Though the $31-million Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School STEM Building places special emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, it also serves as a real-world lesson in sustainable design, as its owner intended.
Among other features, the 86,000-sq-ft facility incorporates a 10,000-gallon rainwater collection tank for plumbing fixtures, solar thermal collectors for domestic hot water and pre-heat ventilation and photovoltaic solar panels to meet 18% of energy requirements. CO2 sensors regulate airflow in spaces, while daylighting sensors further reduce energy consumption.