Audubon House: From Here to Sustainability

Audubon House: From Here to Sustainability

J.M. Syken

Course Outline

In this course, we will examine the creation of the: “Model Green Building” – the NYC offices of the National Audubon Society (NAS) at 700 Broadway: Audubon House. We will review NAS’s need for a larger space (for their National Headquarters) and their decision to purchase a century-old building and establish, with its design/construction, a precedent for constructing environmentally-friendly/energy-efficient buildings that others could mimic and/or improve upon. NAS’s concern for the natural environment, specifically minimizing “ecodisruption” (thus protecting natural habitats for birds such as the Artic National Wildlife Refuge or ANWR) will also be discussed.

The history of the building, it’s gut-renovation and facade restoration will be highlighted as will be the background of the Croxton Collaborative – the NYC-based architectural design firm which pioneered the methods, materials and systems for green buildings with Audubon House and a previous project, also in NYC; the offices of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Selection of materials, adhesives, finishes, lighting, mechanical equipment/placement, in-house recycling, daylighting techniques, avoidance/minimizing use of VOCs, promoting recycled-content products/materials, energy-efficient/saving devices/technologies, establishing design/construction criteria, integrated “team” approach to the architectural/mechanical design etc. for the project will be discussed in depth and detail. As well, the legacy of Audubon House to the green building movement will be emphasized.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this course, the student will:

Understand/appreciate the origins/importance of the environmental movement and the recognition by the late 1980s that, along with the natural environment, the built environment and the energy and environmental issues associated with it needed to be recognized and addressed;
Understand/appreciate the background and motivations of the National Audubon Society for using their NYC headquarters as a role model for others to follow in creating energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly buildings and the benefits to be gained to all concerned by doing so;
Understand/appreciate the background of the Croxton Collaborative as pioneers in their approach to office design using materials, methods and systems that created energy-efficient, environmentally sustainable and healthy/productive work places;
Understand/appreciate the history of 700 Broadway including the restoration of its historic facade;
Understand/appreciate the decision to “recycle” the building rather than demolish it and build a new building as being both economically cost-effective, embodied energy, environmental impact and preservation of an important part of NYC’s architectural heritage;
Understand/appreciate the importance of the “Thermal Shell” and the use of wall/roof insulation exceeding NYC code requirements;
Understand/appreciate the use of “Heat Mirror” windows to reduce heat gain and provide natural light;
Understand/appreciate the use of window blinds that allow in diffused light when closed;
Understand/appreciate the use of an open plan and daylighting (i.e. skylight) to improve occupant mood/interactions/health;
Understand/appreciate the use of an “integrated approach” to the architectural, interior design, lighting and mechanical design/s which maximized environmental and/or energy-efficiency results;
Understand/appreciate the establishment of a hierarchy of criteria which the design had to adhere to;
Understand/appreciate the use of computer modeling (i.e. DOE-2) to maximize energy-efficiency;
Understand/appreciate the use of a natural-gas powered Absorption Chiller-Heater to cool/heat the building as an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective choice;
Understand/appreciate the placement of the fresh air intake at the rooftop level to insure that the cleanest, freshest air possible would enter the building and the filter that removes 85% of particulates;
Understand/appreciate the design of the ventilation system which provides 3x the number of air changes per hour required by NYC code and its beneficial effects to building occupants;
Understand/appreciate the emphasis on the use of recycled-content materials/products;
Understand/appreciate the design/purpose of the in-house recycling system;
Understand/appreciate the selection of materials/products that reduce/eliminate toxins/off-gassing/VOCs;
Understand/appreciate the use of mechanical methods for installing materials (i.e. carpeting);
Understand/appreciate how building codes allow for “the worst building the law will allow”;
Understand/appreciate the NRDC office project as the direct predecessor to Audubon House and the ways they were both similar and different;
Understand/appreciate the “two cultures” that evolved in the architectural community in the wake of the energy crisis of the 1970s;
Understand/appreciate how the use of sensors saves energy;
Understand/appreciate the use of a central computer system increases the efficiency of the HVAC system;
Understand/appreciate the meaning of the term: “Embodied Energy”;
Understand/appreciate the importance/use/criteria of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS);
Understand/appreciate the choices made between “the lesser of two evils” in material/product selection (i.e. natural vs. synthetic VOC);
Understand/appreciate the avoidance of PVC plastics and phenol resins in products/materials used in Audubon House;
Understand/appreciate the “Three R’s” (Reduce/Reuse/Recycle) and their application in Audubon House;
Understand/appreciate how waste materials are used in the manufacture of building materials (i.e. light bulbs);
Understand/appreciate the environmental benefits/importance of recycling, and;
Understand/appreciate the importance and legacy of Audubon House as the “kick-off” project of the Green Building Movement.

Intended Audience

This course is intended for architects, engineers and other design/construction professionals.

Benefit to Attendees

The attendee/s will gain an intimate knowledge and insight into the background history, design and construction of the recognized “Model Green Building” that began the Green Building Movement in the early 1990s.

Course Introduction

The course includes an in-depth PowerPoint presentation and the viewing of videos.

Course Content

In this course, you are required to view/study the following slideshow and the materials contained in the web pages:

Audubon House: From Here to Sustainability (printable handout in PDF, 2 MB, see Note A below for downloading instruction)

Audubon House: From Here to Sustainability (non-printable slideshow for screen-viewing only, 7 MB, see Note A below for downloading instruction)

Archival/Documentary Film:

TITLE: Building Green: The Story of Audubon House
LINK: http://www.croxtoncollaborative.com/comm/index.html
DURATION: 28:36

Note A: Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right-clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader from your computer.

Course Summary

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”

In the late 1980s, the National Audubon Society set out to purchase a building for their new national headquarters in NYC. Little did they know they would, in a very real sense, begin in earnest the “Green Building Movement” of the 1990s, and beyond. Their motivation for creating an environmentally friendly, healthy workplace for their staff made perfect sense when you consider their status as a long established, widely respected environmental organization. However, it would be in the realm of energy efficiency that the NAS wanted to make a statement and set an example for others to follow. If Audubon House could show others that it made more sense to conserve energy (rather than fouling pristine environments like the Artic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska by drilling for oil there), the NAS would be fulfilling its stated mission to preserve natural habitats for birds and other wildlife. Ultimately, the ideas at the core of the project caught on, at a time when not too many people were focusing on the built environment. It appears that Audubon House played the role of teacher when the student was not only ready, but also eager, to learn.

Related Links

For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRjmxrEtIYE
(700 Broadway Facade Restoration – 06:13)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=47&v=OZqDEWiSiJI
(Important Bird Areas Americas: Priority Sites for Biodiversity Conservation – 05:55)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv1r0AvIXzU
(Audubon New York Office LEED Platinum Green Space – 07:58)

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.