Heifer International,
established in
1944, is a unique non-profit organization founded on the
principal that
it should help the hungry by donating sources of food, rather
than just
the food alone. Heifer’s mission includes gifts of livestock and
plants, as well as education in sustainable agriculture, to financially
disadvantaged families around the world. Heifer begins its interaction
with
communities by delivering one animal to one family and training
them to take
care it. At the heart of Heifer’s model is the commitment
that families must
make to “pass on the gift” by sharing one of their
animal’s female offspring
with other families, and to pass on the
training and skills they have acquired
to others. Helping others in
this way perpetuates the benefits of the original
gift.Heifer demonstrates its commitment to enhancing the community
and nurturing the environment in all aspects of its business, including
designing one of the most remarkable buildings in the country. Heifer
International Headquarters, located in Little Rock, AR, was designed
and built
with respect to all environmental aspects. The Center is a
“green” building,
specially designed to conserve energy and curb
pollution. It also includes a
semicircular floor plan that provides
daylight on all floors, efficient fixtures
and appliances, as well as a
surrounding site that is a model
of sustainable architecture and design.
The building sits on a restored wetland that now wraps around
two-thirds of the building. Before beginning construction, they had to
clean up
the site, known as a “brownfield,” by removing 75,000 tons of
earth. They
transformed it into a wetland area that controls, stores,
and reuses surface
groundwater. Additionally, an innovative
permeable-surface parking lot was
created to eliminate stormwater
runoff problems. The building itself provides a
method to collect
stormwater for reuse as irrigation water. Rainwater is drained
from the
roof and transferred to a five-story tower. Graywater collected from
sinks and drinking fountains condensate from outside air handling units
and the
stored rainwater is then reused in the toilets and to cool the
building. The
environmentally friendly construction serves as a
reminder of the global
initiatives of Heifer International, in addition
to highlighting the vital need
for promoting sustainability; passing on
the gift in yet another way.
As a gentle reminder, we should all try to “pass on the gift”
this
holiday season. As we deepen our own knowledge of our environment or gain
other areas of expertise, pass on the gift of this information to your
family
and friends. Remember, sharing new ideas can make a difference
in the world.
From all of us at StormCon, our
warmest holiday
wishes!