With a thumbs up from the building inspector, Sedgwick Reserve has gotten the ok to occupy a brand new headquarters building. The 3,600-square-foot Tipton Meeting House will be multifunctional. In addition to acting as headquarters for the UC Santa Barbara-administered reserve, it will house an education center, seed bank and native plant herbarium, and a classroom-cum-conference hall. The building was designed by Thompson Naylor Architects of Santa Barbara to be one of the most environmentally friendly in the state. It keeps usage of resources such as water and energy to a minimum with features such as:
- passive solar heating
- natural lighting during daytime
- natural cross ventilation
- electricity from solar array
- geothermal heating and cooling
- solar water heating
- rainwater collection for toilet flushing
- waterless urinals
- recycled building materials
The building is being nominated for a Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating, the highest level of certification offered by the U.S. Green Building Council. If approved for platinum status, the Tipton Meeting House will be only the second platinum building at UC Santa Barbara, and one of 68 non-residential platinum buildings in California.
The Tipton Meeting House was entirely funded by donors. Benefactors include the Lillian T. Tipton Foundation, the Marvin T. Clark estate. Wayne Rosing of the Las Cumbres Observatory will establish a live link to the telescope at the Laurie Nelle Byrne Observatory located on the reserve and help to furnish the building. One-time funds from the UC Natural Reserve System are helping to purchase tables and chairs. Until the furniture arrives, Sedgwick manager Kate McCurdy will be using the space as a yoga palace. Time for downward dog, anyone?