Robbins Park Center for Environmental Education
Ambler, Pennsylvania
Living Building Challenge Learning Lab in an Ecological Preserve
Three big ideas:
Living Building,
Biophilic,
Student Collaboration
As part of a Green Building United volunteer initiative, Re:Vision has been collaborating with teachers at Upper Dublin High School to pilot the first Environmental Science Project-Based Learning Course built on the green building philosophy of the Living Building Challenge.
The project at the center of the course was a transformation of the Robbins Park Environmental Center, a 40 year old learning lab for the Upper Dublin School District, into a new Living Building. Re:Vision’s volunteers worked with the class throughout two school years to steer their research, design, and presentations to project stakeholders and the larger community.
Picking up where the students left off, Re:Vision is now continuing the development of the actual design of the project to make it a reality.
Fast Facts
Engaged 40+ students in the PBL courses and 400+ students in the full Environmental Science curriculum
Over 50 green building professional volunteers engaged in the coursework
Design for Living Building Challenge Certification
Net-positive energy with roof-top and ground mounted solar panels
Rainwater harvesting with demonstration cistern
Sho-sugi ban (charred for preservation) regionally sourced oak siding
Low-embodied carbon materials throughout including wood timber structure
Wetland restoration with interpretive boardwalk trail
The building and site are designed as hands-on educational tools
– Lisa Fantini
Executive Director
Robbins Park Environmental Education Center
Project Gallery
