Imagine a building informed by its eco-region’s characteristics, notably the Palouse and the native Loess soils formed from the ancient glacial Lake Missoula outwash. A building that generates all its own energy with renewable resources and treats its water and uses resources efficiently and for maximum beauty.
Eastern Washington University’s new Natural and Environmental Science Testing and Teaching Center (NESTT) will serve as a new front door to the campus and house the University’s new multidisciplinary sustainability and environmental stewardship curriculum.
The 20,000 sf facility is targeting requirements of the Living Building Challenge, the highest benchmark of sustainability in the built environment. The net positive energy, water and waste building will function as a living laboratory for not only university students, but also an extensive K-12 outreach program. In addition to classrooms and labs spaces the building will be home to the university’s burgeoning urban agriculture and permaculture programs which will be accommodated on the nearly two acre site.
The project is in currently in the design phase with start of construction anticipated in early 2017.