Courtesy Phinney Design Group
Phinney Design Group in Saratoga Springs, recently won the People’s Choice award for 2016 from American Institute of Architects (AIA) New York State.
The People’s Choice award winner was selected by popular vote online, open to the public.
The company was recognized for its design efforts on the Bio Building, part of the Wild Center/Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks in Tupper Lake. The mission of the museum is to “ignite an enduring passion for the Adirondacks where people and nature can thrive together and set an example for the world.”
Michael Phinney, principal architect, accepted the award on behalf of Phinney Design Group at the AIA New York State Design Awards event in Saratoga Springs on Sept. 30.
Earlier in the year, Phinney Design was awarded an Excelsior Award from AIA New York State for the Bio Building. The winners of the Excelsior Awards are chosen for providing a model of excellence for state-funded design, professional practice and advocacy.
The Wild Center's dedication to environmental education inspired them to choose Phinney Design Group, an architecture firm focused on sustainable design and environmentally sensitive construction techniques, to design their award-winning Bio Building, officials said.
Phinney's experience with sustainable design, his LEED accreditation (one of the first in the state), and his previous experience on the first certified "green building" built in New York caught the Wild Center's attention when they were choosing a firm to design the Bio Building.
The Natural History Museum's campus attained LEED Silver certification in 2008, becoming the first LEED-certified building in the Adirondack Park and the first LEED-certified museum in New York State. These sustainable strategies enable it to save between 20 and 30 percent on operating costs compared to a conventionally designed building.
Further information on Phinney Design Group can be found at www.phinneydesign.com.