New Green Building at Yale Makes the Grade

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) voted in April to add Yale University's new Sculpture Building in New Haven, Conn., to its list of Top 10 Green Projects 2008.

Designed by architects Stephen Kieran and James Timberlake, the building also earned the U.S. Green Building Council's highest accolade, the platinum LEED certificate.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) connotes the highest standards of environmentally friendly architecture. The evaluation takes into account not just the structure itself but its environmental sustainability throughout the building's entire lifespan. The AIA list has a similar focus. Apart from creative design and optimum use of space, its evaluation criteria include energy consumption, insulation, interior air quality, water management, refuse separation, general resource and material management, and innovative planning and construction processes.

The design and execution of the building envelope has a crucial influence on a building's energy balance. Made by Schuco, the triple-layer glass facade with its ceiling-high windows saves the Sculpture Building some $25,000 a year in energy costs, according to the Green Building Council's assessment. Responsible for this is the facade system, which features energy-efficient windows and high-performance Sun Control sun protection. In addition, the facade's integrated translucent panels are filled with a special aerogel. They reduce the sun's heat input, improve the building's energy balance, are very attractive from the design standpoint, and let in 20 percent of the naturally occurring light, creating glare-free interior lighting…

CLICK HERE for more information about the façade.

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