that there is in the universe a similar extent of country, equally fertile, well watered, and intersected by such a number of navigable streams.� meriwether Lewis to his mother, from Fort Mandan, March 31, 1805, writing about the Missouri River from Fort Dubois to Fort Mandan (Jackson, vol. 1. p. 223.)
9
bnim is ready
10
The Christian Life Center strives to be regenerative, with both people’s lives and the design strategies that support the mission and community. The bright and open spaces provide views and promote healing, community building and education. The building reuses gray water and uses energy efficient light fixtures, daylighting and ground source heat pumps to conserve financial resources for this non-profit.
Christian Life Center at city union mission / kansas city, missouri
The newest facility at City Union Mission is dedicated to renewing the lives of homeless men by breaking the cycle of homelessness through support, education, recovery and addiction programs. The 27,000 square foot facility houses the Christian Life Program, a one-year curriculum that prepares students for re-entry into the community. The new facility is designed to support the Mission’s belief that every person deserves to be surrounded by a healthy, well-designed environment that supports them in establishing a new direction for their lives. Recycled materials, such as the cedar wood siding, are used as a metaphor for repurposing the lives of these men who will live and find new purpose at the center. Other finish materials are juxtaposed, such as masonry that is used outside and reflected on the inside, to suggest the notion of “turning one’s life around.”
City Union Mission provides approximately 131,000 beds per year to weary men and women in need. The new building, the Christian Life Center, provides a home for men who are addressing areas of change necessary to live productive and successful lives. They work on issues such as recovery from addictions, dealing with legal matters, getting finances under control, various academic concerns and finding new direction for family and successful employment. The triumph of the Christian Life program is that, although not all graduate, all receive the essential ingredients for success.
ABOUT OUR CLIENT
11
The 30,000 square foot building features a fritted glass scrim, 100 linear feet of clerestory glazing to induce natural light, fly-ash concrete to reduce the amount of portland cement in the concrete mixture, sustainable materials like cork flooring and low voc paints, and a stormwater management system to manage 100% of stormwater on-site.
Blue Valley District Campus Office Building overland park, kansas
This academic workplace environment for the Blue Valley Unified School District, one of Kansas’ top school systems, supports the district in its mission to deliver quality education. The building accommodates the unique needs of four district departments, including Planning and Facilities, Safety and Security, Food Services and the IT Services Department. The design promotes user comfort, energy reduction and sustainable site strategies. The efficient design starts at the perimeter: a high performing building envelope allows desirable daylight to permeate the interior spaces, yet rejects unwanted glare and heat through exterior shading mechanisms. In addition, the underfloor air delivery system with user controls maximizes energy efficiency. Organized around a two-story atrium, the building features 9,500 square feet of open office space, private offices, conference rooms and the district’s central data system. Clerestory glazing brings light deep into the internal office space. On the site surrounding the building, a series of basins collects site stormwater before it leaves the site, serving as a good neighbor to those downstream.
bnim is ready
12
ABOUT OUR CLIENT The Blue Valley School District offers “Education Beyond
Expectations.” The highly ranked schools live up to this mantra. In 2008, six Blue Valley Schools were named with the Governor’s Achievement Award, which recognizes the top performing schools in the state of Kansas. Blue Valley students and schools also earned distinctions for reading, math, advanced placement and for their use of technology for communications and operations.
13
BNIM/Research BNIM is a national leader in the design and construction industry. Our collaborative research with Autodesk, the U. S. Green Building Council and the Lean Construction Institute is not only furthering BNIM’s own work, but it is transforming the work of the entire industry. The U.S. Green Building Council awarded a research grant to BNIM in August 2008 for a study focused on Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) around building sites. With a finite supply and increasing global demand for fresh water, the management and reuse of stormwater has become one of the most critical environmental concerns in the building design industry. The grant will allow BNIM to monitor several sites for 20 months. The findings will address the spending represented by unnecessary potable water use, stormwater management processes and increased water quality through removing pollutants from surface runoff.
bnim is ready
14
The demonstration video that premiered at Autodesk University in December 2008 shows how a blend of energy modeling and building information modeling (BIM) will transform intuitive data into a virtual model and ultimately into a calculated, high-performance building. This video used BNIM’s BIM model for the Greensburg Business Incubator project as the featured example. A book entitled Green BIM: Successful Sustainable Design with Building Information Modeling helps teams integrate BIM and sustainability to create innovative designs through a streamlined delivery process. The book is coauthored by BNIM’s Director of Elements, Brad Nies, AIA, and also includes a foreword by Steve McDowell, FAIA.
