USGBC-WM announced Western Michigan University’s Business Research and Technology Park Phase 2 as Innovative Project Awardee
Aerial view of the Business Technology and Research Park.
The U.S. Green Building Council of West Michigan (USGBC-WM) announced the Business, Research, and Technology Park Phase 2 (BTR Phase 2) at Western Michigan University (WMU) as the Innovative Project Award winner. This award is designed to honor projects that break the mold of standard building construction, design, and operations. The projects' innovation and astute practices reflect the goals of USGBC West Michigan’s programs.
Western Michigan University in collaboration with Fishbeck architectural & engineering firm and O’Boyle, Cowell, Blalock & Associates landscape architects, designed the 55-acre expansion of its Business Technology and Research Park. BTR Phase 2 was created to attract and incubate new businesses that support research, economic development, and new student opportunities as well as establish University, regional business, and community partnerships.
The project, which was completed in the Fall of 2020, aimed to activate and remediate environmentally impacted land that had not been used for decades using sustainable design principles. Future tenants are required to follow the sustainable design, maintenance, and operations guidelines to be accepted into the park. The park development balanced the preservation of natural and sensitive land while also preparing developable land with infrastructure for future tenant developments. Through these efforts, the project achieved Sustainable SITES Silver Certification which recognized the integrated design process, sustainable design strategies, and ongoing sustainable maintenance strategies for this land development project.
The USGBC-WM Leadership Awards promote outstanding green building initiatives by recognizing projects, organizations, and people who have made extraordinary contributions to achieving healthy, energy-efficient green buildings in the state of Michigan.“We are thrilled to lift up organizations that lead by example,” says Cheri Holman, Executive Director of the USGBC-WM, “by sharing these accomplishments we can show that good economic decisions and green buildings can be one and the same.”
WMU received their award at USGBC-WM’s Annual Party & Leadership Award Ceremony on the night of March 10th, 2022 at The Ballroom at McKay Tower in downtown Grand Rapids, MI. For more information about USGBC-WM’s Annual Party & Leadership Award Ceremony, please visit www.usgbcwm.org/2021annualparty