LEED Platinum Student Village Opens at Bastyr University

<a href="http://www.bastyr.edu/" target="_blank">Bastyr University</a> in Kenmore, Washington isn't just about educating their students in natural healing, they're also incredibly passionate about integrating green building and eco-friendly housing into daily campus life. The Pacific Northwest university recently completed a 132-student village that was certified 'LEED Platinum for Homes' and was awarded the 2010 LEED for Homes Project of the Year in the 'Outstanding Multifamily' category by the USGBC. Rainwater collecting butterfly roofs, energy efficient design, bioswales, medicinal gardens, and a unique layout perfect for student interaction certainly make this project designed by <a href="http://www.collinswoerman.com/architecture/bastyrstudenthousing.aspx" target="_blank">CollinsWoerman</a> one to study and learn from.

Seattle-based CollinsWoerman previously designed for the Bastyr's Center for Natural Health (LEED certified) before undertaking the new student village project.

The unique layout and design of the eleven buildings is not traditional and gives the housing project a feeling more conducive to a co-op than student dorms.

Each cottage has 12 private rooms and bathrooms along with a large common areas that include living, kitchen and dining.

A quiet study room, bike storage and laundry facilities provide even more amenities.

The cottages are arranged around a courtyard and situated next to shared gardens that can be used to grow herbs (medicinal or for cooking).

Bioswales skirt the project to help collect and process stormwater. Extra efforts were made to keep as many of the existing trees as possible.

Disturbance of the area during around the site during construction was minimized in order to maintain the pristine campus in Kenmore, WA, just outside of Seattle.

Each of the cottages features a three-story tower of bedrooms connected to a two-story volume of dedicated communal areas.

A butterfly roof on the tower collects and directs rainwater into a large shared Olympic-sized swimming pool storage tank beneath a nearby parking lot.

The flat roofs over the communal areas were built in order to support a green roof in the future.

Passive solar design, large overhangs, and natural ventilation with operable windows all help to minimize energy use. They are complimented by radiant floor heating, ultra high efficiency gas boilers and water heaters, high r-value insulation, and high efficiency lighting systems with daylight controls.

Eco friendly, low VOC, locally-sourced, FSC-certified lumber, and reclaimed materials were used within the building, while low maintenance and durable cement board has been placed on the exterior and serves as a rain screen.

Bastyr Student Village has been certified LEED for Homes Platinum and was also awarded the 2010 LEED for Homes Project of the Year in the “Outstanding Multifamily” category by the USGBC.