The Green Building to Rule Them All
Located at the intersection of the Central District neighborhood, and Capitol Hill, Seattle, Washington, the Bullitt Center is considered the greenest commercial building in the world. Built by the non-profit group based in Seattle, the Bullitt Foundation, where the primary focus is urban ecology. The building appropriately opened on April 22, 2013, which happens to be Earth Day. In April of 2015, the six story building was certified as a living building by the International Living Future Institute. The goal of this unique building was to push change in the marketplace by demonstrating the vast possibilities in current day.
The Bullitt Center has a life expectancy of 250 years. Solar panels on the roof produce 30 percent more energy than it uses. This places this structure as one of the largest net positive buildings in the world. 575 solar panels collect sunlight which is then converted to usable energy. Average buildings in Seattle have EUI’s (energy use intensity) of 90 plus, where the Bullitt Center clocked in at 12 in 2016. During summer months, the building produces surplus energy, enough to yield annual net positive energy.
The building also has an onsite rainwater to potable water system, which filters collected rainwater into usable water once it is approved by regulators. The building also features the world’s only 6 story onsite composting toilet system. The center also features 26 geothermal wells that drop 400 feet into the ground where temperature float at a consistent temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The wells aid in the heating the building during winter months and cool in hotter months.
The center is also the first commercial building in the U.S. to earn the FSC Project Certification for its responsible use of the world’s forest. The structure is primarily a heavy timber structure and all its lumber is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
Although the construction of the building came with a hefty $32.5 million price tag, the building does not provide vehicular parking. There are bicycle racks to further promote the building's green statement. The building is also conscious of its HVAC system. The building uses a ground source heat pump and radiant flooring system for heating and cooling.
The Bullitt Center takes massive steps in the direction of sustainability. Sustainable architecture seeks to minimize the negative environmental effects of building. To protect our environment is to protect our future. It is imperative that future aspiring architects learn to make sustainability a crucial part of architecture. In order to produce effective design, there needs to be a moderation in the use of materials, energy, and development space. Sustainability is an idea that should be continuously explored in every aspect of human life and should be implemented in daily practice. The Bullitt Center does this.
Sources
http://www.bullittcenter.org/field/media/(accessed March 27,2019)
http://bullittcenter.architectmagazine.com/(accessed March 27, 2019)
Comments