Academic Building Naming Prospectus HOME OF THE NICHOLAS SCHOOL OF THE ENVIRONMENT AT DUKE UNIVERSITY
In today s interconnected world, the ripples of environmental change impact us all and every facet of our lives. Now more than ever, the Earth and the human systems and institutions that govern society are tightly interdependent. Each can profoundly affect the other, and the potential for unintended consequences abound. Finding the path to a sustainable future in such a complex world requires two essential ingredients: knowledge of how natural and human systems interact, and leaders with the skills to use that knowledge to forge solutions that foster environmental stewardship, sustainable development and economic growth. Duke University s Nicholas School of the Environment is deeply committed to developing both the knowledge and the leaders we need to sustain our future. We are a world-class interdisciplinary faculty, with natural and social scientists working together on cutting edge, cross-disciplinary research in energy, climate, ecosystem services, environmental health, the oceans and our water. As part of a distinguished university, we are able to access the considerable talents of Duke University faculty from all disciplines: law, business, policy, medicine, engineering, divinity, documentary studies and the fine arts. Today, a major milestone propels us forward: the construction of, an iconic facility at the heart of the Duke University campus that will push the boundaries of sustainable design and be a physical statement of Duke s environmental vision and leadership. As construction progresses, there exists an exciting opportunity for a visionary partner to join Duke s Nicholas School of the Environment in creating a place, and a program within, that will have a lasting impact on the Earth. A $20 million leadership gift to name at Duke University would be transformational for the School and provide enduring support to students who will be the next generation of environmental leaders and stewards of our planet and its resources. The new home of the Nicholas School of the Environment As the new home for the Nicholas School of the Environment and the hub of all environmental activity on campus, will stand as a bold statement of Duke s commitment to leadership in forging a sustainable future through research, education and practice. When it opens in spring 2014, it will bring together our interdisciplinary community of faculty and students, currently situated throughout the Durham campus, under one roof. The new space will foster a collaborative spirit of inquiry that will enhance our understanding of how the natural world and humanity interact and enable us to use that understanding to find sustainable solutions to the environmental problems of today and tomorrow. This new 70,000-squarefoot structure at the center of Duke s West Campus will meet the highest standards of sustainability and energy efficiency and will operate as a living laboratory for aligning human behavior, functionality and environmental stewardship. With muchneeded space for classrooms, student study areas, computer labs, faculty and staff offices and meeting rooms, and an environmental arts gallery, it will be an inspirational venue for our world-class faculty and students to interact, learn and apply their skills and knowledge. As the first programmatic building on the Duke campus to be certified LEED Platinum and meet high benchmarks for sustainable design, construction and maintenance practices, it will serve as a model for other construction, at Duke and beyond. The outdoor landscape will be equally bold, meeting the guidelines of The Sustainable Sites Initiative a national effort, similar to the LEED Green Building rating system program for buildings, and led by the American Society of Landscape Architects and its partners. Sustainable sites use less energy, water and natural resources; generate less waste; and minimize the impact on the land compared to traditional design, construction and maintenance techniques. Duke s first Sustainable Sites Initiative can even give back to the environment by cleaning the air and water, restoring habitat and biodiversity all while providing significant benefits to the immediate site and surrounding Duke University community. Most importantly, will support and enhance Duke s highly ranked educational programs that prepare future leaders of consequence in environmental science, policy and management. The high-tech, 120-seat Great Auditorium will, for the first time, give the Nicholas School community a single space large enough to accommodate our growing classroom needs. Flexible classrooms, a rooftop garden that serves as an openair laboratory, an organic orchard and outdoor plaza, and many other common areas indoors and out, will provide extraordinary opportunities for teaching, learning and the exchange of ideas. Because this building is a living laboratory, all of its features from the rooftop solar panels to the rainwater recycling and natural light systems will be wired into an advanced monitoring system that continuously senses and communicates environmental conditions and resource use within the facility. The results will not only enable us to optimize the performance of Environment Hall, but through experiential learning and sharing of this data, our students and faculty will collaborate with others at Duke, and well beyond campus, to explore ways to optimize building performance and minimize our carbon footprint.
