At a Glance
An academic institution known for innovation applies integrated water strategies to maximize the efficient and sustainable management and reuse of water at two new buildings.
Project Description
In collaboration with Lake Flato Architects and Cooper Carry Architects, Biohabitats provided planning and engineering services for water infrastructure for the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Engineered Biosystems Building (EBB) and Commons Building. Constructed in 2015, the 220,000 square foot EBB, which enhances the Institute’s partnership with Emory University Hospital and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, houses research labs for engineering, biology, chemistry, and computing related to human health and biomedical breakthroughs. Biohabitats planned a highly efficient water system for the EBB which harvests rainwater, cooling condensate, and foundation dewatering in an above ground cistern and reuses this water to flush toilets in the building. Overflow from this system flows, along with stormwater, through water features and into an underground cistern, where it is stored for reuse in irrigation.
Biohabitats also participated in a design charrette and provided water systems planning and engineering for the proposed Commons Building, which will house a new dining hall, student gathering areas, and new spaces for the School of Music. For the conceptual design phase, Biohabitats provided water reuse options based on a preliminary water balance and led the Site and Community Design Team in distilling goals and strategies related to maximizing water re-use on site. These included harvesting and reusing rainwater, cooling condensate, and potentially greywater for reuse in flushing toilets and irrigating the landscape.
Details
Bioregion
Southeast Atlantic
Physiographic Province
Piedmont
Watershed
Upper Chattahoochee
Expertise Areas
Infrastructure, Water
Owner
Georgia Institute of Technology
Location
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Awards
2018 AIA COTE Top 10 Award
2016 AIA Georgia Design Merit Award
2016 ENR Southeast Award of Merit for Best Sustainable Building Practices.
Project Team
- Lake Flato Architects
- Cooper Carry Architects
- Newcomb & Boyd (MEP Engineers)
- Long Engineering (Civil Engineers)