Payette recently signed the Materials Pledge letter to design and construct with holistically optimized materials that positively impact human health, the climate, the environment and society.
In 2013, a group of architecture offices sent letters to manufacturers requesting more product transparency. As a response, last year a group of manufacturers, called Living Product 50 (LP 50), formed to provide a unique opportunity to effect industry-wide transformation by leveraging a common voice and shared practices. The LP 50 has sparked conversation within the industry, committing to manufacture safe and transparently disclosed products, while holding the design community accountable for specifying these materials.
In addition to signing the letter, our Material Research Team formally launched Payette’s Material Policy last year. This followed a year of research on issues of human and environmental health surrounding the material decisions that we make as designers.
Architecture and design professionals interested in signing the pledge can contact Lona.Rerick@zgf.com. And remember to ask for transparency when selecting materials!
Cape Cod Community College’s Frank and Maureen Wilkens Science and Engineering Center is a net-positive energy building designed to transform the heart of campus.
The project approaches sustainability through a holistic and global approach, implementing a range of moves including passive solar shading overhangs, air-source heat pumps, high performance materials with low embodied carbon and the expansion of the range of thermal comfort and lighting power density. Combined with on-site photovoltaics, the project achieves net-positive energy use.
The project’s thermally modified wood rainscreen façade is a study of the modern expression of vernacular Cape Cod architecture while reducing embodied carbon. Early lifecycle assessments identified the immense carbon savings of wood over fiber cement. The design team did not stop there, furthering reductions by peeling back unnecessary finishes like carpet and ceilings. Together, these decisions enabled a 19% reduction in embodied carbon.
#earthweek #designalways #buildingscience #performalism #netpositive #capecodmodernism #capecod #newengland