GA DESIGN and its staff have extensive experience
in using sustainable design principles in city planning, site
development,
and building design. As a member of the City of Los Angeles
Sustainable Task Force, and a board member and vice president
of the Sustainable Policies Institute, we are committed to
environmental responsibility in the built environment. Utilizing
the sustainable principles in our recent design experiences
such as the Los Angeles City Hall renovation, a regional
police facility, park and recreation center and high school
and university campuses has brought us pride and success.
By using these principles we have effectively reduced energy
and water consumption, air, water and soil pollution, and
solid waste production. Mahmoud Gharachedaghi was a lead
speaker at the 2000 National AIA Convention in Philadelphia
presenting a program on Sustainable Design. He will also
be presenting at the 2001 National AIA Convention in Denver
presenting a program called “Sustainable Design in
Schools and Libraries”. Following are some examples
of use of sustainable design principles in our projects:
• Washington
High School Gymnasium
Winner of 1993 Cash Design Award for innovative use of natural
lighting and ventilation. Abundant light from the skylighting
washes a splay of natural light across the playing court,
saving energy and reducing the maintenance and operational
costs.
• Charles
Drew University of Medicine and Science Campus Master Plan
When it is completed, this campus will be the first truly sustainable
campus in the United States. The street layout, open plazas
and buildings are properly oriented to get advantage of sun,
shade and prevailing winds. The buildings massing, forms and
materials are carefully selected to maximize the energy efficiency.
• Los
Angeles City Hall Renovation
The goal is to implement the sustainable design principles
in an existing historical building to enhance the health
and well being of the employees and visitors without damaging
any historical features of the building. A green City Hall
can become the flagship of a new generation approach to environmental
quality known as sustainability, serving as a world-class
example of a sustainable building.
• 77
Street Regional Police Facility
The challenge in the design of this facility was to provide
natural light and ventilation for all offices without compromising
the security of the personnel. The spine of the building
was designed as a 50 feet wide open-air promenade running
the length of the building with Palm trees and water jet
fountains. Courtyards were placed in the middle of work places
to provide natural light and ventilation throughout the building.
The energy saving for year 1998 alone exceeded $160,000.
• Mar
Vista Branch Library
The building orientation, massing, form and materials were
selected to create a fully sustainable and environmentally
friendly building. The entire building is on raised floor
to provide maximum flexibility. The raised floor is used
as an air plenum for the maximum energy efficiency. In addition,
photovoltaic panels are used for the conversion of sunlight
to electricity. The City of Los Angeles intends to use this
facility as a prototype for their future public projects.
