CMPBS Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, Austin, Texas, USA

Advanced Green Builder Demonstration Home Project, Austin, USA
The Advanced Green Builder Demonstration (AGBD) Home Project or the Texas ''Recycled Content'' was funded by the state Oil Overcharge Funds of U.S. Department of Energy. The project is supported by a number of regional agencies and is intended to demonstrate various methods of sustainable projecting and introduce these communities to a variety of recycled-content materials, share issues on economic development and environmental protection (global warming, etc.) on regional basis. It brings to life the concept of the so-called ''life of a product'' – a bridge between the resource use and its environmental impacts in a particular region. The main goal of the project, which is the headquarters of CMPBS (Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems), is to increase the number of manufacturers who prefer green methods of constructing and to share information on how these methods can lessen the environmental impact. The center features an on-site system of rainwater catchment and treatment, systems of heating and cooling with renewable sources of energy. The main peculiarity of this green project is the unique roof which is also designed to chill and heat water.

By Astghik Atabekyan, www.building.am

Photos: www.cmpbs.org