Eckert & Eckert.  Courtesy of Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, LLP.

The Pacific Northwest is known for its leadership in the green building movement. It is in this part of the county — specifically Tacoma, Wash. — where you will find the LEED Gold Morken Center for Learning and Technology. The Morken Center is located on Pacific Lutheran University’s (PLU) lower campus and is one of the most environmentally friendly university buildings in the region. It is the first newly constructed academic building to support PLU’s long-term climate action plan to be carbon neutral by 2020.

The university has extended its accountability for climate action externally by signing the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment — an initiative by Second Nature, EcoAmerica and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, addressing global warming through institutional commitments to reduce and offset greenhouse gas emissions and promote the research and education needed to stabilize the earth’s climate. PLU enlisted Seattle-based developer Lorig to manage the Morken Center construction project.

“PLU is making investments that will benefit — not only their students — but the global community as well,” says Lorig’s founding partner, Bruce Lorig. “We are looking forward to working with them as they set new standards for environmental stewardship within the academic environment.”

The university’s long-term plan for carbon neutrality consists of a combination of measures including conservation, upgrading inefficient equipment, and implementing eco-friendly systems and technologies. If necessary, the university will purchase carbon offsets to meet its climate action goal.

The Morken Center houses PLU’s School of Business, Departments of Mathematics and Computer Science and Computer Engineering. However, the facility does more than provide classroom space for these programs; it also serves as a “living laboratory,” allowing students to learn about the systems at work and how the building’s operations equate to energy consumption.

Because of the effectiveness of the Morken Center’s technologies, similar systems are being designed into other areas of PLU’s operations, helping to accelerate the university’s progress with campus-wide climate action. For example, PLU’s new Neeb Center, which will house the university’s public radio station and Office of University Development, is using a heating and cooling system modeled after that used in the Morken Center.

Eckert & Eckert. Courtesy of Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, LLP.

Geothermal Technology
The Morken Center’s heating and cooling system utilizes a closed loop geothermal heat pump system. Thermal exchange is achieved by circulating piping through a network of 83 wells, each extending 300 feet underground. The geothermal technology is a feasible heating and cooling method due to the site’s soil composition that effectively dissipates heat while maintaining a nearly constant 54 degrees. Distinctive benefits of this technology include individual heating and cooling controls throughout classrooms as well as faculty offices. The heat pumps use a refrigerant that is 100 percent free of ozone-depleting hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC's). This is particularly noteworthy given that the university was among the very first to employ such technology, as it confirmed the order with manufacturer Florida Heat Pumps before the HCFC-free heat pumps had officially been approved and released.

Daylighting
Few academic buildings make use of natural light to the extent of the Morken Center, which was designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects. The facility’s “H” shape allows for maximum window surface area; 90 percent of regularly occupied spaces have exposure to sunlight, which strong evidence suggests positively impacts student performance. A post-occupancy evaluation of the Morken Center, conducted by the U.C. Berkeley Center for the Built Environment (CBE), indicated extremely positive scores in the lighting category, placing the facility in the 87th percentile when compared to other projects in the CBE database.

Daylighting also reduces the energy needed for light fixtures, all of which are controlled by occupancy sensors. Fixtures were selected based on their lighting power density, which resulted in less power per square foot for optimal amounts of light. Circulation spaces, representing the areas of the building requiring continuous lighting, are equipped with daylight sensors to further capitalize on the natural light.

The Morken Center’s occupants not only enjoy maximum exposure to sunlight, but easy access to fresh air as well (as operable windows are installed throughout the building). Windows contain sensors that communicate with the mechanical system to prevent heating or cooling in rooms where windows have been opened. The CBE post-occupancy evaluation revealed that the operable windows are one of the most popular features; 90 percent of survey respondents indicated that the operable windows enhanced their ability to get their job done.

The unique H-shaped layout was also a method for combating the solar load created by the intense heat characteristic of Pacific Northwest afternoons. The surface area oriented toward the west was designed to be significantly less in order to ease the mechanical load required to compensate with cool air.

Materials
The materials selection process focused on procuring recycled content, regionally produced, or low off-gassing materials, as well as products designed for durability and aesthetic longevity. Inside the Morken Center you will find recycled content carpeting; low-VOC paints, glues, finishes and furniture; concrete floors which require no chemical cleaning products or waxes; and steel framing with 95 percent recycled content. An alternative to solid wood, wheat board — made with post-industrial wheat chaff from commercial farms — was chosen for the cores in doors and cabinets.

During construction, general contractor Sellen Construction successfully recycled 93 percent of construction waste — earning the project two credits in the LEED rating system (LEED only requires 50 percent for the first credit, and 75 percent for the second credit). By adhering to a strict indoor air quality (IAQ) protocol throughout the construction process, the team was able to establish a significantly high IAQ level — validated by a test performed at the project’s completion. The Morken Center proved to far exceed the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) standards for VOCs, formaldehyde, and particulates in the air. The Morken Center’s air quality test revealed a VOC level 99.9 percent lower than USGBC requirements.

Stormwater
An underground reservoir captures rainwater and stores it, allowing it to be handled onsite through below-grade filter structures, rather than deposited into storm drains that require treatment. Gradually releasing stormwater back into the ground is particularly beneficial for the Morken Center site because it helps sustain the fragile ecosystem of an adjacent wetland.

Landscaping
Situated on the edge of campus, the design team faced an interesting challenge of integrating formal landscaping with that of the bordering natural vegetation. The solution involved testing different combinations of the site’s oak savannah ecology, and resulted in a special blend of native grasses and plant life. A 50 percent reduction in irrigation water usage resulted from the ability of the team to use the native, drought tolerant species.

“The Morken Center represents only the first step in PLU’s 2020 goal of carbon neutrality,” says Sheri Tonn, PLU’s Vice President of Finance and Operations. “With this innovative facility we have set an example for academic institutions across the country — both with the technology we’ve employed and with our steadfast dedication to a long-term climate action plan.”