Travel with a Beveridge: Now that's a lot of green

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Now that's a lot of green

Pittsburgh's Phipps Conservatory - Aerial, originally uploaded by shutterrudder.

Phipps to construct an energy efficient showplace

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Pittsburgh’s grand Victorian public gardens is constructing one of the greenest buildings in the world.

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is set to break ground on a zero net energy living office building that will generate all of its heating and cooling and capture and treat all of its water on site, the organization announced today.

"Phipps is committed to making the Center for Sustainable Landscapes a true living building," Richard V. Piacentini, Phipps executive director, stated in a news release. "We're working with an excellent team of architects, engineers and consultants who are all dedicated to creating a revolutionary building and advancing the future of sustainability. It will truly be a model of green building design and operations," Piacentini added.

Here is more information pulled from the announcement:

The project team will employ leading-edge and exploratory technology to set new standards for green buildings while using an integrative design approach to ensure a smooth construction process. The integrative process brought all design, engineering, construction representatives and consultants together from the beginning to accomplish the goals required to construct a living building.

This approach, combined with making the Center accessible to the public for education and inspiration, will make it a building of international significance.

To select the primary architects and engineers, Phipps limited the request for proposal for design to Pittsburgh-based companies. Additional consideration was given to teams made up of Pittsburgh or Pennsylvania firms. Therefore the Center for Sustainable Landscapes will be designed and built by people from Pittsburgh, and showcase local talent.

Phipps partnered with architects The Design Alliance for this project along with the best talent and organizations in the region's sustainable design and construction arena.

The glasshouse and its surrounding landscape are an inspiration to many people who visit the grounds. With the new building, the place will surely become even more of a showplace.

The groundbreaking will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, September 18, at Phipps' campus in Schenley Park. Teresa Heinz, Chair of the Heinz Endowments and wife of U.S. Sen. John Kerry, is supposed to be part of the ceremonies.

Click here to stay on top of the news at Phipps.

No comments:

Post a Comment

WELCOME TO NOWHERE

Scott Beveridge grew up in Webster, Pa., a village along the Monongahela River that experienced one of worst environmental nightmares in the United States. His family moved there in 1960 about the same time the nearby zinc and steel mills ceased production. Those mill furnaces were to blame for the damages that awoke America to the dangers of air pollution. After their demise, the grass and trees began to return to the barren landscape that appeared as if it belonged on the moon. His short stories about that adventure appear under these links: Introduction: The warning signs were there

Part 1: Where the houses turned black - The murders killed our reputation - Steel wives were desperate - A cantankerous boom town - Dying for fresh air - A railroad to disaster

Part 2: Bad boys of Webster - The seedy side of town - Swept out the door - A storm was brewing - The search for plant life - Little hope for Donora - Another mill folds

Scott sends dirty clothes home when on the road

If you are like him when you travel, your clothes seem to take up more space in your suitcase after you have worn them. Take a tip from Scotty and mail yourself a package home filled with those dirty socks, underwear and T-shirts after you have been on the road for five or six days. You can buy a box and enough postage at the post office for less than $15. Postal workers seem to get a kick out of the idea, and they will even help you fold your box and tape it closed, too. Seek out a post office in a small town, where the workers have more time to gossip, while driving to a tourist destination. Now, you have room in your carryon to cart home your souvenirs, without having to worry about them getting broken or flown to St. Louis when your switchover is aiming for Pittsburgh.

He also hates road warriors; prefers to chill on down time

The successful traveler packs a personality blessed with patience and some understanding of the road.

Scott says do everyone a favor and STAY HOME if you are an anal retentive, control freak who spends far too much time complaining about life. When traveling, folks always take the risk of flight delays and cultural misunderstandings, or having companions who don’t wear watches or luggage and could land in Macon, Ga., when they are flying to Istanbul.

So keep a book or two in your carryon in case you are stuck in the airport in Haiti while rebels are burning tires in the streets and preventing the pilot from reaching the cockpit of your plane. That bag should also carry any prescription drugs you need, deodorant and toothpaste, along with a toothbrush, clean pair of underwear and T-shirt.

When you arrive, please don't linger in your hotel room. Go outside to meet interesting people. You can sleep when you get home.

Always take a moment to sit down and remove your shoes, like the old man in Hanoi, who is shown in the above photograph at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi.

And before you fly overseas, please check with the U.S. Department of State to find out which countries hate Americans the most.