“zero energy” building LEEDs by example The Tyner Nature Center W

ith environmental concern
now a mainstream issue,
community and park district
leaders have become even more
diligent, creative guardians of their natural
resources, especially those in densely
populated cities and suburbs. Many are
building nature centers, primarily to help
residents and visitors better appreciate
and enjoy their natural surroundings.
Some, however, are doing much more:
designing these centers to demonstrate
responsible environmental practices.
In 2000, officials from Glenview, Ill.,
began planning for such a center on 32
acres of native prairie given to the near-
North Chicago suburb following the closing
of Glenview Naval Air Station. Earlier
this spring, they officially opened the
Evelyn Pease Tyner Interpretative Center,
which was more than worth the wait.
Stunningly elegant, this one-of-a-kind
building is an exemplary model of environmental
stewardship and sustainable design.
“This is ‘green’ design at its best—
elegant, attractive, efficient and harmonious
with the environment,” said Amy
SPECIAL TO: PARKS & RECREATION BUSINESS BY RICHARD CARLSON
The Tyner Nature Center
Glenview (I l.) new “zero energy” building LEEDs by example
W
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Ahner, the Assistant Director of Capital
Projects for Glenview. “It has already
earned enough points for the Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) Gold certification during the first
application review from the U.S. Green
Building Council, and we expect it to
become one of the few buildings in the
country to achieve LEED Platinum status,
the highest rating possible.”
PHOTOS BY SCHLISMANN PHOTOGRAPHY

“Inside-Out” Approach Integrates
the Building into the Prairie
Several features make the new Tyner
Center a special place. It attracts and
engages visitors with its 4,000-squarefoot
green roof populated with native
plants, its expansive deck overlooking
the wetlands, its inviting “teaching gardens”
and walking trails. It does not simply
help people learn about the historical/ecological
importance of the restored
prairie, but shows that buildings can do
their part to preserve natural resources.
According to the U.S. Green Building
Council, 84 nature centers have applied
for LEED certification.
The Tyner Center, however, takes this
concept to the next level by actually
becoming an integral part of the prairie. It
blends into the remnant prairie landscape
of Air Station Prairie almost as if it were an
organic element, reposing serenely above
the ground like a beautiful Japanese-style
pagoda.
“Instead of bringing nature into the
building, the Tyner Center is integrated
into nature,” said sustainable design expert
Lois Vitt Sale, who helped initiate this project
for Wight & Company, and now partners
with the firm as an independent consultant.
“This ‘inside-out’ approach was a
key part of the design strategy.”
A Showcase for Best Practices in
Energy Management
One of the center’s most impressive
aspects is its creative use of energy. In
fact, it incorporates virtually all Best
Practices in energy management. (In
Glenview’s application for LEED certification,
the building earned 17 points related
to energy. The building earned 16 of
17 possible credits in the “energy” category.)
Following are examples of some of
its noteworthy energy-efficient features.
Solar Power from the Green Roof
Solar slates on about one-sixth of the
roof are placed to capture the maximum
amount of sunlight available for energy
conversion. Any excess power generated
is sent to the grid to earn credits from the
electric company.
A Geothermal System to Extract
Renewable Energy from the Earth
Powered by pipes, which are sunk
10 feet into the ground and extend 200
The Tyner Center blends into the remnant prairie landscape of Air Station Prairie almost as
if it were an organic element, reposing serenely above the ground like a beautiful Japanesestyle
pagoda.
feet in length (where it’s about 50 degrees
all year), this system brings in warm air in
the winter and cool air in the summer.
Practical Solutions to Minimize
Energy Demand
The building was designed to be as
small as possible (only 3,000 square feet)
so that it would consume less power.
(This shrinkage was accomplished in part
by the “inside-out” strategy of embedding
much of its educational information on
outside wall panels rather than indoor
exhibits.) It has heat-saving insulation
provided by a polyurethane layer between
its composite wood walls and its 6-inch
thick green roof. In warm-weather
months (about 25 percent of the year), the
building can often be cooled simply by
opening the windows. These huge windows
also let in sunlight and, combined
with light sensors that adjust for daylight
and the presence of people, reduce the
need for electrical lighting.
“The energy efficiency of the Tyner
Center is 97.1 percent better than the
minimum requirement for LEED certification,”
said Vitt Sale. “We expect this
will be a ‘zero-energy’ building that generates
all the power it needs.”
