Our Sustainable Design Philosophy & History
Miller|Hull has been designing environmentally sensitive buildings for the entire history of the firm, beginning with many award winning earth sheltered and solar designs in the early 1980’s.Sustainable development solutions create both economic and environmental value. In this sense we are similar to the ‘total quality’ movement which proved that it is possible to improve quality and reduce costs, in other words, achieve the seemingly impossible. Sustainable development solutions extend our definition of quality to include social and environmental value and capitalize on increased efficiency and productivity.
Green buildings are a good example of sustainable development practices at work. Through careful design of its systems, a building’s material use, waste stream and energy consumption will be minimized, as will its affect on the environment. Many green buildings cost significantly less to operate and maintain than conventional buildings, allowing financial resources to be reallocated.
The Miller|Hull Partnership has completed several facilities which demonstrate how this economic and environmental value is created through thoughtful design, planning and engineering. These green buildings are also an example of how enlightened clients can practice environmental stewardship and good business at the same time, and, in the best cases, use the project as an educational tool.
LEED™
Sustainable principles are inherent in everything that Miller|Hull produces, but the degree that we design to is determined by the client. We work with our clients to determine how environmentally beneficial design can enhance their particular project and integrate with their priorities. We have completed several projects which have achieved, or are in the process of achieving LEED™ Certification. However, the LEED™ certification process is expensive and many clients choose not to pursue certification. That does not mean, however, that client and architect cannot design with sustainability in mind. Green design is good design and the benefits of a sustainable approach are well known as these design principles become a requirement of public agencies. It should be noted that although we support the LEED™ process wholeheartedly, we understand the decision to pursue it is not ours. Several of our “greenest” projects, including many that have won recognition as outstanding examples of sustainable design, have not gone through the LEED™ process.LEED™ Certified
The University of Washington Tacoma Phase 2B project achieved LEED™ Silver, as did the Merrill Hall Replacement at the University of Washington’s Center for Urban Horticulture. The Seattle Pacific University Science Building received LEED™ Certification in 2005, and the Fisher Pavilion Building at the Seattle Center in 2004.LEED™ Projects in Certification
The Northgate Library, Community Center, and Civic Park project in Seattle celebrated its grand opening on July 15th.LEED™ Projects in Design
Miller|Hull also has several projects currently in design that are considering LEED certification. These are the Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center (Vancouver, WA); Northwest Maritime Center ( Port Townsend, WA); Bellevue Community College Science Building (Bellevue, WA); South Puget Sound Community College Science Building (Olympia, WA); Cascadia Community College Center for Art, Technology and Global Interaction (Bothell, WA); Structural Engineering and Materials Building at University of California (San Diego, CA); Technology Access Foundation Headquarters (Seattle, WA.)
GreenBuild 2007- Chicago, November 7-9
Miller|Hull's Adin Dunning will be discussing the "how" and "why" of Net Zero Energy Use at this year's GreenBuild Conference in Chicago, Il. The discussion will utilize the Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center as a case study.The Power to NET ZERO
Columbia Springs, to break ground next year, will try to capture power at every turn....Sustainable Design Recognition
In 2004, 2003, 2000 and 1998 The Miller|Hull Partnership received the National American Institute of Architecture/Committee on the Environment Top Ten Green Project Awards. This honor is of special importance to us as it recognizes the successful blending of both architectural design & sustainable design.2004’s acclaim went to the 55,000 square foot Pierce County Environmental Services Office Building for its natural light, integrated building systems, and recycled content materials; in 2003 the Fisher Pavilion Building at the Seattle Center was awarded for its earth sheltering and energy saving design; in 2000 the Bainbridge Island City Hall Project was cited for its environmental features including the region’s first major installation of ‘Certified Wood’. The 180,000 square foot Patagonia Worldwide Distribution Center in Reno Nevada was the 1998 winner for its use of daylighting, energy saving solar tracking skylights and extensive use of recycled content materials, as well as restoration of the surrounding native landscape (xeriscape).
