Northern Arizona University Applied Research & Development

Breaking the Mold of Traditional Building

• Materials in this three-story glass and brick structure needed to withstand Flagstaff’s freeze-and-thaw temperature variations and intense ultraviolet light. Schneider Structural Engineers met this challenge with expertise from engineering projects in frigid Alaska and sun-baked Southern Arizona.
• Thirty percent of the construction materials in this $25 million research facility were recycled, including fly ash in the concrete and blue jeans in the ceiling insulation. During post construction, 90 percent of the construction waste also was recycled.
• The construction cost – about 10 percent higher than traditional methods – will be offset by the energy saved.
• Energy consumption is reduced by 60 percent compared to traditional buildings by incorporating a photovoltaic solar power system, automatic shade controls, venting windows and energy-recovery ventilation.
• Natural light abounds, providing 75 percent of building’s lighting needs.
• A naturally green roof of low-water indigenous plants further insulates the structure.
• The parking lot is the first in Arizona to use pervious concrete, allowing water to be captured in natural aquifers and used for irrigation.
• This award-winning standard-setting project is ranked in the top one percent of green buildings in the United States. It received 60 of 68 points and a platinum award from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system.
• This project also received the 2009 International Award from the Royal Institute of British Architects.

“The design principles developed and knowledge gained will allow NAU and others to build high-performance buildings for much less in the future.”

— Rich Bowen, NAU Associate Vice President for Economic Development