Artists For Humanity EpiCenter

Overview

• Location: Boston, MA
• Building type(s): K-12 education, Assembly, Industrial
• New construction
• 23,500 ft2 (2,180 m2)
• Project scope: 4-story building
• Urban setting
• Completed September 2004
• Rating: U.S. Green Building Council LEED-NC, v.2/v.2.1--Level: Platinum (53 points)

Artists For Humanity (AFH) was founded in 1991 with a mission of bridging economic, racial, and social divisions and providing underserved youth with the keys to self-sufficiency through paid employment in the arts. Its new urban headquarters, the EpiCenter, provides fine and commercial art studios and a 5000 ft2 (465 m2) gallery space for displaying student art. The gallery is also rented out for events.

AFH founder Susan Rodgerson envisioned the building project as an extension of the organization, with its design principles rooted in its social mission. The organization is invested in educating and empowering young people, and the building's emphasis on environmental stewardship reflects a similar investment in the future.

Environmental Aspects

The decision to design a green building was initiated by AFH youth members, and represents a natural outgrowth of the agency's work to educate inner-city teens about art and and inspire them to strive for self-sufficiency.

The EpiCenter is a simple, functional building that achieves high levels of sustainability on a tight budget. The building uses energy and water efficiently, incorporates recycled materials, makes full use of natural daylight, and provides a healthy work environment. It also serves as a tool for educating the public about economic and environmental sustainability.

Notable green design features include:

• A 47.7-kilowatt roof mounted, grid-connected photovoltaic array, which provides renewable energy for the building;
• A super-efficient envelope, including operable, low-emissivity, high-performance windows, reduces heating and cooling loads;
• Natural ventilation is used instead of air conditioning;
• South-facing windows provide passive solar heat gain and daylighting;
• Open, unobstructed interior spaces allow for effective daylighting;
• Energy-efficient lighting is coupled with daylight dimming and automated controls;
• The efficient mechanical system includes a heat-recovery system;
• Many building materials were salvaged from other projects;
• Many building materials include high recycled content; and
• Rainwater is harvested and stored for landscape irrigation

Owner & Occupancy

• Owned and occupied by Artists For Humanity, Corporation, nonprofit
• Typically occupied by 25 people, 40 hours per person per week; and 100 visitors per week, 10 hours per visitor per week

Keywords

Integrated team, Design charrette, Green framework, Simulation, Green specifications, Commissioning, Performance measurement and verification, Transportation benefits, Water harvesting, Efficient fixtures and appliances, Massing and orientation, Insulation levels, Glazing, Airtightness, Passive solar, HVAC, Lighting control and daylight harvesting, Efficient lighting, On-site renewable electricity, Adaptable design, Durability, Salvaged materials, Recycled materials, Local materials, C&D waste management, Connection to outdoors, Daylighting, Natural ventilation, Ventilation effectiveness

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