A WasteCap Wisconsin Earth Week "Talk & Tour" at the new Urban Ecology Center, scheduled to open in August 2004, gave attendees a glimpse of what sustainable green building looks like.
Approximately 50 architects, contractors, consultants, sustainable-building product suppliers, and staff from the Urban Ecology Center attended the April 21st event to learn about the key features of this unique building project. Over the course of the afternoon attendees explored the unfinished building and heard from the building's owner, architect Joel Krueger of The Kubala Washatko Architects, Inc., and contractor Monique Jansen of The Jansen Group.
"As an organization that focuses on environmental education, we wanted to build with as little impact on the earth and its resources as possible. We also want to be able to model and teach others how to build 'green,' using the new facility as an educational tool" says Jim McGinity, research liaison at the Urban Ecology Center. "This Talk & Tour is just one of many opportunities we will have to share this building's amazing story."
During the building of the Urban Ecology Center's new facility wood, metal, cardboard, drywall, commingled recyclables, concrete and other materials are being recycling and reused. "To date the team working on the new Urban Ecology Center, has been able to recycle 76% of the waste materials being generated on the site" said Jenna Kunde, executive director of WasteCap Wisconsin. "That is certainly an accomplishment to be proud of."
In addition to the construction waste recycling program being implemented, the new Center also features environmentally friendly, sustainable-building features including daylighting, natural ventilation, use of recycling and reused materials and the creative use of rainwater.
Urban Ecology Center hosted this WasteCap Wisconsin Talk & Tour. Sponsors for the event were The Kubala Washatko Architects, Inc. and The Jansen Group. Green-building exhibitors included Alpine Plywood Corporation, Cape Townsend, Inc, Weather-Tek Design Center, and Wellenstein & Sons, Inc.
The Urban Ecology Center is a neighborhood based, non-profit community center located in Milwaukee's historic Riverside Park. Urban Ecology Center provides environmental science programs to neighborhood schools, promotes environmental awareness in the community, preserves and enhances the natural resources of Riverside Park, and protects the Milwaukee River.
