WASHINGTON, DC - The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has selected 10 examples of viable architectural design solutions that protect and enhance the environment. The facilities, selected by the executive committee of the AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE), address one or more significant environmental challenges that have a lasting and positive impact on the built and unbuilt environment such as energy and water conservation, use of recycled construction materials, and design that improves indoor air quality.

The projects selected for the 1999 Earth Day Top Ten are:

CCI Center in Pittsburgh, PA, was conceived as a green design from the beginning, utilizing a green-team approach, which included CCI and its employees, the architect, the general contractor, and all engineers and subcontractors. The project includes the reclamation of an adjacent vacant lot, which has been transformed into an organic garden. The sustainable design features inherent in the project include maximum use of allergy-free, non-toxic materials; reliance on energy and resource conservation to minimize the impact on the environment; and rainwater capture for terrace, balcony, and site gardens.

Denver Dry Building in Denver, CO, was restored after the Denver Urban Renewal Authority purchased the building and partnered with the New York-based Affordable Housing Development Corp. to create a mixed-use development project. The building's large thermal mass, the computerized heating and air conditioning control system, as well as other noted energy efficiency measures help to achieve an estimated 60% energy savings compared to the building's prior use as a department store. In addition, the building's dramatic arched windows and high vaulted ceilings allow optimal penetration of natural daylighting into tenant apartments.

Duracell Headquarters in Bethel, CT, integrated "green" strategies into planning and design, resulting in a facility that is functional and respectful of its woodland setting. The project team crafted a set of environmental strategies encompassing such issues as site planning, landscaping, watershed management, habitat and wildlife, building design, energy conservation, water conservation, building material selection, and waste management. Natural light floods the building through skylights and tall office windows that look out over the landscape.

The Georgia Tech Aquatic Center in Atlanta, GA, was designed for the 1996 Olympic Games to incorporate an energy-producing solar array into an existing building, showcasing advanced technology to a global audience. A custom-arched glass entrance canopy and a massive rooftop structure mounted above the steel roof deck allow for the free flow of cooling air below.

Kansas City Zoo Deramus Education Pavilion reflects and teaches respect for the natural world, demonstrating ecological balance and principles of sustainable development. Its curved roof is made of recycled copper. To boost energy efficiency, the building uses passive solar design, positioning the building on the site so that public spaces face south, while "back-of-the-house" functions are on the north side. Operable windows on the south, east, and west facades allow for natural cross ventilation. Shade devices, including long overhangs, further control solar gain.

The McKinney Sustainable Elementary School Project is a prototype design commissioned by the State Energy Conservation Office of Texas to be the first completely sustainable school project in the state. The school design incorporates rainwater collection, daylighting, wind energy, solar energy, geothermal heating and cooling, the use of recycled building materials, outdoor teaching spaces, water habitat, reduced reliance on motorized transportation, recycling systems, landscaping sensitivity, and indoor air quality.

The Missouri Historical Society Museum's design was guided by the following environmental design objectives: the conservation of energy, materials, and the ecosystem; utilization of a conservation-conscious design approach; consideration of life-cycle costs rather than evaluation of the project purely on initial cost standards; establishment of standards of usage up front to guide the design process and minimize the ecological impact of the building expansion; design of an expanded building that consumes no more nonrenewable energy than the current museum facility; use of natural systems wherever possible; and recognition that natural light can improve the overall quality of lighting within the environment.

The New York Life Building's renovation considerations included energy source, material selection, recycling of waste, indoor air quality, water conservation, as well as daylighting and light control. The building has received several design awards, including a Region 7 Pollution Prevention Award from the EPA.

The Real Goods Solar Living Center was built by the Real Goods Trading Corp., a distributor of energy conservation and self-sufficiency products, as a showroom to mirror its retailing ethic. The resulting building resembles a curved "bird-wing" with stepping roofs where clerestory windows capture the varying hourly and seasonal angles of the sun.

The REI Seattle Flagship Store's resource-efficient design more than doubles the retail space of the previous store and features recycled building materials. An outdoor courtyard waterfall, recharged by stormwater runoff, is landscaped with native Northwest trees and vegetation.