Kansas City Science and Technology Center (Kansas City, KS)

Environmental Protection Agency

The Kansas City Science and Technology Center was constructed on a former Brownfield site to serve as a sustainable, energy-efficient model for future laboratory design. The building incorporates recycled materials, xeriscaping, and natural stormwater management. A rooftop rainwater recovery system captures and filters rainwater for flushing toilets and make-up water for the building's cooling towers, cutting domestic water use. Variable air volume fume hoods, reflective roofing, high-efficiency lighting, daylighting, low-e windows, and motion detectors help reduce energy use by more than 25 percent over a typical EPA laboratory. The scoring of these features earned the facility a LEED™ Version 2 Gold rating. Based on energy utilization during the first year of operation, this facility is the best performing new EPA laboratory.