Parkhill, Smith & Cooper

Our last field trip was taken to Parkhill, Smith and Cooper, a design firm that incorporates every step of the design process.  It includes engineering, architecture, interiors, and landscape architecture.  They are based out of West Texas and have five different locations, totaling around 250 employees. 

            PSC typically designs in the public sector, focusing on healthcare, education, transportation and municipal infrastructure.  The firm is also ranked among the Top 500 Design Firms in the United States.  More importantly, the Lubbock location was the first LEED certified building in all of west Texas.  In taking our tour of the building, it was very interesting to hear all of the components that went into to the building to make it sustainable.

            One of the most eye catching was the fabric air ducts that circulate throughout the building, at night when the air is off the ducts actually collapse.  All of the finishes are low in VOC, which reduces the amount of poisonous gases.  The building actually has a 10% decrease in employee sick days because of all the sustainable design choices in the building.  A few of the parking spaces for the building are covered in grass rather than concrete, which absorbs chemicals released from cars.  In addition, the roof of the building is a “green roof.” It is covered in grass and plants that are watered from an underground reservoir that collects water from the ground.  There is also a camera in the building, allowing the capability to see what is happening with the plants on the roof.  These plants actually add insulation to the roof, so despite the expensive upfront cost, PSC will begin to save money after three years. 

            Parkhill, Smith and Cooper has worked hard to create a sustainable building and become the first LEED certified building in the area.  Environmental awareness is becoming increasingly important.  Therefore, our future design choices in materials and textiles can impact our population of as a whole.