Logan Square in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Green Building at Friends Center
Photographed By Don Morfe, May 17, 2015
1. Green Building at Friends Center Marker
Inscription.
Green Building at Friends Center. . The sustainable renovation of Friends Center is an expression of Quakers’ commitment to a responsible relationship with the earth and all of its inhabitants. The meetinghouse and office buildings were modified to reduced energy consumption, protect the watershed, and eliminate carbon emissions. Friends hope others will be inspired to find creative ways to express reverence and care for our planet. , Come inside to learn more.
(Inscription under the photo in the center left) , Interiors filled with daylight reduce electricity usage for lighting and increase workers’ sense of well being.
(Inscription under the photo in the lower left) , Rainwater from the meetinghouse roof is captured in cisterns and used to flush toilets in the office building reducing storm water runoff and reducing potable water usage.
(Inscription under the image in the lower center) , The building is heated and cooled without the use of fossil fuels, by using the earth’s mass as a heat sink. In summer excess heat drawn from the interior, put through the underground well, and absorbed by the earth. In the colder months the system works to compress the earth’s energy (heat) and release it inside the building. Seven wells, ranging from 650 to 1,500 feet deep are drilled in the sidewalk along 15th Street.
(Inscription under the image in the upper right) , Solar panels generate about 5% of Friends Center’s electricity and reduce summer peak loads.
(Inscription under the image in the lower right) , Vegetation planted on the roof of the office building captures rain water, cools the building in summer, and preserves the underlying roof. And it’s beautiful.
The sustainable renovation of Friends Center is an expression of Quakers’ commitment to a responsible relationship with the earth and all of its inhabitants. The meetinghouse and office buildings were modified to reduced energy consumption, protect the watershed, and eliminate carbon emissions. Friends hope others will be inspired to find creative ways to express reverence and care for our planet.
Come inside to learn more.
(Inscription under the photo in the center left) Interiors filled with daylight reduce electricity usage for lighting and increase workers’ sense of well being.
(Inscription under the photo in the lower left) Rainwater from the meetinghouse roof is captured in cisterns and used to flush toilets in the office building reducing storm water runoff and reducing potable water usage.
(Inscription under the image in the lower center) The building is heated and cooled without the use of fossil fuels, by using the earth’s mass as a heat sink. In summer excess heat drawn from the interior, put through the underground well, and absorbed by the earth. In the colder months the system works to compress the earth’s energy (heat) and release it inside the building. Seven wells, ranging from 650 to 1,500 feet deep are drilled in the sidewalk along 15th Street.
(Inscription under the image in the upper
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right) Solar panels generate about 5% of Friends Center’s electricity and reduce summer peak loads.
(Inscription under the image in the lower right) Vegetation planted on the roof of the office building captures rain water, cools the building in summer, and preserves the underlying roof. And it’s beautiful.
Location. 39° 57.341′ N, 75° 9.887′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in Logan Square. Marker is on Cherry Street. The marker is located at the entrance to the Friends Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia PA 19102, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 20, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 280 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on May 20, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
