November 6, 2009
Museum of Northern Arizona’s Easton Collection Center Wins National Award in Green Building
McGraw-Hill Construction in New York yesterday announced the winners of its second annual Best of the Best Awards, a national competition that recognizes design and construction excellence based on the winners of McGraw-Hill Construction’s 10 regional publications’ Best of 2009 Awards. Winners will be profiled in the January 4, 2010 issue of Engineering News-Record.
“Aesthetically pleasing and technically challenging, this year’s Best of the Best award winners illustrate the finest achievements of 2009 in design and construction,” said Janice L. Tuchman, editor-in-chief of Engineering News-Record. “We are very pleased to showcase these award winners for the second year.”
Out of 273 regional winners, an independent jury of construction professionals selected 76 national finalists and 24 national winners in 23 categories. Projects were judged on innovation, safety, contribution to the community, aesthetic quality, and craftsmanship.
Flagstaff’s Museum of Northern Arizona Easton Collection Center took home the top national award in the Green Building category, making it the Greenest Building of 2009, and further solidifying Flagstaff as a leader in the Green Building movement. The Easton Collection Center also won the regional Southwest Contractor award, which made it eligible for the national award.
Museum Director Dr. Robert Breunig stated, “The Museum of Northern Arizona built the Easton Collection Center to provide the best possible environment for the long-term care for the Museum’s incomparable collections. From the beginning of the project, the Museum, the architect, the donors Elizabeth (Betsy) and Harry Easton, and Kinney Construction Services were not only committed to building a functional and beautiful building, but also a building that exemplified the highest standards of sustainability. We are thrilled that we have been recognized on a national level. This building should be an incredible source of pride for the entire Flagstaff community.”
The project team consisted of architectural firm Roberts|Jones and Associates, Inc. and Flagstaff-based Kinney Construction Services, Inc. serving as the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR). The team’s approach to sustainable design was both holistic and practical and is entirely in keeping with the protective preservation function of this new facility. The result is a resounding success. The 17,282 SF Easton Collection Center is a truly sustainable repository for the thousands of objects that comprise the anthropological, biological, and fine art collections of the Museum of Northern Arizona.
“The design of the Easton Collection Center has been a very rewarding process of discovery for all of us involved in the creative process,” said Jim Roberts, Principal of Roberts|Jones and Associates, Inc. “Our reward comes when we see how our search for sustainability, functionality, and historical relevance converge to yield solutions that are both surprising and delightful. The visual and symbolic beauty that we discover when we strive for these abstract goals reassures us of the validity of our decision making.”
The Easton Collection Center is on target to achieve LEED Platinum Certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Highlighted green building strategies included use of local materials and labor; appropriate solar orientation; high thermal mass inside the thermal envelope; energy efficient heating and cooling systems; energy efficient window systems; extensive green living roof system; water conserving plumbing systems; day-lighting; renewable energy; a high level of construction waste recycling, among several additional sustainable design and construction elements. KCS President Tim Kinney stated, “We at KCS are extremely proud to be the builders of the Easton Collection Center and feel very fortunate to be given the opportunity to work with the Museum and Roberts|Jones and Associates.”
The Easton Collection Center will be showcased with a guided tour during Flagstaff’s Greenbuild weekend on Saturday, November 14. Visit www.usgbcaz.org/northern/greenstreets for more information.
About Roberts | Jones and Associates, Inc.
Roberts|Jones Associates, Inc. enjoys a reputation as a small, highly creative and award winning design team over its 26-year history with three architects and three LEED Accredited Professionals on staff. Environmentally sensitive architecture is an integral part of the firm’s philosophy and in addition to work on the Easton Collection Center, includes environmental awards from the Electric League of Arizona, the first “Commercial Green Building” project in the city of Scottsdale, Southwest Contractor’s Magazine “Best of 2002 Editor’s Choice Award for Green Building,” and numerous awards from the Phoenix based Valley Forward Association. Roberts|Jones has been a member of the USGBC since 2001.
About Kinney Construction Services, Inc. (KCS)
Founded in 1999, Kinney Construction Services, Inc. (KCS) is a Commercial General Building and Engineering Contractor, with a client-centered focus. With five LEED Accredited Professionals on staff, KCS has constructed several LEED-registered buildings and sustainable structures, including the MNA Easton Collection Center; NAU Distance Learning Facility (anticipating LEED Gold); and soon will begin renovations on the NAU Liberal Arts Building (anticipating LEED Gold for Commercial Interiors). KCS is also serving as Design-Builder for an 800kw photovoltaic system for the Sedona-Oak Creek Unified School District. KCS has found strength in the diversity of their project portfolio, as they serve the commercial office, health care, retail, industrial, education, financial, and hospitality industries. Their commitment to excellence has resulted in a high level of repeat clientele.
About the Museum of Northern Arizona
Eighty-one years old, the Museum of Northern Arizona is a private nonprofit regional institution dedicated to collecting, studying, interpreting, and preserving the heritage of the Colorado Plateau. Accredited by the American Association of Museum’s, MNA engages in research in the region, offers a wide range of educational programs, and has extensive collections documenting the natural and cultural history of the Colorado Plateau. The Easton Collection Center was built to provide optimal long-range care for the Museum’s collections.