15
bnim is set
16
Our passion for excellence, education and outreach keeps us looking forward with optimism. Our clients share this vision and give us purpose
se
et
17
BNIM/2008 Clients
Academie Lafayette AECOM Alexandra’s Just Desserts, LLC Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture Alvine Engineering American Century Investments Applebee’s Services, Inc. Asakura Robinson Company Astra Communications, Inc. Autodesk Bank Midwest Beauty Brands Bernstein-Rein Blank Park Zoo Blue Springs Public Art Commission Blue Valley School District #229 BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas City Bohlin Cywinski Jackson BTI - Greensburg Buffalo Bayou Partnership Burns & McDonnell Butler, Rosenbury & Partners, Inc. CBS News City of Fairway, Kansas City of Gladstone, Missouri City of Greensburg, Kansas City of Houston, Texas City of Kansas City, Missouri City of Kansas City, Missouri - Parks and Recreation City of Kansas City, Missouri - Water Department City of North Kansas City, Missouri City Union Mission Copaken White Blitt Cousins Properties David and Gigi Cooley Deborah Sue Glassberg Deere & Company Delich, Roth & Goodwillie, PA DPR Construction, Inc. EDAW Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn (EE&K) Architects Einhorn Yaffee Prescott, Architecture and Engineering PC Embarq Eskie Associates eTc Holdings, LTD Eugene Water & Electric Board General Services Administration Germinder & Associates Inc. Girl Scouts of NE Kansas & NW Missouri, Inc. Global Green, USA Greensburg, KS School District - USD 422 Grinnell College Groupe Pacific, Inc. H&R Block Harris County Precinct Three Harry S. Truman Library Institute Holy Cross School Hovey Williams LLP Howell Construction Internal Revenue Service Iowa Utilities Board Jackson County Parks & Recreation JE Dunn Construction Jim Cownie Mr. & Mrs. John E. Marshall Johnson
County, Kansas Facilities Management Department Kansas City Art Institute Kansas City Ballet Kansas City Power & Light Company Kansas Corporation Commission - Energy Office Kansas State Bank Kansas State University Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Keck Neurology Wellness Institute DE LLC Ken & Roswitha Schaffer Kessinger Hunter & Company L’OEUF Pearl Poddubiuk et Associes Architectes Ladco Development Lathrop & Gage LC Lacy & Company Levitt Enterprises, Inc. Lewis, Rice & Fingersh, LC Make It Right Foundation Melaver, Inc. Metropolitan Energy Center Mid America Regional Council Missouri State University Moshe Safdie & Associates, Inc. MVP Architects The NelsonAtkins Museum of Art Nix Lauridsen Nyemaster, Goode, West, Hansell & O’Brien Omega Institute ONCOR International One Main Development, LLC Owl Properties Pathway Development Company, LLC Pershing Road Development Company Polk County Conservation Board Power House Properties, LLC Prime Commercial Real Estate Services Princeton University Rockhurst University ScreenScape Studios Sioux City Art Center State of Iowa Steven Holl Architects Stoltz Management Company Structural Engineering Associates Swope Community Enterprises Taliaferro and Browne, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Tom Higgins U.S. Engineering Company Unity Temple on the Plaza The University of Georgia University of Houston System The University of Iowa University of Missouri University of Nebraska Medical Center The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston USGBC-St. Louis Watershed Committee of the Ozarks, Inc. Williams Architects Zimmer Real Estate Services, LC
Accolades/People The following industry and community activities reinforce that BNIM’s accomplishments are a direct result of the individuals who make the success of each project a personal passion. Our exceptional people make a difference in the community each day. Here are some 2008 highlights: BNIM received the 2008 United Way Circle of Caring, awarded to corporations and organizations that support United Way above and beyond the call of duty. BNIM named three new Associate Principals: Bradley Nies, AIA, LEED AP; Hans Nettelblad, AIA, LEED AP; and Matthew Porecca, AIA, LEED AP. The firm recognized the boundless contributions of BNIM founder, Tom Nelson, FAIA, by celebrating his career and accomplishments. 20
bnim is set
Kathy Achelpohl, AIA, LEED AP, was appointed by the Mayor as a commissioner to the Kansas City, Missouri Municipal Art Commission. Celine Andersen, Assoc. ASLA, LEED AP, was one of 24 generation X landscape
architects invited to attend the Xtreme LA Challenge. Theodora Batchvarova, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, is a member of AIA Healthcare Committee, which organized a Health Symposium for 300 people. Laura Bellis became the Chair of the Vision User Group, Planning Sub-committee for the Midwest region. Jesse Benedick received an Honorable Mention in a competition called Re:Connect – Urban Planning for People and Place Urban sponsored by Re:Vision. Bob Berkebile, FAIA, received the 2008 Regional Leadership Award from the Mid-America Regional Council and a 2008 U.S. Green Building Council Leadership
Award in the Organization Excellence category. He was appointed to the Advisory Committee for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Commission on Environmental Cooperation. Berkebile was also appointed to the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for 2008-2009. Catherine Callaway, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, is Co-chair of AIA Houston COTE, Co-chair of Rice Design Alliance Partners and Co-chair of the Student Competition for Gulf Coast Green Symposium. Casey Cassias, AIA, was elevated to American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows. Valerie Frye, IIDA, LEED AP, was appointed Corporate Forum Advisor for the International Interior Design Association.
