O’Reilly Talbot & Okun Associates, Inc. participated as a sponsor in the Net Positive Symposium for Higher Education, held at one of our recently completed projects, the R.W. Kern Center on the beautiful Hampshire College campus in Amherst, Massachusetts. The R.W. Kern Center is Living Certified by the International Living Future Institute, meaning that:
- The building includes regenerative spaces that connect occupants to light, air, food, nature, and community;
- The building is self-sufficient and remains within the resource limits of the site. A “Living Building” produces more energy than it uses, and collects and treat water on site; and
- The building is healthy and beautiful.
You can read more about the R.W. Kern Center in the certified case study here. The building contains a number of features to meet the “imperatives” of each of performance areas. The building includes composting toilets and treats all its grey water on site via filtering through indoor planters in the building’s common space, and through an onsite wetland. Thermal efficiency and a rooftop solar array are included in a net-zero energy demand for the building. Biophilic design elements mimic the beauty of the college campus, and exposed structure and systems allow visitors to see components of the building typically covered behind ceilings and walls (who knew piping systems could be so elegant?). Materials used in the building are locally sourced and any materials that have adverse effects on human health and the environment are avoided.
The symposium was held over two days, and included tours of the Kern Center and the Hitchcock Center (another Living Building in Amherst, Massachusetts). The symposium highlighted projects at Hampshire College, Smith College, and Williams College, and their approach to sustainable, resilient, healthy, innovative, and equitable design. On the 2nd day, a variety of small group lectures were held throughout the day covering many aspects of sustainable design and education, as well as design, development, implementation, and construction aspects of the Kern Center and other Living Building Certified projects. Attendees included sustainability directors, faculty/educators, students operations staff, and design and construction professionals, and many others.
OTO was fortunate to be a part of the design, construction and commissioning teams for both the R.W. Kern Center and the Hitchcock Center. OTO provided both environmental and geotechnical engineering services, as well and indoor air quality testing services during commissioning and certifications. We would like to thank our clients (Hampshire College and Hitchcock Center for the Environment) and other members of the team, most notably Bruner/Cott & Associates, Inc. (architects for Kern Building) and designLAB architects, inc., (architects for Hitchcock Center), and Wright Builders (General Contractor).
OTO is a proud sponsor of the International Living Future Institute and we look forward to more Living Building Projects in the northeast.
