Education in Sustainable Building Practices Offered by Environmental Center

AEP Span is proud to be a part of the recently completed Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center in Bellevue, Washington. This education center is a campus of buildings built into the forest on the edge of the Mercer Slough, acting as a public gathering space and an environmental education center.

Architect and Project Manager Mark Johnson with Jones & Jones Architects highlighted the benefits of the new center. "A public/private partnership at the ownership and use level between the City of Bellevue and Pacific Science Center have paved the way for an education center that is both an education facility for King County students and a visitor education center for the public," said Johnson. The Center was a joint effort between numerous players, including Axiom Construction (Installer), Jones & Jones (Architect), AEP Span (Metal roofing manufacturer), and Berschauer Phillips Construction Company (General Contractor).

Other notable features of the Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center include:

• The Environmental Education Center uses energy efficient Span-Lok hp metal roofs in Cool Metallic Silver to limit heat island effects, demonstrating how homes can be "green" using metal.
• Elevated buildings float 6-30 feet above ground with the help of helical pilings and concrete pile caps for soil stabilization and low impact development purposes.
• The facility includes 2 vegetative (green) roofs, the rest are Span-Lok hp standing seam metal roofs with a Cool Metallic Silver painted finish.
• Passive ventilation and the mature tree canopy shade eliminate the need for air conditioning and reduce energy consumption by 30%

More information on AEP Span's green building efforts and past projects can be found online at www.aepspan.com.