This university facility brings history to the present through cutting-edge sustainable design – and inspires future generations in the process! 🧑🏻🎓
The renowned Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago found its home in the Keller Center – an outstanding adaptive reuse project located in the University’s South Campus that reimagines a 1963 masterpiece designed by architect Edward Durrell Stone.
The Keller Center has multiple awards for its contribution to the environment, including a LEED-BD+C Platinum certification and the Living Building Challenge Petal Certification (Materials). What justifies all of these impressive results?
🌳 Ethical sourcing of building materials, such as reclaimed wood from fallen ash trees coming from Chicago’s south and west side parks; as well as reusing the existing structure as a huge offset compared to doing an entirely new construction.
🌧️ Rainwater capture system that utilises rainwater to flush the building’s toilets, diverting rainwater from Chicago’s overburdened sewer system while also providing more space for the rooftop solar panels – which produce up to 152,055 kWh of carbon-free electricity every year.
💡 Circadian lighting system that emulates the full spectrum of light that emitted by the sun throughout the day. The artificial lighting mimics the sun’s colour temperature which helps regulate our circadian rhythm, influencing many of our physical, mental and behavioural states.