| Featured | Work / |
 | |
 School of Nursing and Student Community Center The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston is one of Houston’s premier teaching institutions for health related professions. As such, it recognized its responsibility to take the lead in the creation of an environment that speaks to living health-centered lives. This facility was designed with a focus on creating a benchmark for pedagogy. Goals of increased air quality, increased natural daylighting, reduction of polluting emissions and run-off, and increased user satisfaction and productivity were achieved using the LEED rating system as a platform. The building includes approximately 20,000 square feet of state-of-the-art classrooms, a 200-seat auditorium, cafe and dining room, bookstore, student lounge, student government offices, research laboratory and faculty offices. | School of Nursing and Student Community Center |
|
The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston is one of Houston’s premier teaching institutions for health related professions. As such, it recognized its responsibility to take the lead in the creation of an environment that speaks to living health-centered lives. This facility was designed with a focus on creating a benchmark for pedagogy. Goals of increased air quality, increased natural daylighting, reduction of polluting emissions and run-off, and increased user satisfaction and productivity were achieved using the LEED rating system as a platform. The building includes approximately 20,000 square feet of state-of-the-art classrooms, a 200-seat auditorium, cafe and dining room, bookstore, student lounge, student government offices, research laboratory and faculty offices. Houston, TX The School of Nursing utilized a holistic design approach that unites façade design, building systems, resource conservation and materials reclamation in creation of a high-performing, integrated educational and academic workplace facility. The strategies have a quantifiable return on investment: the annual purchased utilities cost for the School of Nursing is approximately 60% less than comparable buildings on the campus. In addition, rainwater storage tanks capture approximately 826,140 gallons of rainwater or “grey” water (non-potable water) per year fulfilling the estimated 42,000 gallons needed each month for toilet flushing and irrigation. Because of the limits of the available site, the building is oriented with its long axis in a north-south direction. A breezeway connection—a two story open air space carved from the lower levels of the building—runs east to west allowing the entrance and the main public spaces to be oriented toward Fay Park. Each façade of the building was designed with unique fenestration and sun screening strategies, all of which were computer modeled by BNIM to maximize building performance. 2007 Texas Environmental Excellence Award, Small Business Category, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality | |
 | |
Project Types / Healthcare, Higher Education, Interiors, Landscape Architecture, LEED, Workplace Services / Architecture, Healthcare, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Strategic Workplace Planning, Sustainable Consulting Keywords / University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, student center, nursing, Houston, Education, Campus, academic workplace | |
