Growing Green, Building Green
An Environmentally Sustainable Education Center for the North Carolina Botanical Garden
Fundraising continues for our sustainable, green Education Center, to be located at our display garden area off Old Mason Farm Road in Chapel Hill. We've raised more than 80% of the funds and in fact began construction in late 2007.
Visit our construction photo gallery to see what's happening, and continue reading below to learn more.
Also: please consider making a gift ↓ today for this pioneering project!
A Building for North Carolina
In 2000, with support from a generous bequest, the staff launched the design of the Master Plan's Visitor Education Center by Frank Harmon, Architect, of Raleigh. The plan was approved by the State of North Carolina in 2003.
Our new Education Center will express a sense of place and celebrate relationships between humans and nature through the integration of indoor and outdoor spaces. Open breezeways, comfortable porches, natural light in every room, beautiful native plant landscaping, and educational exhibits will inform, delight, and invite visitors to our Conservation Garden. The Reeves Multipurpose Auditorium and conference rooms will support the environmental, conservation, and horticultural community of our state and region. Most of all, our building will be a center of learning, teaching both the science and the enjoyment of plants and nature.
“North Carolina needs this building. The Visitor Education Center at the North Carolina Botanical Garden will demonstrate to the world that a green building can be warm, welcoming, and beautiful, as well as environmentally responsible and supportive of the physical and spiritual needs of all who work, volunteer, or learn here. Set in a world-class conservation garden, the building will be a gateway to the wonder of the natural world and to a future in which human health and environmental health are one.” — Frank Harmon, Architect (FrankHarmon.com)
Three Sections Connected by Breezeways
The 29,656-square-foot Education Center will have three major sections connected by covered breezeways. All systems and materials have been designed to minimize environmental impact and support human health. This project will set a new standard for environmentally friendly public buildings in our state and region. Upon completion, we will submit our project for certification under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating, a voluntary Green Building Council Rating System. We will be one of the first — perhaps the first — LEED Platinum building in North Carolina.
The Flow of Ideas Exhibit and Information Hall, located in the central area of the building, will welcome visitors as they enter the Garden through the large breezeway. The main floor of this area will accommodate a bookshop and plant sales. The upper floor will provide space for administrative offices and production of Garden literature. Other features will include the Green Gardener Room where visitors can ask about Earth-friendly gardening, a gallery for art exhibits, and a special room for Garden Volunteers.
The West Wing of the Center will feature the Reeves Auditorium, a large multipurpose space for workshops, conferences, special events and dinners, flower shows, and meetings of garden clubs and other groups interested in topics such as conservation and horticulture. This wing will also include a seminar room, room for storing and developing audiovisual materials, and space to facilitate catered meals.
The East Wing will house staff offices and classrooms for schoolchildren, horticultural therapy clients, and others enrolled in the Garden’s programs. Here, indoor growing spaces and outdoor learning gardens for children and adults will allow the Garden to expand services and programs for a diverse audience. A nearby outdoor classroom will encourage learning in a woodland setting near Meeting-of-the-Waters Creek.
Green Features
Photovoltaic Panels These panels capture solar energy and generate 20% or more of the power used in the building. |
Geothermal Wells Circulating water through underground pipes takes advantage of consistent temperatures that are "cool" in the summer and "warm" in the winter. |
Rainwater Cisterns Stone cisterns located near the corners of the building collect rainwater from the roof. The water is stored for irrigation purposes — all gardening activities will be based on rainwater instead of regional drinking water supplies. |
Stormwater Retention Ponds Rainwater is retained in ponds and swales. By slowing the water down and letting it filter through vegetation, pollutants are removed and most of the water is retained on the site. |
Site Selection The building site was chosen to protect existing vegetation, minimize earth moving, and make the most of solar heating and cooling design. |
Clerestory Windows These windows provide natural light throughout the building. The orientation and overhang allows direct light to enter in the winter and shades the building in the summer. |
Site Selection and Design
- Efficient solar orientation
- Minimal disturbance to grade
- Protection of existing vegetation
Water Conservation
- Water-efficient native landscaping
- Low-flow plumbing
- Stormwater conservation and re-use
- Rainwater cisterns
- Rainwater gardens and retention swales
Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation
- Geothermal wells for efficient heating and air-conditioning
- Photovoltaic panels
- Solar water-heating panels
- Natural lighting
- Sensors will automatically dim lights when daylight is strong
Building Materials
- To minimize transportation costs and carbon dioxide emissions, and to stimulate local economies, all materials will be locally and sustainably produced
- No wood will come from old growth forest; all will be from certified sustainable forests
- Natural field stone from local sources
- Recycled/recyclable: at least 75% of construction waste will be recycled
- Non-toxic and no off-gassing
Healthy Building Climate
- Furnishings and finishes that will not release toxic gases
- Daylight and views from 90% of all spaces
- Operable windows
- Clean air systems
- Air quality monitoring
- Universal access design
Make A Contribution
If you'd like to help us realize our goals for the Visitor Education Center, you may make a general contribution or sponsor and name a space. You can visit our Support the Garden page to make a donation, OR, to see the plans for this exciting project and learn how you can support our effort to build this innovative facility, please contact Charlotte Jones-Roe (via email or phone, 919-962-9458) or Peter S. White (via email or phone, 919-962-6939).
Last updated by Laura Cotterman on March 12, 2009 at 02:03:08 pm.
