Permanent gravel parking areas manage stormwater on-site, as does a bioswale that directs runoff into a constructed wetland. A 1,200-gallon tank captures the rainwater required to achieve the goal of zero landscape irrigation, and a wildflower meadow replaces most of the lawn.

The design seeks to integrate inside and outside spaces by providing daylight, fresh air, and access to views throughout the building.

The open two-story “Commons” area at the junction of the two structures serves as the physical and visual locus for occupants of both sections. Large expanses of glass offer views into the forest canopy to the northwest and to the rhododendron garden to the southeast. This visual connection produces a prevailing sense of integration with the surrounding landscape.

Skylights direct light to interior spaces, and full-height windows in the new wing open to the surrounding forest. The use of double- and triple-glazed low-e glazing in these elements simultaneously serves building performance, aesthetics, and human comfort, providing maximum efficiency and enabling staff to rely on natural daylight.

Individual comfort and control of the indoor environment form another theme sustained throughout the project, with its operable office windows, fresh-air ventilation systems, and user-controlled temperature and lighting. A building monitoring system helps maintain comfortable temperature and humidity levels. Separate ventilation systems in laboratory spaces and low-VOC materials, paints, and adhesives further optimize indoor environmental quality. The open cell structure of the building’s Icynene insulation virtually eliminates subsequent offgassing of uncured materials.