A fire apparently set by ecoterrorists brought decades of research at the University of Washington’s Center for Urban Horticulture (CUH) Merrill Hall to an abrupt halt on May 21, 2001, all because of misinformation.
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According to the associated press, firebombers who hit the CUH incorrectly believed they were targeting a researcher who was genetically engineering trees. In reality, a biology professor was simply studying the genetics of hybrid poplar trees that had been cross-pollinated – a method that scientists have used for centuries to study how plants grow.
In all, the 3 a.m. arson four ago caused $3 million in damage, not to mention the loss of research and papers belonging to faculty, staff, volunteers and more than 40 graduate students at the university. Moreover, the Merrill Horticulture Library lost a number of books, computers and other resources, as did the Washington State University Cooperative Extension and Master Gardener programs, which were also housed in Merrill Hall.
In the aftermath of the fire, CUH staff took up their work in and around five trailers on the site. The lack of labs and equipment made work difficult. "I figure that I lost a full year in productivity, between having to get what I could out, assess it, deal with the new building issues – which were considerable for me since I was on the building committee as well as a faculty member – and move back in," says Assistant Professor Sarah Reichard in an interview with the University of Washington. Reichard’s work focuses on finding ways to preserve rare native plants and stem the tide of invasive species. She lost clones of rare plants that were growing in her lab as well as books, slides and papers – what she calls "the currency of academia." Moreover, Reichard had to send her students to work in labs on the main campus, which cut into her interaction with them.
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But just months away from the fourth anniversary of the blaze, CUH staff, faculty and honored guests gathered on Jan. 19 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the new and improved facility, which boasts state-of-the-art laboratory, meeting and research spaces, but also boasts the title of “green building” as offered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
“This is the first green building on our campus,” notes Sue Nicol, CUH outreach coordinator. “Our main administration and laboratory buildings were totally destroyed in the fire, and the fact that we’ve been able to come back from that devastation and build a facility that is environmentally friendly and has so many sustainable features is really significant. The ribbon-cutting on Wednesday and the open house on Saturday were our ways of celebrating this new beginning.”
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“Green” buildings exhibit “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” – or LEED – as outlined by the USGBC. Fulfilling those characteristics means green buildings use less energy than an average building, are made from environmentally friendly materials, and provide individuals working in the building with better working conditions with more natural light and cleaner air.
Some of the sustainable features in the new Merrill Hall building of CUH are:
- Water Use or Reduction: Waterless urinals and low-flush toilets help reduce water use in the new building by more than 35 percent.
- Irrigation Monitoring: By linking the irrigation system to a campus weather station, sprinklers only turn on when needed.
- Stormwater Recycling: A 2,200-gallon underground cistern will store roof runoff to be used to water the deomonstration green roof, located at the courtyard level of the facility for easy viewing.
- Natural Ventilation: Strategically located windows and fans draw warm air up and out.
- Solar Panels: Located on the Miller Library roof, solar panels generate enough electricity to serve the lighting needs of the building’s main floor.
- Green Roof Plantings: These help reduce heat and thus reduce the “urban heat island” effect.
- Building Materials: The materials used to build the new CUH facility contain few volatile organic compounds normally present in paints, glues, sealants and carpets.
- Recycled/Renewable Products: Other building materials come from renewable and recycled materials, such as a bamboo floor, straw board cabinets, furniture built from salvaged urban trees and recycled concrete.
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"The green design of the new Merrill Hall dovetails very nicely with the College of Forest Resource's focus on the sustainability of our natural resources and environmental services," says Bruce Bare, dean of the college of which the Center for Urban Horticulture is part. "It is our desire that the center continue to play a significant role by working to sustain our urban ecosystems so that future generations may enjoy the same benefits we now enjoy. The new building provides the necessary infrastructure for this to occur."
Nichol notes that the new building cost $7.2 million to build, including $1 million in private donations.
“We had so many people to thank that made this rebuilding possible that we had a luncheon for 150 people on Wednesday,” Nichol says. “After lunch, we had 300 to 400 people attend our ribbon-cutting ceremony where University President Mark Emmert, Dean Bare, CUH Acting Director John Wott, and several other honored guests cut the ribbon together.”
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Attendees were treated to informal tours of the new facility and the Center for Urban Horticulture invites area residents and participants in the organization’s programs to come by and tour the new facility, as well. In addition to serving as an educational center for University of Washington students, The Center for Urban Horticulture also provides continuing education resources for professionals in the areas of landscape management, arboriculture, horticulture and other green industry fields. With their new facility up and running, individuals who partake in those services are sure to benefit from some of the highest quality research available.