The Merril Hall story
Merrill Hall is a showcase for sustainable urban design in Seattle. After arson destroyed the original building in 2001, the UW and the greater community turned tragedy into opportunity by creating a building that reflects the mission and vision of UW Botanic Gardens.
From the ground up
Arson destroyed the original Merrill Hall in May 2001, including four labs,
offices for 30 people, the Miller Library,and
the Hyde Herbarium. The destruction
set back faculty and student research several
years. The WSU Cooperative
Extension and Master Gardener programs also suffered
devastating losses to
their programs.
As planning for a new building began, Merrill Hall became a way to reflect the interrelationships between the natural world and the built environment. Design features would emphasize the organization's unique role as the link between nearby urban neighborhoods and the ecologically sensitive Union Bay Natural Area.
Rebuilt with funds from the state of Washington, the UW, and significant private donations, Merrill Hall has become an integral part of UW Botanic Garden's education and outreach on sustainable urban living. Since its completion in January 2005, thousands of students and tour groups have come to see green building principles put into practice.
The U.S. Green Building Council awarded Merrill Hall a LEED Silver rating for its sustainable features. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a national certification program which recognizes buildings that are environmentally sustainable, profitable, and healthy places to live and work.
Sustainable features
- To reflect the College of Forest Resources, Merril Hall uses sustainable wood throughout the building, including bamboo floors and tables made from salvaged wood.
- Waterless urinals and low-flush toilets
help reduce
water consumption by more than 35%.
- Irrigation monitoring links the irrigation system to a
campus weather
station, so sprinklers only turn on when needed.
- Stormwater recyling: in the future, a 2200 gallon underground cistern will
store runoff to water the demonstration green roof, which is located
next to McVay Courtyard.
- Natural ventilation cools the building in summer, using strategically located windows and fans
to draw warm air up and out of the rooms.
- Thirty-two solar panels were installed on the Miller Library roof with support from Seattle City Light. These panels supply enough energy to power the lights on the building's first floor.
- Green roof plantings help to reflect heat and thus reduce
the urban "heat
- Healthy building materials such as glues, carpets, and paint contain few volatile organic compounds, harmful chemicals which evaporate easily at room temperature.
- The building uses recycled materials, from 25 percent recycled metal in the roof to restroom wall and floor tiles comprised of 50 to 60 percent recycled glass.
Script of Guided Tour of Merrill Hall (pdf)
With Many Thanks
The new Merrill Hall was made possible by generous support from the following individuals and organizations:
University of Washington
UW College of Forest Resources
Washington
State University
Northwest Horticultural Society
Pendleton and
Elisabeth Carey
Miller Charitable Foundation
Bullitt Foundation
Master Gardener
Foundation
Peach Foundation
Patsy Collins
Yugi Koide and
members of
the Japanese horticultural community
The Hinckley family
Seattle Garden
Club
Mary Robson
Simpson Investment Company, Office of the
Chairman
Urban Hardwoods
Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP
Chen Ragen, LLC
more
than 500
other individuals, groups and businesses
A Leader in Green Building Design