Greensburg City Hall
The first LEED Platinum City Hall in the United States
![Greensburg City Hall](https://www.bnim.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/07032_07_greensburg-city-hall_id49.jpg)
Information
- Location Greensburg, Kansas
- Size 4,800 SF
- Completion 2009
- Certification LEED Platinum
Greensburg City Hall houses the City’s administrative offices and council chambers, which also serve as a public gathering space for town meetings and municipal court sessions. At the front of the building, a vertical axis wind turbine indicates the significance of city government and the goals for a more sustainable future for Greensburg. This LEED Platinum building incorporates a philosophy that reduces consumption at every level, reuses, recycles and cleans its waste and generates clean power for the community. Reinforcing the corner site, the L-shaped building is organized into two wings—a public wing along Main Street that houses the council chambers and an administrative wing. An appropriate, meaningful and durable palette of exterior and interior finishes was selected, including reclaimed brick cladding and reclaimed wood from an abandoned ammunition plant near town.
Impact + Innovation
In 2007, Greensburg’s City Council became the first city in the country to adopt a resolution that all city projects would be built to LEED Platinum standards and would exceed the baseline code for energy efficiency by 42%. Greensburg’s City Hall is the first LEED Platinum City Hall building in the U.S. and serves as the symbol of the town’s vitality and leadership in becoming a model sustainable community where social, environmental and economic concerns are held in balance. The building harnesses solar energy, collects and harvests stormwater for reuse on-site, and maximizes interior daylighting. Located prominently in the center of town along Main Street, the building is within walking distance to shops, amenities and many residences, strengthening the connection between the government and the townspeople.
![Greensburg City Hall](https://www.bnim.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/07032_07_N7_bnimwebsite.jpg)
![Greensburg City Hall](https://www.bnim.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/07032_07_N1_bnimwebsite.jpg)
Process
The Greensburg rebuilding process is a successful example of how sustainable planning ensures sustainable community development. The public involvement process emerged as one of the most important factors that led to a unified community vision and goals, high performance design, and successful implementation. Over 300 people gathered under a large tent raised on the east edge of town, eager to share their ideas for rebuilding. The tent remained a community gathering space throughout the recovery process, hosting several design workshops and community meetings. Integrating a high level of collaboration with the entire community, including City officials, City staff, Steering Committee members, and other stakeholders, the planning and design process for Greensburg moved beyond disaster recovery. The sustainable comprehensive plan recommendations followed a triple-bottom-line philosophy that focused on balancing the city’s social, environmental, and economic needs.
Sustainability
People
Team
- Craig Scranton
- James Pfeiffer
- Hans Nettelblad
- Sam De Jong
- Sarah Hirsch
- Jean Dodd
- Brian Rock
- Edward Krygiel
- Gary Jarvis
- Aaron Ross
- Spencer Davison
- Sebren Ryan Camp
Client
City of Greensburg, Kansas
![Greensburg City Hall](https://www.bnim.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/07032_07_N11_bnimwebsite.jpg)
![Greensburg City Hall](https://www.bnim.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/07032_07_N16_bnimwebsite.jpg)
Awards
AIA Kansas City
Honor Award
2011
AIA Kansas
Honor Award
2011
AIA Kansas
Unbuilt/Commisoned Work, Honor Award
2008
![Greensburg City Hall](https://www.bnim.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/07032_07_greensburg-city-hall_id61.jpg)