Brittany Gamble, LEED AP, was Past President for KC International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and served as Chair of the organization’s Membership Committee and Webpage Committee. She also spearheaded a collaboration of organizations called the Built Environment Partnership (bepkc.org). Stephen Hardy, AICP, LEED AP, and Rachel Stroer were interviewed for several television programs regarding the Greensburg Master Plan and rebuilding efforts on the Discovery Channel, Planet Green and the Weather Channel. Hardy lectured widely in 2008 for organizations such as the Meredith Corporation, Iowa Finance Authority, AIA, and Kansas Summit on Health and the Environment. Erik Heitman, Assoc. AIA, was elected Vice-president of the Plaza-Westport Neighborhood Association. Christina Hoxie was an organizer of the Jana Mackey Eleven Hundred Torches National Campaign Benefit with the purpose to encourage 1100 people to serve others, which was inspired by the life of advocate and activist Jana Mackey. An article by Ramana Koti, Assoc. ASHRAE, LEED AP, titled “Daylit Spaces, Productive Places” appeared in SOLAR TODAY. The issue won a 2008 APEX Award for Publication Excellence in the Magazines & Journals – Print, Over 32 Pages category.
Laura Lesniewski, AIA, LEED AP, served as Director for the AIA Kansas City Chapter. Maria Maffry joined BNIM as Vice President of Business Development. Dev Malik, AIA, served on the Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Administration Alumni Board of Directors and the Executive Education Advisory Council. Carey Nagle, AIA, was the Speaker Co-chair for the AIA Iowa Convention. Hans Nettelblad, AIA, LEED AP, was named 2008 Architect of the Year by AIA Kansas City. This follows on the footsteps of Greg Sheldon, AIA, (2006) and Bob Berkebile, FAIA, (2007) who also received the honor. Hans Nettelblad, AIA, LEED AP, served as Director of the AIA Kansas Chapter. Bradley Nies, AIA, LEED AP, served as Secretary for USGBC Greater Kansas City Chapter Board and was selected as Treasurer for 2009. He represented BNIM at the inaugural Architecture and Design Sustainable Design Leadership Summit, and was subsequently named the Chair for the Midwest Region. He also served as co-chair of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Climate Protection Partnership. Jonathan Ramsey, AIA, LEED AP, served in positions as Chairperson of AIA Iowa COTE, Chair of the Iowa Disaster Recovery Workshop Planning Committee, and as Sustainability
Chair for the 2008 AIA Iowa Convention. Jim Schuessler, ASLA, LEED AP, was a Board Member of 4A Collaborative and served on the National WWI Museum Building & Grounds Committee. Mark Shapiro, AIA, and Steve McDowell, FAIA, presented the Fayez S. Sarofim Research Building as a Sustainable Laboratory Design Case Study at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) 2008 conference. Amy Slattery, AIA, LEED AP, was named 2008 Emerging Professional of the Year by AIA Kansas City. Doug Stevens, AIA, LEED AP, was appointed Board Member for the City of Leawood Kansas, Parks and Recreation Department. Rachel Stroer participated in a number of speaking engagements that included the Kansas Environmental Conference, the City of Overland Park, Kansas, the City of Lee’s Summit, Missouri and the Kansas Housing Corporation, to name a few. Elif Tinney served as a Board Member of the Missouri Coalition for Interior Design. The work of Kelly Uehling, MCSE, contributed to BNIM receiving recognition for early technology adoption in the Deltek Vision 6.0 Early Adopter Program.
21
Freight House Pedestrian Bridge (w/ 360) • Merit Award, AIA Central States • Design Award, American Public Works Administration
Christian Life Program Center at City Union Mission • Merit Award, AIA Central States
Bartle Hall Ballroom Expansion • Merit Award, International Illumination Design Awards • Best Incorporation of Daylight Award, A|L Light and Architecture Design Awards, Architectural Lighting Magazine
Applebee’s Restaurant Support Center • Capstone Award, Green Design Category, Kansas City Business Journal • Capstone Award, Office Category, Kansas City Business Journal • Merit Award, Excellence in Architecture, AIA Kansas
Atlanta – City of the Future • Winner Regional and National Competition, History Channel’s “City of the Future” (BNIM with EDAW, Praxis 3 and Metcalf & Eddy)
LEED Platinum • Heifer International Headquarters (Sustainable Design Consultant) LEED Gold • UTHSC-H School of Nursing & Student Community Center LEED Silver • Applebee’s Restaurant Support Center • Bartle Hall Ballroom Expansion (Sustainable Design Consultant) LEED Certified • IRS Kansas City Campus
Accolades/Firm The firm’s work was published in trade journals including Architectural Record, Building Design & Construction, Contract Magazine, Design Cost Data, Environmental Design & Construction, Greenability, House & Home, Landscape Architect, Architect and Metal Architecture.
