The mother of all green houses

Salt shakers
June 2003

The mother of all green houses
It's not easy being green, but it's not impossible. That's what the Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary discovered when these one-time "Blue Nuns" decided to give their Monroe, Michigan motherhouse a green makover, turning into a multimillion dollar environmental show place.

The sisters opened their newly renovated 376,000-square-foot motherhouse on Earth Day, April 22. Catholic News Service reports that the $56 million, two-and-a-half-year project included tapping into a geothermal well for heating and cooling, installing a gray-water system that will reuse water and cut water consumption by 35 percent, and the reuse and renovation of existing materials to make them more environmentally sound.

In welcoming remarks at the opening, the order's president, Sister Virginia Pfau, said the sisters' need to rethink the use of the motherhouse to meet the changing needs of their members "offered an opportunity to re-vision the entire Monroe campus in ways that responded to the wider needs of the world.

"Through research, study, prayer and discernment, we chose to renew our home and campus in ways that express a commitment to sustainable living. . . . The sustainable renovation of our Motherhouse is much more than a Green Building. It is rooted in a desire for deep transformation of the hearts and minds of the community. We are life-long educators, which implies that we are life-long learners. We hope that this living laboratory will serve to educate others.

The project has won a Clean Air Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; received the Honorary Affiliate Member Award from the American Institute of Architects; and received a $6,000 community energy project grant from the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services.

The scope of the project was massive. The geothermal heating and cooling system involves a field of 240 holes bored 450 feet deep to circulate water underground through 54 miles of pipe for natural heating and cooling. The gray-water system will retrieve water from sinks and showers, filter it through a wetland constructed on the property and return it to the building for flushing toilets.

Materials used in construction included recycled and renewable materials whenever possible. When new materials were used, paints were low in or free of volatile organic compounds, adhesives were water-based, recyclable carpeting was installed and interior walls were built of gypsum fiberboard. An upstairs veranda was built of recycled wood and plastic.

Other improvements include low-flow shower heads and faucets, improved use of natural light, high-efficiency electrical lights, energy-efficient glass and occupancy sensors to turn off lights when areas are not in use.

The motherhouse is home to 240 sisters and the administrative offices of the 600-member congregation.

Public tours will be offered through the end of the year.

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