WMU Living Building Design Competition – Cash Prizes

WMU_Design_ChallengeThe Office for Sustainability at Western Michigan University is hosting a collaborative student, community, and industry design challenge for multidisciplinary teams across southwest Michigan. The goal of the challenge is to design a Living Building Challenge-inspired outdoor presentation space for the Gibbs House in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The design challenge is geared toward satisfying the Energy, Water, Materials, and Beauty petals of the Living Building Challenge standards 2.1, while also considering the recent 3.0 standards publication.

The pavilion-like structure is required to be a low-impact, beautiful, multi-purpose presentation space that can be constructed from sustainable materials; seamlessly integrated with a 6 kW photovoltaic awning array; engineered for rainwater harvesting techniques; and designed as an active learning environment through the use of a sustainability exhibit. Factors of affordability, feasibility, code compliance, and innovation in design weigh heavily on overall design scores. User imperatives of the space include occupancy levels of about 50 people with a roughly 1000 SF building footprint, a sustainable restroom solution, at least two walls and a roof to provide protection from the elements, and flexibility for a variety of functions such as lectures, educational activities, community events, and entertainment.

The winning team will earn a substantial cash prize and have the chance for its design to be implemented, all or in part, at the Gibbs House property. Those interested in participating are required to register online and submit a full design plan, as detailed in the Design Challenge Guidelines, by October 1, 2014. The winning team will be announced on National Campus Sustainability Day near the end of October.

An upcoming design panel event will take place on Monday, Sept 8 from 6-8 PM at the WMU Office for Sustainability. Distinguished panelists from Steelcase, ChemLink, and Solar Winds Power Systems are planned to discuss their knowledge and experience with topics such as responsible materials selection and allocation, LBC Red List compliance, solar photovoltaic system design, and other sustainable design practices related to the Design Challenge.

For more information, visit: https://www.wmich.edu/sustainability/projects/gibbs/design-challenge