Nation’s First School of Sustainability Uses greenscreen® to Help Cool Interior

PRLog (Press Release) - Aug 11, 2009 -
LOS ANGELES…Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability in Phoenix – the nation’s first-ever university offering sustainability-focused education – has incorporated greenscreen® green walls into its recent redesign of a ‘60s-era building to help cool the interior, clean the air and improve aesthetics.

ASU’s School of Sustainability, established in 2007, focuses on educating and developing practical solutions to some of the most pressing environmental, economic and social challenges of sustainability, especially in urban areas. The environmentally conscious school also focuses on incorporating green design into its architecture, including greenscreen® green walls.

greenscreen® manufactures a unique three-dimensional, welded wire trellising system that functions as a non-intrusive natural building element, creating a captive growing space for plants to flourish and intertwine. The company was founded on the environmental principals to “design with nature” and to integrate plant material in the built environment.

The Global Institute of Sustainability and the School of Sustainability opened in March 2008 at the corner of University and College avenues in Tempe, Arizona. Formerly the College of Nursing and Healthcare Innovation, the now bright and eco-friendly building was previously described as a dreary chicken coop. The design concept called for a complete renovation that incorporated a number of energy-efficient and green building elements into its design, like the greenscreen® green wall system.

The goal of the design was to reduce energy use and create a pleasant working environment while adding a modern aesthetic on campus. “The project team initially worked with a group of graduate students to brainstorm sustainable features to include in the design,” explains Richard Lemon, building/special projects manager for the Global Institute of Sustainability. “We loved the concept of featuring greenscreen® because it would deliver energy savings as well as a unique exterior element.”

To utilize more natural light, the exterior brick on the west façade was removed to create an open lobby area on the third and fourth floors. The brick was replaced with a greenscreen® green wall system, which functions as a shading technique that promotes natural light and airflow while still providing outdoor viewing. The ground floor also features a freestanding greenscreen® element that divides a neighboring parking area from the breezeway that visitors use to enter the building. This installation controls views to the parking area while creating shade for a small courtyard adjacent to the building.

James Sable of greenscreen® explains, “Revamping the former nursing home required an architecturally-advanced design. The greenscreen® trellis systems helped turn the outdated building into an eco-friendly, aesthetically-pleasing facility that does as much for the environment as it does for ASU’s campus.”

Currently, the greenscreen® installed on the School of Sustainability feature a variety of desert-tolerant vines, grasses and flowers on the building’s west side. Lemon eventually plans to incorporate other herbs and flowers to brighten the eco-friendly façade.

“The greenscreen® system transformed an elevator lobby into an open and inviting area,” Lemon expressed. “Students and faculty use the space all the time for socializing and having lunch, just as we had hoped. Overall, we’re very pleased with the success of the renovation.”

The wire trellising and greenery provide shade for the lobby and breezeway, particularly during the high-peak times of the day. This helps reduce light and heat energy transmission on the building’s west side and, as a result, is a factor in minimized heat build-up and cooling costs. greenscreen® contributes to the concepts of designing with sustainable elements, integrating passive solar design and introducing living materials. Additionally, greenscreen® reinforces some of the design principles being studied at the School of Sustainability while providing an eco-friendly aesthetic for the once dreary building.

Further renovations include occupancy sensor-controlled lighting, GREENGUARD-certified furniture, low-emitting paints, coatings and interior signage as well as wind turbines. The school also incorporated water-efficient technologies such as low-flow toilets and automatically monitored landscaping irrigation. Solar panels will soon be installed.  

The project team for the ASU School of Sustainability included architects Lord, Aeck & Sargent (Atlanta) and Gould Evan Associates (Phoenix) as well as construction manager Johnson Carlier (Tempe, AZ).

The Global Institute of Sustainability is actively pursuing LEED® Silver Certification from the United States Green Building Council.