Sustainable Design News
20 April 2010
HOK-Designed KAUST Earns AIA 'Top Ten Green Projects' Award
World's largest LEED Platinum project is selected by the American Institute of Architects as one of the best examples of sustainable design in 2010. |
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, designed by global architectural firm HOK, has been selected as one of the 2010 "Top Ten Green Projects" by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE). The annual awards program honors sustainable projects resulting from an integrated approach to architecture, natural systems and technology.
As Saudi Arabia's first LEED certified project and the world's largest LEED-NC Platinum project, KAUST is a new international, graduate-level research university established to drive innovation in science and technology and to support world-class research in areas such as energy and the environment.
HOK designed the 6.5-million-square-foot campus on a highly visible 9,000-acre site along the Red Sea, 50 miles north of Jeddah.
Multiple HOK design teams worldwide worked in tandem to integrate sustainability into the design and construction of the world-class, 26-building campus. Several hundred HOK people in 11 different offices on three continents contributed to the ambitious project, which was delivered within an unprecedented schedule from conception to completion in just three years.
The project team integrated a series of innovative strategies to create a low-energy, highly sustainable project in the context of an extremely hot, humid climate. They employed five strategies that borrow from local culture and traditions to solve environmental issues:
- Structured like traditional Arabic cities, the campus is compressed as much as possible to minimize the amount of exterior envelope exposed to the sun and to reduce outdoor walking distances.
- As found in a traditional souk or Arabic market, shaded and passively cooled circulation thoroughfares are characterized by dramatic light and social spaces.
- The Arabic Bedouin tent inspired designers to create a monumental roof system that spans across building masses to block sun on building facades and into the pedestrian spine, to facilitate natural ventilation and to filter light. Solar panels covering the surface capture the sun's energy.
- Passive ventilation strategies of the traditional Arabic house influenced the design of iconic, solar-powered wind towers that harness energy from the sun and wind to passively create air flow in pedestrian walkways.
- Similar to Arabic screening called 'mashrabiya,' the campus shades windows and skylights with an integral shading system that reduces heat loads while creating dramatic dappled light.
The project delivers exceptional performance in the areas of water (100% wastewater reuse, 42% water reduction), energy (27.1% annual energy cost savings, 7.8% on-site renewable energy, 80% of glazing shaded year-round) and materials (20% recycled content, 38% regional materials, 99% wood from Forest Stewardship Council sources, 80% construction waste management).
"Because the research and development of renewable resources drives KAUST's research agenda, sustainable development is integral to its overall mission," says HOK Design Principal Bill Odell, FAIA. "By integrating sustainable measures into the site planning, community, building design and campus operations, the university is demonstrating new ways to build in the region and promoting responsible stewardship of the environment."
Now in its 14th year, The AIA COTE Top Ten Green Projects program is the architectural profession's best-known recognition program for sustainable design excellence. It honors projects that make a positive contribution to their communities, improve comfort for building occupants and reduce environmental impacts.
The 2010 COTE Top Ten Green Projects jury includes: Peter Busby, Assoc. AIA, Int'l. Assoc. AIA, Busby Perkins & Will; Robert Harris, FAIA, Lake Flato Architects; Denis Hayes, The Bullitt Foundation; Lisa Heschong, Heschong Mahone Group, Inc.; Alison G. Kwok, AIA, University of Oregon; Elizabeth I. Ogbu, Assoc. AIA, Public Architecture.
Winning projects will be showcased at the AIA 2010 National Convention and Design Exposition, June 10-12 in Miami.
KAUST is the eighth HOK project to earn AIA COTE recognition. Previous HOK-designed projects that have been named to the AIA Top Ten Green Projects list include:
- San Mateo County Forensics Laboratory and Coroner's Office San Mateo, California - Edificio Malecon Office Tower Buenos Aires, Argentina - National Wildlife Federation Headquarters Reston, Virginia - Nidus Center for Scientific Enterprise St. Louis, Missouri - World Resources Institute Headquarters Office Washington, DC - Missouri Historical Society Museum Expansion and Renovation St. Louis, Missouri - SC Johnson Commercial Products Headquarters Racine, Wisconsin
HOK is a global architectural firm that specializes in planning, design and sustainable solutions for buildings, communities and organizations. Through its collaborative network of 23 offices worldwide, the firm serves diverse clients within the corporate, commercial, public and institutional markets. HOK is committed to developing resources and expertise to help lead the world toward sustainable communities and building environments. Founded in 1955, the firm's expertise includes architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, sustainable consulting, lighting, graphics, facilities planning and assessment and construction services.
Posted in: Science + Technology
