KU News Release

Architecture students commit to building sustainable residence in Kansas City, Kan.

LAWRENCE — Students enrolled in Studio 804 at the University of Kansas have committed to build a sustainable residence in Kansas City, Kan., this year. It will be the fifth house that studio participants have erected in the Kansas City area in the past six years.

The students aspire to complete the first LEED Platinum residence in Kansas. Last year, students in Studio 804 designed and built the 5.4.7 Arts Center in Greensburg, the first LEED Platinum building in the state. Platinum is the highest rating level of the rigorous LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System — a procedure that awards points for meeting particular green building criteria.

The new Kansas City house will showcase many energy-saving techniques — including water recycling, photovoltaic solar panels, recycled materials, wind turbines and geothermal heating and cooling. It is the goal of Studio 804 for this to be the first home in Wyandotte County to utilize renewable energy sources as extensively as Kansas City will allow.

Located at 3716 Springfield St. on a secluded site to the west of the KU Medical Center, the residence will appeal to those who desire to live off-the-grid while enjoying amenities that comprise the metropolitan urban core. Students began construction in early February, and completion is scheduled for May.

Studio 804 is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit, design/build program at KU’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning focused on the creation of community-based architecture. The Studio 804 experience encompasses all aspects of the building process, from initial design through finished construction. Studio 804 is directed by Dan Rockhill, the J.L. Constant Distinguished Professor of Architecture.

-30-

The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.