Kansas City Public Library - Plaza Branch • Silver Award, Sustainable Category, Mid-America Design Awards, International Interior Design Association Mid-America Chapter
IRS Kansas City Campus • American Society of Landscape Architecture Award, Prairie Gateway Chapter • Honorable Mention, AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects Award • Bronze Award, Building Team Awards, Building Design + Construction • Merit Award, International • Illumination Design Awards
Heifer International Headquarters • Honor Award, Architecture, AIA National
GSA Bannister Atrium and Federal Supply Services Offices • Silver Award, Education/Research Category, Mid-America Design Awards, International Interior Design Association Mid-America Chapter
Greensburg Comprehensive Plan • 2008 Sustainable Cities Award, Financial Times & Urban Land Institute • Daniel Burnham Award, American Planning Association • American Society of Landscape Architecture Award, Prairie Gateway Chapter Citation Award • Unbuilt/Commissioned Work, AIA Kansas
Greensburg City Hall • Honor Award, Unbuilt/Commissioned Work, AIA Kansas
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Bloch Building • Honor Award, Architecture, AIA National • Lumen Award, Exterior Lighting, Illuminating Engineering Society, New York City Chapter • Lumen Award, Interior Lighting, Illuminating Engineering Society, New York City Chapter • Merit Award, Exterior, International Illumination Design Awards • Merit Award, Interior, International Illumination Design Awards
Merriam Visitor’s Center • Merit Award, Excellence in Architecture, AIA Kansas
Pink Project (New Orleans Make it Right) • Environmental Design Award, D&AD Awards
North Charleston Naval Memorial • Environmental Design Award, A5 AIGA Kansas City Chapter
American Architecture Awards Program, Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies & Metropolitan Arts Press Ltd. • Development of Distinction Award, Urban Land Institute Kansas City • Outstanding Achievement Award, A|L Light and Architecture Design Awards, Architectural Lighting Magazine • Frontiers of Knowledge Award for the Arts, Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentiaria (BBVA) Mid-America Design Awards, International Interior Design Association Mid-America Chapter
• Best New Building Design Award,
Lewis and Clark State Office Building
• Gold Award, Sustainable Category,
BNIM/Carbon Balanced In 2008, BNIM balanced 758.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which our organization produced in 2007, through offsets from the nonprofit group, The Climate Trust. Additionally, from 2007 to 2008, BNIM reduced the company’s carbon footprint by almost 10% from the previous year by reducing air travel and creating efficiencies that reduced energy usage. Carbon balancing is just the start, however. Most importantly, BNIM is committed to creating a sustainable culture within the firm that influences each project and the actions of each employees. We have found that this cultural influence is contagious and has enriched our internal sense of community in countless ways. We ride the bus and car pool together. We work together to consume less paper, glass and plastic, and, when we produce waste, we recycle. We support telecommuting. We talk about sustainability and share ideas. A lot. The way that we operate as a firm means that our mindset is already geared towards finding the most holistic sustainable solutions in the projects we do for our clients, which means that innovation and discovery can prevail in all of our work.
What is Carbon Balancing ? Being Carbon Neutral means first measuring carbon consumption from the burning of fossil fuels that are produced when we use electricity, engage in vehicular or airline travel, and consume materials that do the same. Next, we balance that value with an equivalent offset that represents an investment in renewable energy.
BNIM/LEEDŽership BNIM has educated over 500 individuals in LEED training workshops aimed at increasing the environmental design capacity of our colleagues in the architecture, design and construction industries. A strong tenet of our practice is the belief that education and outreach are vitally important to BNIM’s role as a pioneer of sustainable design. Our outreach is not solely focused on LEED. Our programs share progressive projects and research that recognize that our built environment can shift from a position of consumption to one of restoration and balance.
25
Our LEED training workshops are held at sustainably designed and LEED-certified buildings across the United States. A building tour during these workshops allows participants a chance to see the sustainable design strategies at work. Attendees include professionals from across the building industry.
bnim is ready, set, go
26
the projects on our horizon reimagine what is possible for academics, for workplace, for cities and communities, and for our profession
go
o
27
bnim is ready, set, go with offices in Kansas City, MO, Houston, TX, Des Moines, IA, San Diego, CA and Los Angeles, cA, — and projects across the U.S. and in Canada — BNIM offers the values of a community-based architecture and design firm combined with the access and reach of a national firm.
bnim building the communities of tomorrow
28
02/
06/ 01/03/04/05/08 07/ 09/
01/KS
02/QC
03/MO
greensburg
Petite Rivière Redevelopment
kansas city power & light
04/MO
05/MO
06/NE
the kauffman center for the performing arts
rockhurst university campus master plan
Harold M. and Beverly Maurer Center for Public Health
07/TX
08/MO
09/GA 29
the Michael J. Cemo Hall
kansas city green region
odum School of Ecology
Incorporating a variety of uses into Greensburg’s civic core will encourage economic growth, local prosperity and community interaction. by treating each drop of water as a precious resource and incorporating renewable strategies for power generation, These public projects will convey the character of Greensburg through the ideas and technology of sustainable design, while mitigating their impact on the environment.
01/KS Greensburg Two years after a devastating EF5 tornado destroyed over ninety five percent of the town, Greensburg is well on its way to recovery. BNIM’s award winning streetscape is taking shape on Main Street and our LEED Platinum designs for the K-12 school, City Hall and Big Well Museum are rising from the ground. A major manufacturer of green building materials is coming to Greensburg, bringing much needed green collar jobs. Greensburg will be 100% powered by renewable energy after the Greensburg Wind Farm is completed. These accomplishments have garnered worldwide attention; Greensburg has been recognized nationally and internationally for its vision, leadership and sustainable planning.
bnim is ready, set, go
30
Notable Achievements
The American Planning Association presented its prestigious Daniel Burnham Award to the BNIM authored Greensburg Sustainable Comprehensive Plan. the daniel burnham award
The Greensburg Sustainable Comprehensive Plan was awarded the 2008 Sustainable Cities Award, sponsored by Financial Times and The Urban Land Institute. The National Building Museum is featuring the Greensburg Sustainable Comprehensive Plan through October 29, 2009.
