Healthy People, Healthy Planet

Sustainable, human-centered design is inherent to Shepley Bulfinch’s design philosophy and practice.

Our Healthy People / Healthy Planet framework is centered around 12 concepts that fall under the themes of Energy, Culture, Comfort and Nourishment.  At the start of each new project, an interactive workshop with key stakeholders will use this structure to identify values and establish design priorities to shape project decisions throughout the design process.  The framework provides potential strategies that touch on a range of concepts from energy reduction and on-site generation to embodied carbon, indoor air quality, social equity and mindfulness, with the goal of helping our clients determine which aspects are most important to the success of the project while managing the cost and budget to meet these goals.

At the Austin Central Library, we embraced the city’s commitment to the environment by incorporating rainwater harvesting, an in-ground cistern, and a vegetated roof, each of which work together to reduce water usage. On the rooftop garden, a photovoltaic cell generates 13% of the building’s power and shades visitors. The Library uses 40% less energy than a building of comparable size.

Our sustainability efforts on this project were recognized with an AIA COTE Award.