The Carriage House Children’s Center (CHCC), located at 5604 Solway St. in
Squirrel Hill, will be spotlighted during a
Green Building Alliance tour on July 26th. Led by architect
Gary Moshier, the tour will highlight the project's sustainable design and programmatic features. The $2.3 million dollar interior renovation project is seeking a
LEED-certification gold rating for an existing building, as well as an
Energy Star rating.
In addition to housing the CHCC, the turn-of-the-century property also provides space for numerous non-profit, community and arts organizations. The project involved basement and first floor renovations, including expanding the CHCC’s program space by 2,000 square feet and building a commercial kitchen. “The goal was to reduce energy consumption overall by thirty-five percent,” says Moshier, who cites a new boiler, air conditioning and daylighting controls as central to the school’s new green operations. “A significant amount of construction waste was both recycled and diverted from the site—ninety-five percent was the goal. We used recycled content carpet, low-VOC paints and FSC-certified wood.”
The project’s green approach does not stop with the building. Building manager Bob Michel has instituted a green cleaning system, new recycling procedures and a battery recycling program, while the school has launched a green curriculum. “We used durable and non-toxic products, for the children’s safety and indoor air quality, “ says Moshier, who worked with
Jendoco Construction Corporation. “We cut down their waste by twenty-five percent. It was a completely integrated process and team.”
Listed on the
National Register of Historic Places, the 40,000 square-foot, four-story building housed
The Wightman School until 1979. To register for the GBA tour, go
here.
Writer:
Jennifer BaronSource: Gary Moshier, Moshier Studio
Image courtesy of Green Building Alliance