2008 sustainable cities award
The City of Greensburg, the Kansas Power Pool and John Deere Renewables are building the Greensburg Wind Farm. The wind farm will have ten turbines and produce 12.5 megawatts of power, more than enough to power the entire town. President Obama’s Address to Congress cited Greensburg, KS as a pioneer for leadership in clean energy. “Greensburg,” a thirteen part series on the Discovery Channel’s Planet Green network, documented the sustainable rebuilding of Greensburg. BNIM was recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Agency for its valued partnership in the rebuilding of the City of Greensburg and Kiowa County through USDA Rural Development Programs. BNIM’s design for Main Street, the K-12 school, City Hall and the Big Well Museum are underway and have been recognized for their contributions to the sustainable vision.
national building museum green community exhibit
31
Petite Rivière will use these performance measures: REDUCE BUILDING EMISSIONS BY 100% (CARBON-NEUTRAL); ENHANCE LOCAL CULTURE AND HERITAGE; SOURCE AT LEAST 30% OF MATERIALS REGIONALLY; REDUCE CONSTRUCTION AND SOLID WASTE BY 98%; produce 1 JOB PER 5 UNITS OF HOUSING; have 15% AFFORDABLE HOUSING; REDUCE MUNICIPAL WATER USE BY 627 LITERS PER DAY (80% REDUCTION); REDUCE TRANSPORT EMISSIONS BY 71%; leave 54% OF SITE AS NATURAL HABITAT AND GREEN SPACES; and obtain 40% OF ALL FOOD FROM LOCAL FARMS AND ON-SITE GARDENS.
02/QC Petite Rivière Redevelopment montréal
Petite Rivière is the first community in Canada designed for highquality living within the limited resources of one planet. The complex plan for this site, located at the intersection of three municipalities and two railway yards, is initiated by the vision of the client, Groupe Pacific, to achieve “true sustainability” by stretching beyond the highest green building standards for materials, water, energy and indoor air quality. The project, located in Montréal between CoteSaint-Luc, Montréal West and Lachine, is being designed for Zero Carbon and Zero Waste by using design principles of walkability, mixed-use, connectivity, compactness, regeneration and community. The plan for the new 1,900 unit mixed use, sustainable neighborhood integrates sustainable stormwater management, on-site biological sewage treatment, natural habitat and ecological restoration and development, sustainable transportation and productive (edible) landscape strategies within the public realm. The intention is to reduce the community’s footprint by 70% (compared to the Quebec average). Through holistic planning, the project becomes more than just a home, a park and a business — it becomes a way of living.
bnim is ready, set, go
32
With L’OEUF PEARL PODDUBIUK ET ASSOCIÉS, ARCHITECTES for groupe pacific
The KCP&L Headquarters will convert the original overhead HVAC distribution to underfloor displacement air. The design redistributes offices to the core of the space, with open offices along the perimeter, to maximize daylight. Demountable walls and high levels of both recycled and recyclable materials ensure that the space will embody healthy workplace practices and focus on indoor air quality.
03/mo Kansas City Power & Light kansas city
In 2007, Kansas City Power & Light Co. (KCP&L) entered into an agreement with the Sierra Club to reduce the utility company’s overall CO2 emissions by 20 percent by the year 2020 through complying with legislative and regulatory changes. Accordingly, KCP&L is taking considerable steps to improve its facilities through aggressive sustainable design solutions. BNIM’s design for KCP&L’s new headquarters is teaching an old building new tricks. The decision to relocate into 250,000 square feet in One Kansas City Place, a 1980s office tower in downtown Kansas City, pushes the envelope on what is possible for retrofitting older buildings to today’s sustainable design standards. The amount of existing building stock in Kansas City and the U.S. is vast, and KCP&L’s office space will demonstrate the ability to introduce highperformance, integrated design into an existing office tower and will serve as a powerful example to other building owners, business owners and customers. When the project is complete in fall of 2009, KCP&L will meter power consumption on the project, which is anticipated to perform much better than typical tenant finish office space. Concurrently, BNIM is also designing a state of the art, multipurpose operations center in south Kansas City for KCP&L. The first project on the operations support campus, The Service Center, will be LEED certified and include a nature center and 300-seat auditorium for private and community use.
33
Innovative Project Delivery: Using 3D Building Information Modeling (BIM), BNIM and the contractor, JE Dunn, are pioneering the use of this software for project delivery by digitally reviewing the project throughout construction. The contractor is “virtually” constructing the project to identify any interference between trades and to eliminate costly field issues during construction. This delivery method is more efficient, accurate and sustainable than traditional approaches.
