Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center: A Living Building on America’s Mountain

Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center: A Living Building on America’s Mountain explores the approach to designing and constructing a biophilic and high-performance, regenerative building in the stark yet beautiful alpine tundra environment at Pikes Peak, Colorado, one of America’s most beloved natural attractions. 

 Complemented by stunning photography and graphics, the book details how the project team approached the Living Building Challenge’s rigorous requirements for Energy, Water, Materials, Place, Beauty, Equity, and Health & Happiness with many design constraints and logistics and construction challenges. From early design sketches to a ribbon-cutting ceremony nearly five years later, Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center documents how the dedicated team and a host of key partners, including Pikes Peak - America’s Mountain and the City of Colorado Springs, the US Forest Service, the Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway, and the United States Army, worked together to make this high-altitude vision a reality. The book also anchors the project in the fascinating natural and human history of the peak as it takes the reader through the planning, design, construction, and operation of this major tourist attraction.

 With its commitment to preserving and honoring the natural environment while engaging the public with opportunities for education and meaningful personal experiences, Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center now serves as an inspiring ambassador for sustainability for nearly one million visitors annually.

Topics Included:

• Regenerative Architecture
• Living Building Challenge
• Building Resilience
• Biophilic Design
• Cold-Climate Construction
• Embodied & Operational Carbon
• Net Positive Energy 
• Renewable Energy
• Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
• Universal Design
• Employee Safety, Health & Wellness
• Site Restoration
• Red List/Healthy Materials
• Salvaged/Upcycled Materials
• Progressive Building & Regulatory Codes
• Water Regulations
• Localized Reclaimed Water Treatment
• Community Engagement