News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rhonda Rosenberg, KCHA, Communications Director, (206) 574-1185
July 19, 2007 RR08-01
SPRINGWOOD YOUTH CENTER IN KENT EARNS LEED® SILVER CERTIFICATION
The Springwood Youth Center has earned LEED® Silver from the U.S. Green Building Council. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is a national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Designed by ARC Architects in consultation with KCHA and its nonprofit partners, the $3.4 million, 10,800 square foot Springwood Youth Center was created to address the need for community facilities and programs in low-income communities in South King County, the fastest growing center of poverty in the region.
It is located on the East Hill of Kent in the Springwood Apartments complex, a 321-unit public housing development owned and managed by the King County Housing Authority. The Center serves more than 1,200 middle and high-school-aged youth. The project also received the 2007 Editor’s Choice Award from Recreation Management Magazine.
“The Springwood Youth Center is a terrific resource to the community and shows that a healthy, high-performance, energy-efficient facility can also be beautiful, affordable and practical,” said Stephen Norman, executive director of the King County Housing Authority. “ We’re thrilled to have everyone’s hard work and commitment to kids and sustainability recognized and certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.”
The project is a model of sustainable design. Natural day lighting, and energy and water reduction were driving factors in the design process. “Designing a LEED® Silver building for $167/sf shows that you can create a sustainable building within constrained budgets. It was an integrated team effort,” said Jennifer Reese, ARC Architects Project Manager.
“In today’s world of changing climate, dwindling resources, and over consumption, it is a challenge to design responsibly. Designing a building for children allows us not only to create a safe place for children to grow and play, but also to teach them about their place in this world and instill in them a sense of environmental and social responsibility,” said Dave Rutherford, Partner at ARC Architects. The building uses durable materials like linoleum flooring and low-emitting materials.
Visibility and natural lighting are key components of the building design. Central areas were designed so that the majority of spaces could be viewed from a single position. Interior glass partitions allow the physical division of space, yet provide visible access to the rooms and allow the natural light from the exterior to spill into the interior spaces. Eighty-two percent of the space is naturally lit by windows and skylights.
Exterior sunshades and energy-efficient light fixtures help to reduce the heating load of the building by reducing strong afternoon sunlight into the building. The building uses 20 percent less energy compared to a baseline building of the same size.
Water reduction also played a key part in the building and site design. The landscaping features native and drought tolerant species of plants. Low-flow toilets and showerheads along with waterless urinals reduce the building’s potable water use by nearly 50 percent.
Artwork by Stuart Nakamura was also an integral part of the design process. Based on the activities that take place inside – learning, games and recreation, art is integrated throughout the building in the etched glazing, panels, windows, floor inlays and corner guards.
Consultants included SvR Design Company (civil), Mazzetti & Associates (mechanical/electrical), Swift & Company (landscape), MLA Engineering (structural), Welsh Commissioning Group, Inc. (commissioning) and Briere & Associates (contractor).
The Springwood Youth Center was funded through Building Better Futures, a partnership comprised of the King County Housing Authority, Puget Sound Educational Service District, Kent Youth and Family Services and Center for Career Alternatives. Building Better Futures was established to support the development of services to low-income households in public housing and the surrounding communities on the West Hill of Kent. The Springwood Youth Center is the second of two facilities developed at the site. The first, the Kent Family Center, houses a state-of-the-art Head Start program, a health care clinic for mothers and children and a career development center.
ARC Architects, founded in 1976, has a staff of 17 architects, designers and planners. Our team is comprised of highly skilled individuals that are inventive, inclusive and committed to environmental stewardship. For further information, contact Jennifer Park at 206-332-3322.
KCHA administers a range of quality affordable rental and homeownership programs for residents of King County. The Authority serves more than 17,000 households including, family, elderly and disabled households.