The 5-4-7 Arts Center in Greensburg, Kansas gets a LEED platinum designation- evidence that the town, which was 95% destroyed by a tornado in May, 2006, is making good on its sustainable rebuilding plan.
"Speaking Tuesday to a gathering at the newly finished 5-4-7 Arts Center, University of Kansas Professor and head of Studio 804, Dan Rockhill, and, former student, Jenny Kivett, announced that LEED Platinum certification is assured for the Center. With preliminary certification coming in at Silver, Kivett said a few clarifying statements would be added before resubmitting the application which both Rockhill and Kivett agreed would put the final assessment at Platinum.
Once accepted, the Arts Center would become the first LEED Platinum building in Kansas, the first student designed and constructed LEED Platinum building in history, and the first of what Rockhill hopes will be many sustainable projects in Greensburg.
Rockhill and Studio 804 have been working on community service projects for over a decade beginning in Lawrence. Although run as a business, Studio 804 is a not-for-profit organization that satisfies what Rockhill calls his students' hunger for life experiences. Although most architects "never get dirty," 804 requires that students work in all aspects of design and construction."
FULL STORY: Arts Center about to achieve status of first LEED Platinum building in Kansas
A Sustainable City Rises From the Rubble
A year after a tornado destroyed the city of Greensburg, Kansas, the city and its residents are bounding back in an economically and environmentally sustainable way.
The Search for a New Green Building Standard
The need to slash emissions from buildings is increasingly urgent, and critics say LEED won't get us there.
Affordable Housing Industry Embraces Green Building Techniques
Affordable housing advocates find that green building techniques result in higher-quality construction -- and often with costs comparable to traditional building techniques.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Downtown Los Angeles on the Rise: A Promising 2025
Fueled by new developments, cultural investments, and a growing dining scene, downtown Los Angeles is poised for significant growth in 2025, despite challenges from recent wildfires and economic uncertainties.
Supporting Indigenous Land Reclamation Through Design
Harvard students collaborated with the Sac and Fox Nation to develop strategies for reclaiming and co-managing ancestral lands in Illinois, supporting Indigenous sovereignty through design, cultural storytelling, and economic planning.
A Plan to Expand Tree Canopy Across Dayton
Dayton is developing an urban forest master plan, using a $2 million grant to expand its tree canopy, address decades of tree loss, and enhance environmental equity across the city.
Decarbonizing Homes: The Case for Electrifying Residential Heating
A new MIT study finds that transitioning residential heating from natural gas to electric heat pumps can significantly reduce carbon emissions and operational costs.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research