The BASF Wildlife Habitat & Environmental Education Classroom, currently under construction in the City of Rensselaer, New York, is intended to become an international showcase for sustainable development including best practices in site remediation, brownfield redevelopment and high performance commercial construction. The center will also serve as a laboratory for future development activities a
nd serves as a living laboratory for similar projects for BASF and the international community at large. The Classroom
Designed to achieve the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Platinum rating, the center will offer the highest levels of building performance with the lowest possible environmental footprint. The integration of sustainable construction materials and systems, featuring BASF chemistry, combine to create a Near-Zero energy building that is durable, comfortable, safe and promotes a healthy indoor environment. The building systems that work in harmony to achieve these goals include:
- Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs)
- Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)
- Enhanced Exterior Insulating and Finishing System (EIFS)
- Radiant floor heating
- Solar and passive solar energy, and purchased energy from renewable resources
- Pervious concrete
- High performance windows and skylights
The Habitat
The building is situated next to an inactive industrial landfill that has been remediated through waste removal, phyto-remediation, and groundwater collection and treatment. The phyto-remediation approach uses plantings to absorb precipitation before it infiltrates the landfill and thus controls leachate production and the transport of waste products through groundwater. Specific indigenous plants were chosen for their absorption characteristics and their benefit to the native wildlife species. The nine-acre site provides permanent habitat for wildlife and a way-station for migratory birds. Its location along an industrial corridor makes this habitat even more relevant as an ecological preserve, and provides a template upon which industry and nature can co-exist. Society:
BASF has forged alliances with area schools to use the Classroom and Habitat as a science learning center. Outfitted with the latest equipment for K-12 science studies, the classroom will provide students with the opportunity for outdoor nature studies and will enable them to conduct real-life experiments and measurements to better understand the living environment.
