Tornado Clears Way for LEED Platinum Building

"Speaking Tuesday to a gathering at the newly finished 5-4-7 Arts Center, University of Kansas Professor and head of Studio 804, Dan Rockhill, and, former student, Jenny Kivett, announced that LEED Platinum certification is assured for the Center. With preliminary certification coming in at Silver, Kivett said a few clarifying statements would be added before resubmitting the application which both Rockhill and Kivett agreed would put the final assessment at Platinum.

Once accepted, the Arts Center would become the first LEED Platinum building in Kansas, the first student designed and constructed LEED Platinum building in history, and the first of what Rockhill hopes will be many sustainable projects in Greensburg.

Rockhill and Studio 804 have been working on community service projects for over a decade beginning in Lawrence. Although run as a business, Studio 804 is a not-for-profit organization that satisfies what Rockhill calls his students' hunger for life experiences. Although most architects "never get dirty," 804 requires that students work in all aspects of design and construction."