Sustainability at the Mead Wildlife Area

The Stanton W. Mead Education and Visitor Center is a 6,208 square foot education and administration facility designed as an example of sustainable and environmentally-responsible construction.

Picture taken by Brian Peters in late summer of 2006

These 5 renewable systems have been employed at Mead:

1. Wind
2. Photovoltaic
3. Solar Hot Water
4. Geothermal
5. Wood Biomass

Selected sustainable design measures employed in the design and construction of the Mead facility include:

• Reduced site disturbance at building, site access roads, parking & utilities to reduce erosion.
• Panelized construction to reduce construction waste.
• On-site construction waste management, with 95% recycled and diverted from landfill.
• Reduced energy load and renewable energy sources for heating & cooling.
• Cut-off exterior lighting fixtures to eliminate glare and light pollution.
• Operable windows for light, views and ventilation.
• Physically-isolated and separately-ventilated janitor and copier rooms for indoor air quality.
• Fundamental Building Commissioning for optimal system performance.
• Zero Net Energy goal, based on intermittent occupancy patterns.
• High-performance building envelope.
• Cool day-lighting and advanced lighting controls.
• High-performance mechanical systems.
• Environmentally-responsible building materials and construction methods.
• Water-conserving fixtures and landscaping.

View the Mead Wildlife Area Energy and Green Design brochure.

Visit Architect Thomas Brown's website for more information about the 5 renewable systems employed at the Mead. The complete case study can also be viewed.