May 15 2008
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) voted on 22 April 2008 to add Yale University's new Sculpture Building in New Haven, Connecticut to its list of "Top 10 Green Projects 2008", which pays tribute to environmentally sustainable architecture and innovative building envelopes from Schuco. These reduce energy costs, regulate the amount of natural light entering the building, and make a stunning visual impression. True to the company's credo "Energy2 - Saving energy, generating energy", Schuco supplies sustainable solutions for all building types. Designed by architects Stephen Kieran and James Timberlake, the building also earned the US Green Building Council's highest accolade, the platinum LEED certificate.
LEED stands for "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design", and connotes the highest standards of environmentally friendly architecture. The evaluation takes into account not just the structure itself but its environmental sustainability throughout the building's entire lifespan. The AIA has a similar focus. Apart from creative design and optimum use of space, its evaluation criteria include energy consumption, insulation, interior air quality, water management, refuse separation, general resource and material management, and innovative planning and construction processes.
The design and execution of the building envelope has a crucial influence on a building's energy balance. Made by Schuco, the triple-layer glass facade with its ceiling-high windows saves the Sculpture Building some $25,000 a year in energy costs, according to the Green Building Council's assessment. Responsible for this is Schuco's facade system, which features energy-efficient windows and high-performance Sun Control sun protection. In addition, the facade's integrated translucent panels are filled with a special aerogel. They reduce the sun's heat input, improve the building's energy balance, are very attractive from the design standpoint, and let in 20% of the naturally occurring light, creating glare-free interior lighting.