AEWORLDMAP.COM (3,000+ posts)

    
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Building: The Sustainability Treehouse
Location: Glen Jean, West Virginia
Address: 2550 Jack Furst, Glen Jean, WV 25846, United States
Architect: Mithun
Architect of record: BNIM
Landscape Architect: Nelson Byrd Woltz
MEP Engineer: Integral Group
Geotechnical: S&ME
Lighting Design: Dave Nelson & Associates
Structural Engineer: Tipping Mar
Contractor: Swope Construction
Client: Boy Scouts of America/ Trinity Works
Size: 5805 sf (Building); 10600 acres (Site Area)
Cost: $7.7 Million
Completed: 2013

AE Interest:
Net-zero and on target for Living Building Certification. This building stands at about 125 ft tall and is supported by a Corten steel frame [a]. The forest canopy provides shading to the interior and galleries while the structure itself harvests solar energy and wind energy through the changing seasons. The Treehouse is designed to optimize natural lighting and 100% of the spaces are naturally cooled. No drinking water is used, only rainwater. Renewable energy sources include photo-voltaic panels, wind turbines, and a future central plant geothermal collector [b]. Locally sourced, and site-salvaged materials were used for construction. The naturally weathering materials significantly reduce the need for finishes, protect environmental quality, and minimize ongoing maintenance [a].
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