Small Footprint, Year-Round Learning
Opportunities
From the outset, Glenview officials,
the design team from Wight & Company
and other project participants all made
certain that the Tyner Center would be
minimally disruptive to prairie and wetlands.
For example, it is elevated by steel
supports, which not only minimized the
amount of digging during construction
but also allows adjacent wetlands to flow
freely beneath its floor.
“The early site work was similar to
an archeological dig, since we had to
scrape off ‘junk’ soil around the center to
uncover the buried wetlands,” said Jay
Womack, Wight’s Director of Sustainable
Design, who was involved in the project
as a former consultant for Conservation
Design Forum. “From start to finish, it
was like building your dream house.
Everyone was intent on making sure all
the details were exactly right.”
Visitors on the large deck that projects
over these wetlands often will feel as if they
are a part of the natural environment—yet
another example of how the design blurs
the distinction between “inside” and “out.”
The center itself is an information venue
that has been turned inside out with its
large, educational panels, visible from outside
the building. This innovative approach
allows the visiting public to learn about the
site (and the building) even when the center
is closed. The “teaching garden” is likewise
a year-round, self-contained educational
resource with plaques to enlighten
visitors about local wildlife, medicinal
plants, the green roof, the reason for prairie
burns and other topics.
The design also took advantage of Air
Station Prairie’s location within The Glen,
a large, mixed-use development of singleand
multi-family homes, offices, parks and
retail outlets. To draw attention to the center
from pedestrians and car passengers,
the green roof is slightly sloped to present
a sweeping curve of vegetation visible
from the street. On a nearby sidewalk, a
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two-foot-high “history wall” (with a timeline
from prehistoric times to the present)
also arouses curiosity and interest.
Advice on “Going Green”
Like nature itself, projects of this sort
are usually slow moving; site planning for
Air Station Prairie began in the mid-
1990s, and the Tyner Center celebrated its
official grand opening in April 2007. This
was a community-wide effort that
involved the village board, the park district,
the school district, the owners and
residents of The Glen, and concerned citizens
such as Evelyn Pease Tyner herself, a
long-time environmental advocate, who
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helped protect another Glenview treasure,
The Grove National Historic Landmark. It
also required Ahner, the project manager,
to coordinate and synchronize activities
among these and other contributors,
including the Wight design team, landscape
architects, the construction company
and state and federal agencies.
How was the project team able to
persevere and overcome the red tape,
delays and other obstacles? What lessons
did they learn that could be helpful to
other communities and park districts
interested in building their own “green”
nature centers? Here are some tips and
advice from the participants.
Plan early and often—Surprises are
inevitable, but are best handled when
leaders base their decisions on a clear
understanding of big-picture goals and
strategies.
Make sure everyone understands
what ‘green’ means—From Wight project
architect Jim Smiley to the sub-contractors
working at the site, all participants understood
the “green” goals and their roles and
responsibilities for achieving the desired
LEED rating.
Communicate and collaborate—
Constantly share information with all
team members, which not only will expedite
smart decision-making but also will
often lead to creative problem-solving and
new opportunities for improvements.
Pay attention to details—For example,
Glenview selected renowned exhibit
designer Paul Bluestone, whose work is
featured at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium and
the Disney Animal Kingdom in Florida, to
develop the concepts, themes and content
for the center’s information resources (e.g.,
the embedded wall panels, garden
plaques, historical wall, trail signage, etc.)
Stay true to your dream, be patient,
and don’t compromise—From day one,
Glenview officials and the project team
were committed to doing what was best
for the site and nature center, a key to its
ultimate success.
Final Word
Not every nature center has to be an
architectural masterpiece, but there’s no
reason for it to be just another boring
brick box. The Evelyn Pease Tyner
Interpretative Center, which is now being
managed by the Glenview Park District,
proves that green buildings of this type
can be a beautiful amenity to any community.
Moreover, by becoming part of
their surroundings, they also can become
as much a part of the environmental
“story” as the natural resources they help
protect and preserve. PRB
Richard Carlson, AIA, LEED AP, is Group
President, Architecture, for Wight & Company,
which provides design, construction and civil
engineering services for public and private
sector projects. Wight has been on the forefront
of the “green revolution” since 1997
and is currently designing another LEED
Platinum project for the Bolingbrook Park
District. Carlson may be reached at 630-739-
6950 or via e-mail at rcarlson@wightco.com.