The Omega Center for Sustainable Living By Andre Batocabe

Overview The building is called The Omega Center for Sustainable Living located in Rhinebeck, NY It is an education center with classrooms and a laboratory and it also is a water purification facility. The building was built for the Omega Institute campus as a water filtration center.

The Omega Center for Sustainable living was designed by the BNIM Architect team.

Materials Used It is made from salvaged materials like dimensional lumber, plywood, interior doors, beech wood paneling, and toilet partitions. All of the materials came from warehouses, schools, office buildings, and plywood from the presidential inaugural stage.

The majority of the materials for the project were from local areas Some of the parts of the building were made from natural wood. The roof is made of standing seam metal, so it lasts a long time and is resistant to decay.

Energy Efficiancy Shading devices in the building provide light while keeping a comfortable temperature. There are efficient geothermal wells and heat pumps provide the warmth for the building. The insulated thermal mass of the building and of its water passing through the water treatment cycle reduces the need for cooling.

The design of the building is able to have maximum sunlight through its windows skylights and shading devices. For the portable or drinkable water, the building uses well water. However, rainwater collected from the building’s roof is used for toilet water. The buildings black water and gray water are sent through the Omega Centers purification natural process.

The Omega Center has efficient geothermal wells and heat pumps that provide the building with its necessary warmth. The building and the building water have an insulated thermal mass that provides proper temperatures for the building. Shading devices allow light but don’t over heat the building.

The building has not used PVC, mercury, CFCs, HFCs, and other harmful materials. During the construction of the building 99% of the metal, cardboard, rigid foam, and wood scraps were recycled. Also, 100% of the plastic, glass, and paper used during construction were recycled.

This is a wall made of recycled cypress lumber and doesn’t need to have paint, which helps the environment

The roof of the building is used to collect rain water for toilets.

The Omega Center has a positive impact on the environment by putting the water used through a natural filtration method. It passes through gravel beds in wetlands filled an environment with birds and insects. The black water and gray water that passes through the swamp is clean and introduced to the water and lakes.

Site Ecology The Omega Center for Sustainable Living is able to retain water by putting it through a natural filtration process. Damaged areas in the landscape are replanted with natural vegetation.

The concrete used for the facility are made from local aggregates, a collection of building materials like sand and gravel. All the plants in the landscape are from local vegetation.

The Omega Center gets its organic food from local farms and vendors in the New York Hudson Valley area. They serve 16,000 guests at their campus each year. There are few parking spaces at the Omega Institute only 0.27 spaces per person. 60% of the transportation on the campus uses other methods instead of cars.

Water Resources Rainwater is collected on the roof of the building and is used for toilets. The Omega Center for Sustainable Living doesn’t use water in the urinals. The water controls of the Center are not automatic fixtures.

Gray water is recycled in the Omega Center through a process of natural filtration. The water is run off through a swamp with graveled beds. This cleans the water for future use while some is returned to ground water and lakes.