distinguishing features Organic Living Rooftop Garden An open-air laboratory to investigate the performance of various plant species in rooftop conditions, with a mix of perennial and annual plants emphasizing edible species. A small team of work-study students will serve as roof farm managers in charge of daily operations and maintenance; specific bed experiments will be conducted by faculty or student investigators and incorporated into a variety of classes. Organic Orchard and Outdoor Plaza One of the defining features of the new building, featuring a mix of self-pollinating, edible fig, pear and persimmon species. Situated between and the Levine Research and Science Center (LSRC), the orchard and plaza will provide a symbolic connection between the old and new Nicholas School, as well as a place for students and faculty to congregate and commune. Solar Rooftop Array One of the most visible and impactful aspects of Environment Hall will be at its apex literally its crowning achievement: an innovatively designed and integrated solar array and rooftop garden. The solar array will provide renewable electricity and hot water to the building and its occupants, while also providing vital shade to the plants below. Living Laboratory A wide array of building performance information will be collected through an advanced monitoring system that continuously senses and communicates environmental conditions and resource use within the facility. Data will be integrated into an energy model and used (through student-run initiatives) to adjust the behavior of s occupants to optimize building performance and minimize carbon footprint. Environmental Arts Gallery This gallery, as well as prominent design elements throughout the building and grounds, will showcase the essential role of the arts in conveying humans profound connection to the Earth and, in so doing, inspire others to help forge a more sustainable future for all. Great Auditorium A 120-seat, state-of-the-art learning center with the flexibility for expanded seating in the adjacent commons. For the first time, the Nicholas School community will have a single space large enough to fit an entire graduating class. Equipped with the latest telepresence technology to link with the Duke Marine Lab and other sites, the Great Auditorium will also feature glass walls that can be shaded for privacy or provide a transparent view, from one side of the building to the other, of the natural world outside.
Giving Opportunities An opportunity to name the new home of the nation s premier School of the Environment The need for environmental leadership has never been greater. As Duke moves through a comprehensive fundraising campaign, the Nicholas School of the Environment is seeking investments that will allow us to continue and expand the important work of preparing the next generation to create a sustainable future. With the generous leadership gifts of our closest friends, we will generate knowledge that expands our understanding of the Earth and its environment. The Nicholas School s new open-design academic space will allow our well known collaborative spirit of inquiry the environment to join us in creating the new home for to flourish. Our faculty and students will have modern the nation s premier School of the Environment through learning space that will help better our understanding of how the natural world and humanity interact and enable a $20 million leadership gift to name. us to use that understanding to find sustainable solutions to the environmental problems of today and tomorrow. Moreover, this $20 million naming opportunity will not only transform the Nicholas School and put it on a solid financial foundation, it will also transform our students both at the undergraduate, professional master s and doctoral levels and prepare them to forge new avenues of thought and action as future leaders of consequence on behalf of the environment. We now seek a visionary and committed champion of A lead naming gift of this magnitude would mark the apex of decades of growth for the Nicholas School of the Environment and position us to meet the coming environmental challenges of the future. Furthermore, for our benefactor(s), it would leave a lasting legacy that would forever link their name(s) with the nation s premier school for the study of the environment and the training of those who will follow in their bold and visionary philanthropic footsteps. area opportunity quantity Building Naming gift $20,000,000 Green Living SITES Landscape Design Organic Living Rooftop Garden Solar Rooftop Array Sun Shading System & Moveable Panels Organic Orchard & Outdoor Plaza Potting Shed $650,000 funded $350,000 Art and Architecture Building Operations Display Outdoor Artwork Indoor Artwork Environmental Art Gallery Hall Entrance Bridge Central Staircase funded Community Spaces Great Auditorium Scholars Deck Student Study Spaces Student Commons (Auditorium Lounge) Auditorium Seats Christensen Reading Room 120 $1,500,000 $150,000 $5,000 $1,000 Staff and Administration Spaces Dean s Suite (Office + Board Room) Admissions & Enrollment Services Suite Career Services Suite Conference Rooms (3rd, 4th, 5th floor) 3 $150,000 Research and Teaching Spaces Computer Lab Student Suites (3rd & 4th floor) Classrooms Faculty Offices Research Associate Offices Research Associate Workstations Student Workstations (3rd & 4th floor) 6 4 30 42 $10,000 $10,000
Duke Named Gift Opportunities Your leadership contribution will help us create an extraordinary facility that pushes the boundaries of sustainable design, serves as a model for other University construction, and makes a physical statement of Duke s stature as the premier academic, professional and research program for the interdisciplinary study of the environment. Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment Office of External Affairs (919) 613-8003 nicholas.duke.edu/giving