Milken Institute SPH was one of the winners of this year's American Institute of Architects' (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top 10 Awards. The award recognizes projects that achieve high levels of sustainable performance while providing for excellent architectural function, use and experience.
This year's contest placed an increased emphasis on actual performance and applicants were required to provide metrics related to impact on community, ecology, water use, energy use, occupant health, resilience and economy.
“This year’s winners share an underlying motivation to advance the larger cultural project of sustainability by actively fostering environmental knowledge and stewardship,” AIA stated in a news release. “All are nodes in an emergent network of low-impact and regenerative architecture, and several directly contribute to the development of sustainable design by doubling as ‘living labs’ for technical research and experimentation with innovative building technologies.”
The nine-story Milken Institute SPH building, which opened in May 2014, was designed by two architectural firms—Boston-based Payette and DC-based Ayers Saint Gross—and features a number of environmentally sustainable features such as the use of recycled building materials, a rainwater collection system, low-flow plumbing, energy-saving lighting controls and a green roof.
The facility was also designed to encourage physical activity. A central staircase invites people to walk instead of taking the elevators, bike racks encourage active commuting, and faculty, staff and students can take advantage of a yoga studio and standing desks.
In July 2014, the building earned a Platinum rating under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system operated by the U.S. Green Building Council.