Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens to open new green centre in May
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens plans to open Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 23 May 2012, which is likely to be among the greenest buildings of the world.
The new 24,350 square feet CSL will be used for offering environmental education and research. CSL also has a lagoon, water distillation system, rain gardens, and constructed wetlands. The net zero CSL will generate power on-site using sustainable techniques, which include solar photovoltaics, geothermal wells and a vertical axis wind turbine.
The site will feature passive methods of cooling, heating and lighting. The site boasts of a system to capture, treat and reuse gray water. The restorative landscape surrounding the facility features native plants.
Additional sustainability was achieved by sourcing construction materials from within US only. The project was a global SITES pilot project. The project seems to blurr the lines between the natural and built environments.
