Pioneering Sustainable Design and Environmental Awareness

Designed by architects and engineers who were helping to invent the LEED certification process, the Cusano Environmental Education Center at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge was a ground-breaking effort in sustainable design.

B&F managed the process from start to finish, coordinating all parties and approval processes. After the contractor encountered difficulty drilling the pylons for the building’s foundation, we worked with the structural engineer and contractor to modify the structural system and resolve the pylon issue. Our Project Managers also helped to educate and ultimately convince the Department of Environmental Protection to approve one of the Center’s most innovative sustainable features. Its “Marsh Machine” greenhouse processes waste generated by the building through an artificial marsh, treating the waste on-site instead of sending out to the public sewer.

The Cusano Center has won numerous awards for its sustainable design and environmental leadership.