Five Rivers Environmental Education Center Friends of Five Rivers Albany, NY
This project is the first phase of the gateway to the 450-acre site owned and operated by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The Guided School Program building accommodates the needs of the outdoor environmental education program facilitated by the Friends of Five Rivers, a not-for-profit citizen group that supports education initiatives at the center. It integrates sustainable features including:
- optimized building solar and view orientation - high performance structural insulated panels - solar sunshading - geothermal ground source heating and cooling - solar hot water panels - photovoltaic panels - natural ventilation - daylighting - upwards of 60% energy savings - vegetated ‘green’ roof - rainwater harvesting for flushing toilets - harvested wood columns - certified wood products - bird-friendly design strategies - locally manufactured and recycled content materials - permeable pavers and bioswales - native landscaping