The Arts Center of the Capital Region
is presenting an exhibit on cost effective, energy efficient housing.
The exhibit opens at 4:30 on Saturday, March 12, with a reception and
speakers. The centerpiece of the exhibit is a model house that will be
constructed in Albany this summer. The house features
environmentally-friendly materials and green architecture principles.
The
single-family house was designed by members of The Alliance of Emerging
Designers [AED] in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity. Habitat
will begin constructing the house this summer with volunteer labor from
the AED and others.
"The AED team is a very creative group,"
says Richard Stone, Construction Manager with Habitat for Humanity.
"Because of this project a deserving family will be moving into an
attractive and energy efficient home."
The AED is a group of
young professionals from some of the leading firms in the Capital
District. Its members are architects, engineers and interior designers.
Many of its members are recent graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute. The AED was founded to foster the professional growth and
leadership development of its members while promoting
cross-disciplinary collaboration.
According to Meghana Dutta of
Vollmer Associates, who initiated the AED, "The construction industry
is one of the greatest consumers of natural resources and producers of
waste. As members of that industry, we are committed to being
environmentally responsible."
AED members from architecture+,
Einhorn Yaffee Prescott Architecture & Engineering and Vollmer
Associates have been volunteered their time for the Habitat project
since October of 2004. Paul Scoville, of Collins + Scoville Architects
P.C., is serving as the Architect of Record.
In addition to the model house, the exhibit features information on:
Representatives
from local suppliers of environmentally -friendly building materials
and technologies will be on hand to answer questions and offer advice
to homeowners, builders and design professionals.
"There have
been a lot of advances in energy efficient construction," says Amy Wong
of architecture+ "this exhibit is important because we have the
opportunity to inform homeowners of materials and technological
improvements that they can incorporate into new or existing homes."
The
featured speakers are Anna Dyson, Assistant Professor of Architecture
at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Richard Stone from Habitat for
Humanity. Dyson is an expert on sustainable design. Stone will discuss
the organization’s experiences collaborating with architects.
The
exhibit will be on display through March 28. For information about the
Arts Center, call 273-0552. For information about the exhibit and the
AED, email GreenHabitat@hotmail.com.