Our most recent AIA COTE recipient, the Science and Engineering Complex at Tufts University was featured in the seminar “Performing Beautifully: The COTE Top Ten Awards” at the AIA Conference on Architecture 2022 in Chicago.
During the seminar, Principal Robert Pasersky, AIA described the project to the packed audience. A delicate box floating effortlessly between two historic red brick bookends. Its taut skin cradling and reflecting its surroundings, complementing the brick and lending quiet dignity to the existing buildings. The contingent forms shape a nested series of interior and exterior spaces that heighten awareness of the existing buildings. The new Science and Engineering Complex (SEC) is the product of a strategic infill addition that creates space for interdisciplinary research in biology, environmental science and neuroscience while connecting two historic buildings to create a dynamic, community focused, high tech hub for open communication and cross pollination. The resulting academic precinct addresses the institution’s desire for a critical mass of research and teaching space to support cross-departmental collaborations in an environmentally responsible manner.
The LEED Gold certified SEC employs ambitious low energy strategies across all building systems driven by establishing an aggressive total energy use intensity (EUI) target of under 100 kBTU/SF/YR (excluding the vivarium) representing a 77% reduction in energy over a typical laboratory building. An Aircuity air monitoring system continuously samples laboratory air quality and allows the SEC to operate at lower overall ventilation rates, reducing airflow by 33%. On the electrical side, a task light approach to lab lighting is coupled with occupancy sensors, daylight harvesting and extensive use of LED fixtures which reduced total watts/SF by 40%. A high-performance, triple-glazed envelope minimizes the loads and allowed for the elimination of perimeter heating.
Designers collaborated with the clients to save the existing building, create a new building adaptive reuse and new. The dialogue between new and existing buildings are richer by their adjacency. One of multiple examples of where existing buildings have been transformed with the same level of energy performance of new buildings showing that you do not have to knock things down to make them better.
Jury Comment
It was a great opportunity to connect with many of our peers and leaders and to share our thoughts and practice on building performance while maintaining the beauty of Architecture.
We are honored the Science and Engineering Complex has joined the distinguished ranks of projects earning an AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Award for significant achievement in advancing climate action. The SEC marks the 6th PAYETTE Project in 6 years to receive this prestigious award.
We are honored to share PAYETTE has received two 2026 Green Good Design Awards from The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies—Land’s Sake Farm and The Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard.
“Green GOOD DESIGN identifies and emphasizes the world’s most important examples of sustainable design and works to develop a public awareness program that informs the general public about which global companies are doing the best job in ecological and sustainable design for our world. Architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning projects, as well as product, packaging, and graphic design projects from over 30 nations were honored with the 2026 Green GOOD DESIGN Award.”
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