The Porter Building
The Ecological Building that Houses the Porter School for Environmental Studies
Green building means building that is environmentally - and user-friendly, including saving and efficient use of new resources, reusing and recycling as much as possible, while striving to safeguard the health and quality of life of all the building's users, now and in future generations.
In early 2008 it was decided to build a new home for the school that would accommodate its extensive activities. It was the first green building at Tel Aviv University, and one of the first of its kind in Israel. The building serves as a unique and accessible laboratory for green architecture and environmental research, and as such, it integrates environmental technologies, such as generating energy and recycling water and waste water. Furthermore, the building serves as a platform for experiments in advanced technologies and environmental-friendly building systems. There are classrooms, auditoriums and offices, and even a place for encounters between researchers from the University's various faculties with representatives from government, industry and environmental organizations.
The project is situated on the eastern edge of the University, south of the Zoological Park. The building site was the former Ahuzat Hof parking lot. The project location is unique and symbolic, as the building towers and overlooks the Ayalon Highway.
The building was designed together with expert environmental consultants from Israel and abroad, according to the Israeli standard for green building and with the goal of complying with the highest standard of the American Standard for Green Building, the LEED Platinum.
The building was designed as an example of construction with minimum carbon emissions. Among the technologies included in its operation:
- The structure and façade of the EcoWall stops direct radiation and serves as a modern “showcase” for environmental technologies.
- The air conditioning system is based on energy produced from tubes from the solar collectors.
- The building contains innovative systems for passive and climatic ventilation and thermal comfort.
- Fully green roof.
- System of biological basins for treating and recycling grey water.
- Sensors to measure carbon emissions, air flow and temperature, and system efficiency.
- Charging stations for electrical vehicles.
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