SIPA building receives Sustainable Design Award

The FIU School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) was honored with a Sustainable Design Award at the American Institute of Architects (AIA)-Florida’s Annual Convention.

The School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) building boasts South Florida’s largest green roof and and photovoltaic solar panels.

The convention took place August 8-10 in Orlando.

The Sustainable Design Award, presented by the AIA’s Committee on the Environment, recognizes excellence in the design and environmental performance of sustainable projects, including buildings and urban design projects.

“We knew the SIPA building was special, both architecturally and sustainably,” said John Stack, executive director of SIPA. “This award is a testament to the university’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and to the successful collaboration between FIU and the construction and architecture firms involved, Suffolk Construction and Arquitectonica.”

The SIPA building opened in 2011. Three years prior, FIU established a policy that all new campus construction would be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, an internationally recognized green building certification system. SIPA is FIU’s second LEED-certified building and the first to receive a gold certification at FIU. Above the auditorium, the building features South Florida’s largest green roof, planted with native plants.  The building’s main roof features photovoltaic solar panels.