The Green Building

The award-winning project The Green Building in Louisville, KY opened in the Fall of 2008 in the East Market District, the heart of NuLu, Louisville's arts district. 

Renovation of the 119 year old masonry structure, a former dry goods store, was commenced by owners Augusta and Gill Holland in spring 2007 when they decided to become the first commercial building in Louisville KY to go for LEED platinum certification (the US Green Building Council's designation of a sustainable building). Intent upon rescuing the building from decades of misuse, the project included resuscitating the structural masonry shell and infusing it with a modern core, including a 40 foot high lobby, expansive natural lighting, eco-friendly materials, and renewable energy systems, as well as extensive solar power, geothermal wells, and recycled denim insulation. The Green Building is home to The Green Building Gallery, Edj Analytics and Galaxie, event spaces, and an indoor-outdoor courtyard.

Click here to listen to an interview with The Green Building's architect, Doug Pierson of (fer) studio.
View Completed Project Photos (Album 1)
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View Construction Photos (Album 2)
View Construction Photos (Album 3)

Building Green at The Green Building

April 20, 2015

Check out this neat drone video of The Green Building shot by Adam Kolarcik

April 15, 2014

10 Things You May Not Know About The Green Building

April 14, 2014

During the course of a year, The Green Building is 73% self-sustainable in terms of energy production.

Read full article.

Nulu Prepares for Downtown Bridge Construction

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) – This summer construction work will begin kicking off the start of the downtown bridge project.

Six lanes of traffic will take drivers from Louisville to Jeffersonville.The bridge is set to open in 2016 and the downtown bridge will be just east of where the Kennedy Bridge currently sits.

Six lanes of traffic will take drivers from Louisville to Jeffersonville. Starting in July, the I-64 eastbound ramp to I-65 will shut down. This area will stay closed for 1,000 days. 

On Wednesday, a public open house was held for questions and concerns. 

"You're always going to have concerns when you are do construction, there's excitement tempered with concern of course and the purpose of these public meetings is to address some concerns, hear some of those questions and get feedback on what we are doing down here," said Andy Barber, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet project manager. 

In Indiana starting this July there will be work on Exit 0 north bound, but the exit will remain open during the construction of the new exit ramp.

Over in Nulu, there are some concerns with construction and the length of the project. 

Gill Holland, president of the Nulu Business Association said fortunately they have worked hand in hand with all the key players in the this project in hopes of making sure the streets stay busy with customers.

Read more and view video.

Renovate Louisville: Adaptive Reuse of Older Buildings

March 19, 2013

Environmental Excellence Awards Presented by Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection

Winners displayed environmental leadership

Frankfort, Ky. (Sept. 30, 2011) – The Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection honored the six recipients of its 2011 Environmental Excellence Awards during an awards luncheon at the Governor’s Conference on Energy and the Environment at the Lexington Convention Center. The awards were presented by Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear.

Through this awards program, the department recognized the efforts and activities of individuals, businesses and organizations that are committed to protecting and improving Kentucky’s environment.

Environmental Pacesetter Award for a Small Business: The Green Building, Louisville
The Green Building achieved platinum LEED certification, becoming Louisville's first commercial building to hold the honor and is Kentucky’s first Platinum Adaptive Reuse Project. Rehabilitation of the 115-year-old former dry goods store included resuscitating the structural masonry shell and infusing it with a modern core, including a 40-foot-high lobby, expansive natural lighting, ecofriendly materials and renewable energy systems, as well as extensive solar power, geothermal wells and recycled denim insulation. The Green Building is a prime example of the potential to be sustainable that exists in older structures. 

 

LEED Platinum retrofit serves as example for Green Energy Focus

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The accelerating trend of green retrofits can turn blighted, crumbling downtown buildings into functional, energy-efficient spaces that help revitalize neighborhoods, according to a Los Angeles-based architect who specializes in "adaptive reuse."

Doug Pearson, partner and design principal at Form Environment Research, presented his adaptive reuse of a 120-year-old Louisville retail and warehouse structure at the Green Building Focus Retrofit Seminar at the Jackson Center in Cummings Research Park. 

Read More

 

Local building wins environmental award

By Erin Austin | WDRB

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It's called the Green Building. The Louisville structure was recognized for the environmentally-friendly design Friday that won it the first award of its kind in the state.

State representative Steve Riggs presented the building's owners, Gill and Augusta Holland, with an award of merit from Kentucky.

It comes after the Green Building earlier this year became the first commercial building in Kentucky to be awarded platinum level LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, certification.

"A lot of people worked on the design. A lot of people worked on the interior demolition. You know, we didn't want to send anything to landfills. A lot of people then worked on sourcing materials, renewable materials, recycled materials, recycling materials from the building. And then we finally built the building and then we had to market and promote the building," says Green Building owner Gill Holland.

Holland says he's also proud of the impact the building has had on the design of other buildings in Louisville.

The Green Wall @ The Green Building

The Green Building :: Reclaiming Wood

The Green Building Energy by Design

When planning a trip to Louisville, Kentucky, do not forget to take the time to explore the community of arts and to visit at least one of the beautiful green spaces that the city has to offer.