Chapter house for Pi Beta Phi in Mississippi by Pryor and Morrow Architects

Article source: Pryor and Morrow Architects

Newest Chapter House at Mississippi State University Registers LEED^® Certification

The new chapter house for Pi Beta Phi at Mississippi State University has become LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), making this the first sorority house in the U.S. with such distinction.

Front View

• Architect: Pryor and Morrow Architects
• Name of Project: chapter house for Pi Beta Phi
• Location: Mississippi, USA

Pi Beta Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation’s (FHC) development team directed Pryor and Morrow Architects of Columbus, Mississippi, designed the chapter house at 110 Robert L. Jones Drive, Starkville, Mississippi, to the guidelines set by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to achieve LEED certification. The 16,000 square foot home maximizes open space, uses indigenous landscaping and bicycle storage. Plumbing and air conditioning systems incorporate water-use reduction features. The use of insulation and window glazing also optimizes energy performance.

Interior View

Specific design elements used in achieving LEED certification are renewable materials and recycled content in finishes, compact fluorescent lighting, and drought tolerant plants, which minimizes water needs and allows lush green landscaping without the need for irrigation.

“We are extremely proud of our new LEED-certified chapter house at Mississippi State,” said Eileen Grigutis, president of the Fraternity Housing Corporation. “Pi Beta Phi is committed to providing members a safe living environment for their new home.” The house will open its doors for members when they return to school in August.

Interior View

“We are honored to be among the most elite of properties who have achieved LEED certification.  By having third party verification through USGBC, we are confident we have delivered a home that is not only a good steward of the environment, but also provides a healthy atmosphere for future Pi Phi women,” Leah FitzGerald, Assoc AIA, LEED AP, board member of Fraternity Housing Corporation, who managed the project during construction said. “The added distinction of being the First LEED certified sorority in the United States, establishes us as a leader in sustainability, an achievement in which we are extremely proud.”

Pi Beta Phi joined the Mississippi State University campus in the spring of 2009. The campus has a total of eight sororities. Currently, the Mississippi Gamma Chapter has 142 members. The Pi Beta Phi house at Mississippi State is the first chapter house built by Pi Beta Phi’s Fraternity Housing Corporation, established in 2008. The Fraternity Housing Corporation oversees all Pi Beta Phi Chapter House Corporations and manages 10 chapter facilities including the Mississippi Gamma Chapter.

About Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women: Founded at Monmouth College in Illinois in 1867, Pi Beta Phi has 134 active chapters and nearly 330 alumnae organizations in the United States and Canada. The Fraternity promotes friendship, develops women of intellect and integrity, cultivates leadership potential and enriches the lives of members and their communities. Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women founded its Fraternity Housing Corporation (FHC) in April 2008. The FHC is responsible for property management, property ownership and providing local Chapter Housing Corporations (CHC) with support services.

Tags: Mississippi, USA

Category: House

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