04/MO The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts kansas city
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will soon be counted among the finest performing arts centers in the world because of its superior acoustics, complex geometry and momentous spaces of exquisite design, detailing and construction. Designed by Moshe Safdie and Associates, in collaboration with renowned acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota and BNIM as joint architect of record, this facility was designed to produce near perfect acoustics, promising an exceptional experience for performers and audiences alike. The new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will be one of the most significant cultural facilities in the Midwest and will have a transformative effect on Kansas City’s urban core, economy and thriving arts community. Not only will the new structure and venue contribute to the livability of the downtown area and add to the redevelopment efforts of the urban core, but also it will open a vital corridor between the heart of the city and the heart of the adjacent Crossroads Arts District. Upon completion, the new center will provide two world-class performance halls for the resident organizations of the Kansas City Ballet, the Lyric Opera and the Kansas City Symphony and will contain a 1,800-seat proscenium theater and a 1,600-seat concert hall.
bnim is ready, set, go
34
With moshe safdie and associates, inc.
This sustainable master plan evaluates and recommends solutions that will meet future needs for increased connectivity, reduced operating costs and include considerations for energy efficiency, infrastructure, mass transit opportunities, neighboring community connections and stormwater reduction.
05/mo Rockhurst University Campus Master plan, kansas city
The guiding theme of the new Rockhurst University Campus Master Plan is, “In the City for Good,” a strong statement of commitment to the city and the university’s surrounding community and student body. The plan for Rockhurst’s 62-acre campus is the result of an eightmonth process of in-depth research, study and discussion that BNIM coordinated on campus. The new plan complements and advances the University Strategic Plan’s four critical issues: reflect Jesuit values, support activities that build campus community, ensure financial and infrastructure strength and raise public awareness of the university’s identity. It achieves these goals by focusing on creating a campus that reaches out and engages the surrounding neighborhoods, an adjacent university and all aspects of the public realm. In addition, the plan is designed to establish a welcoming environment to students, faculty and neighboring residents while outlining smart planning goals for renovated and new academic, student living and mixed-use facilities that will carry the university into the future.
With Einhorn Yaffee Prescott, Architecture & Engineering, P.C.
35
The design of the building supports the College’s goal of promoting healthy and productive communities. The project converts much of an existing asphalt parking lot into pervious open space, reducing run off and heat gain on the site. The organization and orientation of the building ensures plentiful access to daylight and views. The classroom and office wing each have independent mechanical systems to support maximum energy efficiency in response to the differing hours of operation.
06/NE Harold M. and Beverly Maurer Center for Public Health, The University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
The Center for Public Health will establish a common identity for the eleven academic Departments and Centers of the College, providing a single location on campus for research, teaching and community outreach related to public health. To allow maximum flexibility in hours of operation, the three-story, 50,000 square foot building is organized so that the classroom wing can operate independently from the office wing. The classroom wing fronts the public green, creating an important and highly-visible edge to the campus. It will be home to three 40-seat classrooms, as well as a multitude of smaller classroom and collaborative spaces, many of which will be designed to support distance-learning. The office wing is oriented on the east-west axis to allow each occupant access to beneficial natural light. Completion is anticipated for August 2010. BNIM is design architect in conjunction with Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, Omaha, NE.
bnim is ready, set, go
36
The design promotes health, community, economy and productivity for the building as well as its users and the surrounding neighborhood. Daylight is employed in all primary spaces, including the auditorium. Regional materials such as Texas limestone promote longevity and tie in with the campus context.
07/TX The Michael J. Cemo Hall the university of houston
In 1927, George Kessler, a Kansas City planner and landscape architect known for creating exceptional city, campus and park plans, developed a master plan that shaped the University of Houston through the 20th Century. A more recent university-commissioned master plan identified the need for a new facility within the business school that would strengthen the surrounding campus fabric and evoke a greater sense of place for users and visitors. The Michael J. Cemo Hall, as part of the University of Houston’s C.T. Bauer College of Business, will serve as a “front door” to the business school, providing an accommodating venue for lectures and other business-related gatherings and initiatives. The new 34,000 square foot facility will become a home for the University’s expanding Global Business Minor program and will provide three 80-seat classrooms, a 400-seat auditorium, a career center, a testing center and administrative and support spaces. Interior spaces are designed to provide flexibility in educational methods and to accommodate future growth of the University. Completion is planned for 2010.
37
08/MO Kansas City Green Region BNIM is dedicated to the communities it serves. We are especially proud of the work we are doing to position Kansas City at the epicenter of a green region that is rooted in responsible and sustainable development, environmental policy and greencollar job creation. These important steps will help sustain a promising future for the citizens of today and tomorrow.
bnim is ready, set, go
38
The Overflow Control Plan addresses repairing and improving the city’s 150 year old combined sanitary sewer system. The ambitious plan, authored by a team including BNIM, promotes improvements that transform the appearance of neighborhoods by using green solutions while meeting regulatory requirements put forth by the Environmental Protection Agency. In fact, this innovative plan was recently recognized by the EPA as being one of the greenest in the country.
BNIM provides assistance to municipalities and private organizations nationwide. Johnson County, KS, Gladstone, MO and Kansas City, MO, are among our clients. In Kansas City, we have collaborated with the City’s Green Solutions Steering Committee in an effort to implement “first principle” projects, develop “green neighborhood” standards, create a zerowaste economy and develop an interdepartmental educational program for city staff.
