Catalyst, a 150,000-sf building that will connect to an energy resource sharing eco-district planned for development, will be the first office building in Washington to be constructed out of cross-laminated timber (CLT).
The goal of the building is to demonstrate the possibilities of the integration of economic vitality, regional sustainability, and energy efficiency by leveraging the industries of the region and the innovation happening in the construction and education sectors. Catalyst will include sustainable features such as a gray water system for rainwater recovery, low flow plumbing, shower rooms to encourage commuting by bike, an efficient radiant heating/cooling system throughout the building, heat recovery of all exhaust air, a high performing building envelope design, LED lighting, and sun shading at the lobby.
Eastern Washington University will be the building’s primary tenant. The university will move its Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Visual Communication Design programs from its Cheney campus to the new Catalyst building. The CLT for the project is being manufactured in Katerra’s — Catalyst's design builder — new Spokane CLT factory. Michael Green Architecture is the design architect for the project.
Related Stories
| Jul 1, 2013
Report: Global construction market to reach $15 trillion by 2025
A new report released today forecasts the volume of construction output will grow by more than 70% to $15 trillion worldwide by 2025.
| Jun 28, 2013
Building owners cite BIM/VDC as 'most exciting trend' in facilities management, says Mortenson report
A recent survey of more than 60 building owners and facility management professionals by Mortenson Construction shows that BIM/VDC is top of mind among owner professionals.
| Jun 18, 2013
Report: HVAC occupancy sensors could slash building energy demand by 18%
Researchers at the DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory conclude that significant energy savings can be achieved by varying ventilation levels based on the number of people in a given space.
| Jun 17, 2013
First look: Austin to get first high-rise since 2003
Developer Cousins Properties broke ground on the 29-story Colorado Tower in downtown Austin, Texas, the city's first high-rise building since Cousins' completed the Frost Bank Tower a decade ago.
| Jun 17, 2013
DOE launches database on energy performance of 60,000 buildings
The Energy Department today launched a new Buildings Performance Database, the largest free, publicly available database of residential and commercial building energy performance information.
| Jun 13, 2013
7 great places that represent excellence in environmental design
An adaptive reuse to create LEED Platinum offices, a park that honors veterans, and a grand national plaza are among the seven projects named winners of the 2013 Great Places Awards. The Environmental Design and Research Association recognize professional and scholarly excellence in environmental design, with special attention paid to the relationship between physical form and human activity or experience.
| Jun 12, 2013
5 building projects that put the 'team' in teamwork
The winners of the 2013 Building Team Awards show that great buildings cannot be built without the successful collaboration of the Building Team.
| Jun 11, 2013
Finnish elevator technology could facilitate supertall building design
KONE Corporation has announced a new elevator technology that could make it possible for supertall buildings to reach new heights by eliminating several problems of existing elevator technology. The firm's new UltraRope hoisting system uses a rope with a carbon-fiber core and high-friction coating, rather than conventional steel rope.
| Jun 6, 2013
Get smart about space utilization in the workplace
As we continue to look for more effective ways to improve the overall workplace experience, one tool we can use is measuring and analyzing space utilization.
| Jun 5, 2013
USGBC: Free LEED certification for projects in new markets
In an effort to accelerate sustainable development around the world, the U.S. Green Building Council is offering free LEED certification to the first projects to certify in the 112 countries where LEED has yet to take root.
