With the May 22 dedication of a new retail store on Opelika Road for the Salvation Army, Auburn-Opelika residents saw the results of teamwork between AU’s College of Architecture, Design and Construction and local architects and builders involving some of the latest concepts in  environmentally friendly design and construction.

A team of six students from the college’s Design-Build master’s program worked with John Randall Wilson Architects and J&L Contracting in an outreach project to incorporate into the design and construction concepts that the college is developing in its academic programs.

The new facility includes office, retail and warehouse space. D.K. Ruth, director of the Design-Build program, said integrating alternative practices, sustainability and “green” design was a priority in construction of the new store. The facility utilizes reused and reinvented shipping containers in the major structure. Design team members said the use of the containers is a socially responsible answer for one of the “leftovers” of today’s society, while also functioning as the main load bearing system of the building. Members said the reuse of materials also helps convey the spirit of the Salvation Army, which resells donated clothing and household goods at low cost to consumers.

Dan Bennett, dean of the College of Architecture, Design and Construction, said such projects are as important to the students as they are to the community. “For example,” he said, “the experience with the new Salvation Army Building provided  first-hand experience  regarding the value of service learning. That is, as citizens of a community, the students reaped the personal reward of providing a much needed service to others.” Bennett added, “Equally important is the opportunity to experiment with using alternative and environmentally sustainable construction materials, and therefore set an example for others to follow. It is also important that the students worked collaboratively with professionals from both the design and construction professions, thus preparing them with hands on examples of the work they will be engaged in after graduation.”

Reconstituted wood particleboard is used for the roof structure, deck and enclosure walls, and Kalwall, an infill material which reduces ultraviolet rays, is used to reduce heat and produce high ambient light which diminishes the need for interior light fixtures.

Construction on the facility began in fall 2006.

The Design-Build Master’s Program, under the auspices of The Community Outreach Center for Design and Construction focuses on the process of design and construction techniques. It is believed that by 2015, as much as 75 percent of all building projects will be delivered in some form of collaborative process. Through the program, students study the design-build process and work together to solve problems more efficiently, promote trust and reinforce dynamic thinking, and apply these skills through collaborations with the public and private sector and in outreach efforts to communities.