BNIM developed an implementation and training program to aid Kansas City, MO city staff in executing a LEED ordinance requiring that all new cityfunded projects over 5,000 square feet be designed to the U. S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver standards or higher. The curriculum will help city staff to understand how to effectively use the tools of implementation and sets a strong leadership tone within the region.
Bob Berkebile is serving as the Co-Chairman of the Environmental Management Commission, which was created by the City of Kansas City to promote environmental awareness and resource efficiency.
BNIM is a founding Partner in the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Climate Protection Partnership. The firm formed an assessment team, which provides ecofriendly counsel to the Partnership’s 130 members regarding energy assessments, carbon footprint calculations and recommendations for possible reductions.
The Kansas City Greater Downtown Area Plan is uniting eleven downtown neighborhoods with one cohesive strategy for vitality and regrowth. The BNIM-led plan provides a vision for the city core where the pedestrian is given priority, where population will double, and where sustainability is fundamental to decision making.
As the world’s first living laboratory, Odum School of Ecology will mimic nature in its ability to harvest what it needs from the site and operate waste-free. The building focuses heavily on the life of water by thinking holistically and pedagogically about water. The students will learn about ecological wastewater treatment and employ the system to revitalize two existing watersheds and restore the site’s stream to its original connection with the Chattahoochee River.
09/GA Odum School of Ecology UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, ATHENS
The Odum School of Ecology is building a new home that will transform education and research by setting a new benchmark as the world’s most sustainable academic lab building. The design’s innovative strategies — green roofs, living walls, water treatment system, photovoltaic cells, natural ventilation, daylight, double skin facades and a collaboration corridor — reinforce the spirit of founder Eugene Odum’s approach to ecosystem ecology by creating a living laboratory that will foster regenerative relationships between the student, researchers, visitors and the natural systems at work in the building and site. The school will take advantage of its prominent site on campus, and its location along the path to Sanford stadium, to reach out to the almost 1.8 million visitors who visit the campus annually by offering tours and programs that educate about a more integrated way of living. The project is based on the principles of pedagogy, biodiversity, livability, energy, water and nutrient cycling. It demonstrates that the teaching process, research process and the physical building can be one and the same.
bnim is ready, set, go
40
About Living Buildings : Living Buildings are informed by and heavily rooted in the indigenous characteristics of a building’s eco-region in order to renewably generate their own energy; capture, treat and use their own water; and operate by embracing the essence of what the site can provide.
“BNIM’s role in creating the Living Building concept is now providing zero-impact solutions to those who seek the highest level of sustainable design available. There is not a single building being designed that approaches [Odum School of Ecology’s] level of sustainable stewardship.” Ray Anderson, Chairman of the Board, Interface
41
Innovation . Collaboration . Transformation / A vision for Odum’s School of Ecology Excerpts from a conversation between bob berkebile (BNIM), steve mcdowell (BNIM), laurie fowler (odum) + danny sniff (UGA) moderated by mark shapiro (BNIM)
How […] is [the vision of Dr. Odum] lived out today in the mission, the curriculum and the research agenda of the Odum School of Ecology? Danny Sniff/ Our main mission is education. Our second mission is public service and outreach. And our third is research. In each one of those areas, this building speaks to our mission better than anything that you could sum up in a long dissertation. The idea is that the building in itself, as it is conceived, is an educational tool and is a research opportunity. […] We’re rapidly depleting the resources that sustain our planet, and through this educational tool of the building, we hope to change society. Laurie Fowler/ All of the state legislators and county commissioners […] will be able to see what’s possible and what they could do with government buildings. People from all over the state come for football games. Our aim is that on Saturdays the Odum School building is to be second, only in terms of popularity, to Sanford Stadium. DS/ To show you how quickly this thing has changed, Senior Vice President for External Affairs, Tom Landrum, told the Dean, Dr. Gittleman, that within fifteen minutes he was sold on the concept — that this building and pedagogy is one and the same. Bob Berkebile/ Just the fact that it is one of the major pathways to football and to other things on the campus, and that it is on the ridge of two watersheds, made it more and more apparent what a powerful location it is. With the buildings, landscape and public realm, we can create a healthy virus, as Mark Shapiro/
bnim is ready, set, go
42
we were describing it when we were last together, that will infect the rest of the campus and ultimately Athens and beyond. DS/ Let me put a number to it. [...] Roughly 1.8 million people visit our campus annually. This site is truly the epicenter of the research component of our science core and campus, so you couldn’t have chosen a better piece of real estate, simply for exposure. BB/ That’s what Joseph Campbell called ‘the invisible helping hand.’ MS: I’m curious to know if there has been a change between the way you imagined the role of the building […] and the way it has manifested today? DS/ When I first started this project, I really never would have anticipated that we would have achieved this level of a building and have so many great discussions about it. But it was a no-brainer. I was really just going to be happy to get a high level sustainable building, but now we’ve got this vision with a massive amount of possibilities like net zero and how that ties into our mission. It became infectious. LF/ After we visited Oberlin College, I knew what we were going to be able to do in terms of capturing and recycling stormwater and using the living machine. But in terms of what we could actually do with what we had on site by making use of those two watersheds, and daylighting that stream, and hopefully, eventually, opening it up all the way down to the river — that goes beyond even what I had dreamed. BB/ Our starting goal was to show you that we could deliver architecture at a level that
would really inspire and make teaching and research more interesting and more efficient and more productive. [...] It was really in the collaboration with you and your colleagues, that we discovered that this opportunity was really much more. This was about creating not a platinum building, but a living building — and beyond a living building to a living precinct that would influence the rest of the campus. That is transformative for us. MS/ Is this [project] changing the University of Georgia’s policy, as it relates to building and campus design? So, is there a ripple effect into other initiatives on campus for new buildings or changes to the campus infrastructure, etc? DS/ It has certainly changed all of the design professionals at the University’s opinion about campus design. […] When I talk about the living machine people, who generally would have gotten up and walked out of the room when the meeting was over, are asking questions about that or the living wall, or they’re talking about the museum component and how school children could walk through it and see stream ecology. LF/ Ask us next year. Hopefully we can say that this building has formally changed university policy. DS/ Right now the city of Athens is building a ninety million dollar sewage treatment plant. And I tell the audience that in fifty years we won’t be spending ninety million dollars building these sewage treatment plants, and I refer to the Odum School of Ecology. Take the University of Georgia: fourteen million square feet and forty-two thousand people.
