Phipps' Center for Sustainable Landscapes earns new top-level designation for green building
The Center for Sustainable Landscapes on the campus of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Oakland is one of a kind.
It is the first facility in the world to meet four of the world’s highest green construction standards — The Living Building Challenge, WELL Building Platinum, SITES Platinum and LEED Platinum.
On Tuesday, the building received another distinction: the BREEAM Outstanding In-Use rating.
Designed to generate all of its own energy while treating and reusing all water captured on-site, the Phipps building is the first in the U.S. to achieve this rating and the first certified under BREEAM in Pennsylvania, according to Shamir Ghumra, director of BREEAM at BRE Global, based in Britain. The Center for Sustainable Landscapes is a 24,350-square-foot education, research and administration facility.
BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), developed in 1990, is the first assessment method for the sustainability of buildings and recognized internationally as the most comprehensive.
“With so many visitors coming to Phipps every year, we hope that this certification will inspire others to do the same,” said Ghumra.
Phipps President and CEO Richard Piacentini received a plaque presented by Ghumra.
Piacentini said public gardens have a role to play in mitigating the challenge of climate change, and at Phipps it is believed the answer lies in regenerative thinking.
The BREEAM rating helps Phipps communicate the value of a green building to new audiences, he said. Certification is achieved through independent, third-party assessment conducted on-site.
“This is pretty exciting,” Piacentini said. “What we have learned with this building we can do to other buildings on campus. It’s not rocket science. You just have to set your mind to do it. People all over the world come to this building.”
Ghumra said Phipps offers the most dramatic entrance to a building than he’s ever seen, referring to the flowers and landscapes he encountered.
“This is a wonderful achievement,” he said. “Other people can come here and learn how to do this. There is no other building like this in the world. This is a hidden gem.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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