In the early eighties Miller|Hull was busy designing earth-sheltered passive solar residences that received awards and were published extensively. We were design architects on many laboratory and office structures that utilized energy efficient systems. The University of Washington selected the Miller|Hull team in 1979 to design a major addition and renovation to their Health Sciences complex because of our experience in energy conscious buildings, particularly in the field of mechanical system design. In the nineties Miller|Hull set the standard in the region for utilizing daylighting strategies in buildings which cuts down on the use and expense of electrical lighting. Our projects have been cited as examples for their excellent energy conservation by Seattle City Light’s Daylighting Design Lab and their Energy Smart Incentive Program.
Writing on Sustainable Design
David Miller, FAIA, authored “Toward a New Regionalism” (University of Washington Press) which was released in 2005. This book illuminates the history of a ‘green trail’ in the work of key Northwest architects. Discussed and illustrated are environmental strategies organized according to nature’s most basic elements - earth, air, water, and fire and their underlying principles and forces.Walking the Talk at Work: A Seattle Firm Tries Green Tags
Miller|Hull Partnership Offsets CO2 Emissions
According to the Bonneville Environmental Foundation , “Green Tags” represent the environmental attributes associated with electricity generation from new renewable technologies like wind and solar energy. By purchasing Green Tags based on one’s non-renewable energy use—chiefly coal or gas—a firm helps move us all to new wind, solar, and other renewable electricity sources. The Bonneville Environmental Foundation applies the net revenues realized by selling Green Tags to develop the next generation of renewable energy facilities. Miller|Hull focused its carbon reduction effort in three areas: office electricity use, automobile use, and air travel. The following is a description of how we calculated our impact in those areas.
Office Space
Miller|Hull leases a 15,000-square-foot office with electric heat. To estimate our yearly electrical consumption, we used the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s national average energy intensity for office space, which is 16.5 kWh per square foot annually. 15,000 x 16.5 = 247,500 kWh annually. Because each Green Tag equals the greenhouse gas reduction from generating 1,000 kWhs of electricity from a new renewable energy resource, or 1,400 pounds of greenhouse gas displaced, Miller|Hull will be able to offset 520 tons of CO2 emissions over the next three years.
Automobile Travel
Miller|Hull’s five cars average 23 miles per gallon, with each driven some 12,000 miles annually. Five cars x 12,000 = 60,000 miles annually x 23 mpg = 2,608.70 gallons of gasoline consumed. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Energy Information Administration (EIA), one gallon causes 19.564 pounds of CO2 emissions. 2,608.70 x 19.564 = 51,036.61 lbs of CO2 emissions annually. Eliminating this would result in a reduction of 76.5 tons of CO2 emissions over three years.
Air Travel
Some 200,000 air miles are traveled by Miller|Hull staff annually. According to EIA, traveling one air mile results in 1.36 pounds of CO2 emissions. Burning a gallon of jet fuel produces 21.095 pounds of CO2. Each passenger mile creates 0.63 lbs. of CO2 (21.095 pounds/gallon divided by 33.4 passenger mpg). Air travel also creates significant non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions. These are expressed as CO2 equivalents, or CO2e. The Climate Neutral Network states that the appropriate approach is to double the 0.63 pounds of CO2, with a result of 1.26 pounds CO2e per passenger mile (CO2 + non-CO2 greenhouse gasses). An additional 8 percent is added to cover emissions associated with upstream refining of jet fuel. The result: 1.36 pounds of CO2e created for each passenger mile traveled (1.26 + 8% = 1.36). 200,000 miles x 1.36 lbs of CO2e = 272,000 lbs of CO2e annually. This results in 408 tons of CO2 emissions over three years.
In total, Miller|Hull anticipates that it will be able to offset 1,005 tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the next three years, and we are dedicated to renewing that commitment into the foreseeable future.