The Jean & Sidney Silber Green Education Center
Additional Info
Award Winner : Modular Genius, Inc.
Architectural Excellence : Designed to LEED standards, the 14’ x 43’ Green Education Center provides flexible educational space for workshops, training programs, and community activities that further the non-profit mission of the Parks & People Foundation. The modular building was designed to be transported for exhibition at the USGBC’s Greenbuild conference in Washington, DC as a demonstration building before being permanently sited on the non-profit’s 9-acre urban campus in a Baltimore City park. At Greenbuild, the structure was set up to allow guests to learn more about he installed products and systems, many of which were donated by sponsors. The modular structure’s massing and exterior complement to the new headquarters while providing a contemporary counterpoint to a historic Stone House and Carriage House, all located on the restored site.
Cost Energy Effectiveness : Due to the constant change in Green building materials and products, the Greenbuild trade show exhibit is typically demolished at the end of the display. In an effort to capitalize on the contributions from the sponsors, Modular Genius was tasked with designing a building that was built to exhibit sponsored products, and ultimately meet the Industrialized Building code requirements for Maryland. Coordinating the Greenbuild donated products with an State of Maryland approved design would allow the Parks and People non-profit foundation to acquire and utilize a donated structure with state of the art Green products. The Parks and People Foundation only had to incur the electrical connection, freight and installation costs.
Design Firm Name : Ziger/Snead Architects
Occupied Date : 6/15/2017
Owner Firm Name : Parks & People Foundation
Production Start Date : 9/1/2015
Project Location City : Baltimore
Project Location State Name : MD
Technical Innovation : The display building offered many modern green features from Greenbuild sponsors. MechoShade SolarTrac shades were donated and installed on all of the windows and glass doors. This automatic, computerized window management system fosters energy savings by maximizing the amount of daylight and views to the outside. The shade reduces the need for artificial light and air conditioning, thereby providing a more energy-efficient environment. Three roof-mounted radiometers monitor sky conditions in real time – clear or cloudy. When cloudy, the shades are automatically raised. When clear, the shade position is adjusted according to the sun's angle in the sky.
A rainwater harvesting system was installed due to limited water availability on site. Cisterns were installed to make use of rain water for later use and aid self-sufficiency. Stored water is used for watering gardens, flushing toilets, and also filtered for drinking.
Total Square Feet : 576