BB/ bob berkebile, FAIA, Founding Principal of BNIM
LF/
sm/ steve mcdowell, FAIA, Principal, BNIM
ds/
laurie fowler, Odum School of Ecology Director of Public Service and Outreach
danny sniff, Associate Vice President for Facilities Planning, University of Georgia
You will have four or five living machines on campus — and that will be it. We won’t be sending wastewater to a sewage treatment plant that cost a hundred million dollars. We’ll be handling it on campus. That is the future. BB/ I’m reminded of a conversation that I had more than once with Bucky Fuller about change. He kept saying, “Bob, the only way to make significant change, is to make the thing that you’re trying to change obsolete.” Once this is in place and operating, it makes absolutely everything that preceded it obsolete.
MS/ Which of the six strategies – pedagogy, biodiversity, livability, energy, water, nutrient recycling – in your opinion do you think has the greatest potential for capturing the hearts and minds of the people who will experience this building? LF/ The one thing that I’ve heard over and over that surprised me is that everyone is talking about the pedagogy aspect. [...] And everybody has said that there is so much that can be learned from every single inch of this ground and from this building itself. DS/ People ask the question about water,
then energy, but the most excitement, and what is seen as the greatest potential, is the pedagogy. […] Water usage and water abuse is forefront on a lot of minds and they see the correlation back to teaching and education. BB/ I vote along with Dr. Odum and say we can’t split these strategies apart. Maybe the thing that makes this building transformative in the end, is integrating all of these in a system that is beautiful. Steve Mcdowell/ Water has the opportunity [...] to become another sociological aspect of the project at a much larger scale. Especially when we start to think about how every living creature has a fair amount of water inside of them, and that that water is the connective tissue that integrates us, or ties us all together. [...] But, it seems that if we look down the road five, ten, fifteen years when we start to experience an economy that’s much more based on water than carbon. MS/ How will the Odum School of Ecology and the new facility change the world? DS/ We joke about Odum being the Father of Ecology, but we also don’t joke about it. What he did in the 1940s for the sciences is affecting how we are looking at things fifty, sixty, seventy years later in such a different way. [...] We’re being given a chance to combine all of the six objectives, and I think that in time, people will view that as being just as monumental as Eugene Odum’s vision. Gene was a tall, thin, statured guy, but he was very understated. In many ways, that is what’s nice about this building — the beauty of it is in the subtleties. But what will come from it will not be subtle at all, similar to Odum himself. What Odum did was not subtle, but his personality was. That is one of those changing natures for our campus.
for a complete transcript of this conversation, please go to bnim.com/odum_interview
43
In a marketplace where many claim to be green, BNIM set the standards and pioneered projects, methods and research that shaped the direction of the sustainable movement. Regenerative design is BNIM’s response to the requirement for a bold approach in establishing higher levels of sustainable design. Our current pursuits are establishing what will be possible with sustainable design in the years to come, and our efforts will ensure that other practitioners readily have the tools to do the same. The practice employs integrated design processes and tools that achieve success for our clients with human, fiscal and environmental benchmarks. Our design approach considers the many complex issues of contemporary buildings with the intention to derive solutions that are integrated, efficient and durable. BNIM leadership helped to establish the national American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment in 1990. The firm’s early involvement in the U.S. Green Building Council, through committees and demonstration projects, has shaped the USGBC’s LEED rating system and the Living Building concept from 1993 to the present. BNIM’s commitment to sustainability is embedded in all aspects of the firm’s work.
The ideas of today are building the communities of tomorrow
45
bnim services
Architecture Interior Design Landscape Architecture Planning + Urban Design Strategic Workplace Planning Sustainable Consulting BIM Consulting Existing Building Services Graphic Design Information Services
bnim is ready, set, go
46
BNIM people. innovation. design. Kansas City / Houston / Des Moines / San Diego / Los Angeles / bnim.com / 866.894.2646 Š 2009 berkebile nelson immenschuh mcdowell inc.
bnim.com