The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing and Student Community Center
(UT School of Nursing and Student Center)

Photo credit: Hester + Hardaway

Overview

• Location: Houston, TX
• Building type(s): Higher education, Health care, Laboratory
• New construction
• 195,000 ft2 (18,100 m2)
• Project scope: 8-story building
• Urban setting
• Completed August 2004

The state-of-the-art University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston's School of Nursing and Student Community Center is situated on a small, urban site adjacent to Fay Park, within the heart of the Texas Medical Center campus. A pedagogical model of wellness, comfort, flexibility, environmental stewardship, and fiscal responsibility, it continues the University's shift toward healthy, environmentally responsible actions.

The building program balances the community and individual needs of the students and faculty. Study and support spaces help accommodate the needs of the many nontraditional students in the program. All the departments of the school share the classroom and practical lab spaces.

This project was chosen as an AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Green Project for 2006. It was submitted by BNIM Architects, in Kansas City, Missouri, who designed the project in collaboration with Lake|Flato Architects, in San Antonio, Texas. Additional project team members are listed on the "Process" screen.

Environmental Aspects

The School of Nursing and Student Community Center has established benchmarks for healthy buildings, daylighting, visual acuity and cognitive learning, pedagogy and the capacity to learn and collaborate, flexibility, durability, and reduced operating costs.

The building is expected to use 41% less energy than a conventional, minimally code-compliant building. Due to the building's undesirable orientation, harsh environmental conditions, and demanding program requirements, each of the four elevations and the fifth facade, the roof, uses unique strategies to accept desired daylight and reject unwanted heat. Three vertical atria, a horizontal atrium, a breezeway, and perimeter operable windows provide occupants with natural light and ventilation and connect the building to its site and environment.

Underfloor air distribution increases energy efficiency and thermal comfort. This raised floor, as well as demountable partitions, also allows for revisions to the interior design, accommodating changing needs.

Building materials were selected to minimize environmental impact. They include reclaimed brick and cypress and recycled-content aluminum panels, structural steel, and concrete. Low-emitting materials protect indoor air quality. Three-fourths of the building's demolition and construction waste was salvaged or recycled.

Water-conservation strategies, including rainwater harvesting, waterfree urinals, and efficient fixtures, amount to a 48% reduction in potable water use, compared to a baseline calculation.

Owner & Occupancy

• Owned and occupied by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, State government
• Typically occupied by 200 people, 40 hours per person per week; and 620 visitors per week, 20 hours per visitor per week

Keywords

Integrated team, Design charrette, Green framework, Simulation, Green specifications, Operations and maintenance, Transportation benefits, Indigenous vegetation, Water harvesting, Efficient fixtures and appliances, Efficient irrigation, Drought-tolerant landscaping, Graywater, Insulation levels, Glazing, Passive solar, HVAC, Lighting control and daylight harvesting, Efficient lighting, Adaptable design, Durability, Benign materials, Salvaged materials, Recycled materials, Local materials, C&D waste management, Connection to outdoors, Daylighting, Natural ventilation, Thermal comfort, Low-emitting materials, Indoor air quality monitoring

next topic: Process

Our thanks to the ENERGY STAR program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and to the U.S. Department of Energy, and to BuildingGreen, Inc. for hosting the submission and judging forms.

For more information about the AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects, contact AIA/COTE. For help on how to use this Web site, contact .