Iowa City, IA
The City of Iowa City envisioned a community recycling complex that could join several recycling programs together in one location. The East Side Recycling Center, a 24,000 SF complex, provides a site for its citizens to safely reuse and recycle materials and to learn about sustainable living.
The complex is anchored by an environmental education center and includes a salvage barn, oil drop site, wood chip and compost pick-up station, electronic waste drop site and a Habitat ReStore center.
The highlight of the campus is the 2,200 SF education center that embodies sustainability and is designed to meet LEED Platinum certification (certification pending). It enables public education and awareness of sustainability and serves as a statewide case study in sustainable design.
The center has a main classroom, a kitchenette, restrooms, storage and mechanical system spaces. The main classroom is elevated off the ground to minimize its footprint on the site and appear to hover in the bio-swale that is built around it. A cantilevered balcony provides a panoramic view of the bio-swale and allows visitors to engage in the natural surroundings. The building is constructed with sustainable materials and is covered with a green roof and green walls.
The project will showcase several environmental best practices including urban storm water management, a series of bio-swales, native vegetation, pervious paving, geothermal and renewable energy systems and natural daylighting using insulated translucent and spectrally selective glazing.
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tags: sustainable design