Pendle Hill has been selected by a group of regional architects as the location for their 2016 project to design a building that meets the “Living Building Challenge.” We are thrilled! Living Buildings must return more energy to the grid than they use – meaning that the building they design for us will exceed “net-zero” standards for energy use. In one year from now, such a building will have been designed for the space where Cadbury Court currently exists on our campus.

We were chosen due to our “adherence with the collaborative’s deep green design philosophies and our commitment to a transparent and educational design process.” The project includes a year-long participatory design schedule intended to show that Living Buildings are achievable regionally, sensibly, cost-effectively, and through community engagement. Our year ahead, then, will include a series of public conceptual design charrettes and feasibility workshops focused on the project design.

Our community has begun conversations to imagine and name our needs and wants for such a space and we are excited to be joined throughout 2016 by designers, students, builders, building managers, architects, artists, and people throughout the region with passion for sustainable design.

Thank you to the Philadelphia Living Building Challenge Collaborative for choosing Pendle Hill! Please stay tuned later in the year to see the designs as they emerge.

—Jen Karsten, Executive Director