Studio 804 to Build a Sustainable Prototype for Greensburg, KS

March 2008

Studio 804 has committed to design and construct a sustainable prototype for the city of Greensburg, Kansas. The prototype is to be delivered on the one-year anniversary of the tornado, which devastated the town, causing over $1.1 billion dollars in damage. In the wake of this tragedy, the city of Greensburg has stated its intentions of rebuilding as America’s first “Green City”, and Studio 804 is excited to be involved.

The city of Greensburg, Kansas was devastated by a category F5 tornado that struck in the middle of the night on May 4th, 2007. Tragic as it was, the tornado has presented an opportunity for which the city has chosen to embrace. Seeking to rebuild as a “green city,” Greensburg is the first in the United States to pass a resolution to certify that all city-owned buildings earn LEED Platinum accreditation, the highest level of the LEED rating system.

LEED was developed by the United States Green Building Council to establish a standard for the design, construction, and operation of sustainable buildings on a national level. Sustainability has been an integral part of Studio 804’s program throughout its entire twelve year history; however this is the first year the program will participate in the LEED process. Studio 804 recognizes the importance of this initiative, and is designing a sustainable prototype with the goal of obtaining LEED certification.

To help rebuild Greensburg sustainability, Studio 804 has taken the opportunity to reclaim building materials from the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant, established in 1941 as the world’s largest powder and propellant plant, playing a historic role by providing munitions during World War II and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. There are over 1,000 retired ammunition buildings within the 9,000 acre site, and Studio 804 is currently in the process of deconstructing a magazine building to salvage building materials. The effort to reclaim structurally sound lumber, as opposed to using new lumber, is only one of many ways that Studio 804 continues to promote sustainable practices in the design/build industry.

Click here to see more information about Studio 804's work in Greensburg and Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant.

Main Image - © David Lewiston, www.facethewind.com