Meet
the Design Team and General Contractor
When Luke Gascho, Merry Lea's
Executive Director, interviewed contractors and architects for the new
collegiate facility, he looked for firms with an awareness of sustainable
building and an interest in trying it.
He also kept the search regional
rather than pursuing groups already nationally known for sustainable
building.
"We want to help this
region grow in its understanding of sustainable building," Luke
explains. Using regional companies also encourages a closer working
relationship.
Several nationally known
consultants with unique areas of expertise also contributed to the design
process.
Below are the firms involved
with the design and construction of the collegiate facility:
Morrison Kattman
Menze, Inc.
119 W. Wayne St.
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
260-422-0783
www.mkmdesign.com
Morrison Kattman Menze, Inc.,
specializes in public buildings such as hospitals, libraries, senior
living facilities and schools. Although the firs's architects have previously
incorporated sustainable features into some of their buildings, Merry
Lea's project is their first opportunity to design a LEEDS building
They are eagar for the challenge. Architect Mike McKay, a recently accredited
LEEDS professional, describes the Merry Lea project as "a once
in a lifetime opportunity."
Conservation Design
Forum
375 W. First St.
Elmhurst, Illinois 60126
630-559-2000
www.cdfinc.com
Conservation Design Forum
is a consulting firm from the Chicago area that specializes in integrating
human activities and buildings into the supporting environmental fabric.
Their staff of landscape architects, environmental scientists and hydrologists
has worked on projects such as the green roof on Chicago's City Hall
and the Coffee Creek Center, a sustainable development in Chesterton,
Indiana. Landscape architect Marcus de la Fleur says, "We are committed
to sustainable approaches to land management, site development and site
engineering because we feel that it is our only hope as a society to
return balance to our environment." He and the other staff enjoy
working in harmony with natural systems to create spaces that are beautiful
and that communicate a sense of place.
Eta Engineers, Inc.
44 Main St. Suite 402
Champaign IL, 61820
217-355-5399
www.etaengineers.com
Eta is the seventh letter
of the Greek alphabet and a symbol commonly used in engineering curricula
to denote "efficiency." Eta Engineers provides sustainable
designs for building HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems. According
to its owner, Alan Chalifoux, this firm believes that "capital"
includes all natural resources and ecosystems that sustain life, and
this capital is becoming increasingly scarce. Their mission is to design
better and more efficiently.
John Todd Research
and Design
10 Shanks Pond Rd.
Falmouth, MA 02540
508-548-8161
www.oceanarks.org
John Todd is an inventive
entrepreneur with a long list of environmental projects to his credit.
He is best known as the inventor of the ecological engine, or living
machine--a series of tanks containing plants, microbes and small fish
capable of removing wastes from water. Todd's ecological engines are
now in use or under construction in eight countries, and his largest
can handle 100,000 gallons of waste a day. Todd and his son, Jonathan,
are designing an ecological engine for the collegiate facility.
Rocky Mountain Institute
1739 Snowmass Creek Rd.
Snowmass, CO 81654
970-927-4510
www.rmi.org
Rocky Mountain Institute
is an entrepreneurial, nonprofit organization that fosters the efficient
and restorative use of resources to create a more secure and life-sustaining
world. Although not directly involved with the design of the collegiate
facility, RMI's philosophy and educational resources are part of the
framework Merry Lea is building upon. Ben Shepherd and Bill Browning
of RMI facilitated Merry Lea's first design charrette in August 2001.
Ancon Construction
2146 Elkhart Rd.
Goshen, Indiana 46526
574-674-9941
www.anconconstruction.com
Ancon Construction of Goshen
is a full-service contractor certified by the Associated Builders and
Contractors, a national organization. Ancon has been the contractor
for a number of projects related to Goshen College including the college's
Rec/Fitness Center and renovation of existing buildings.
Ancon served a member
of the design team to provide early input about local construction practices
and use of regional materials to meet the sustainable objectives of
the project.
Eric Hooley, project manager with Ancon, represented the firm.
Ancon has not had the opportunity to do a LEEDS certified building but
Eric expects that opportunity will come soon for many builders. "Things
are changing; people are catching on," Eric says.
