Micron Early Learning Center Build a Better Idaho Case Study Project Location: Boise, Idaho Architect/Design Firm: Gensler Design/Construction Team: Gensler/Swinerton Completion Date: August 2024 PROJECT OVERVIEW The Micron Early Learning Center is a new 19,350-square-foot mass timber building adjacent to Micron’s headquarters in Boise. This state-of-theart facility provides affordable, accessible and reliable high-quality early education and care for the children of Micron team members. With children as the design’s focal point, the Early Learning Center has a capacity for 124 children and aims to create a safe and inspiring environment for all children to learn and grow. Sustainability is at the forefront of this project. Thinking of today and future generations, they reduced the embodied carbon of the project by using a mass timber structural system combined with low-carbon steel and concrete. All electric, highly efficient and renewable electricity-powered systems offer safe, clean and climate-smart operations. The building is seeking LEED Gold Certification and has instituted strategies that address all fields for sustainable design, from water conservation and indoor air quality to sustainable landscape strategies and healthy materials. The design seeks to drive environmental efficiencies and improve the experiences of children and staff. The one-story, L-shape form with a central entry point from the south and north-facing clerestory windows along the roof ridge provides natural daylight deep into the building, reducing lighting loads. To mitigate solar heat gain and reduce cooling loads, glazing was minimized on the south/southwestern exposures. Where glazing is needed on those elevations, they are protected with overhangs and vertical shading fins integral to the building’s design. Outdoor play areas with age-appropriate play structures to encourage active play and exploration use carefully selected materials for longevity to increase the equipment’s lifespan. The landscape design reduces water use by incorporating more native, drought‑tolerant plants and improves on-site water retention with permeable paving. Shading of outdoor play areas is achieved with fixed shade structures to support year-round outdoor play. SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES The Micron Early Learning Center was designed with sustainability in mind from the start. Micron identified LEED Gold Certification as its target for this project during the pre-design phase. The project includes the following sustainability features: Energy Performance The Micron Early Learning Center is an all-electric building with a thermally insulated roof, walls, and slab and double pane glazing throughout. A 30% All photo credits: Joshua Roper Photography 32 IDAHO ARCHITECTURE | 2025 | aiaidaho.com
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