The latest addition to the Phipps Conservatory campus is the Center for Sustainable Landscapes being constructed directly below the 2006 Tropical Forest Conservatory. This building incorporates many of the passive heating, cooling and ventilation designs found in traditional greenhouses. Roof vented atrium structure, operable sidewall vent sash and solar screen are a few of the numerous energy saving aspects of the building.

New aluminum and glass greenhouse structure designed for rooftop location at University of Pittsburgh. The design includes two independent environmental zones with heating and chilled water cooling capabilities, HID growth lighting, automatic ventilation and shade/heat retention blanket systems and computerized environmental control systems.

This vast estate greenhouse complex was built and enlarged during the 1920’s and 1930’s and has components from both Lord and Burnham and Lutton Greenhouse companies. Essentially abandoned and semi-demolished during the last forty years, a complete renovation of the remaining greenhouse structures and head-house was scheduled in 2010. The current project includes complete new aluminum and glass glazing systems, mechanical and control systems, automated ventilation and shade/heat blanket systems and restored benching and walkways.

The greenhouse type skylight sits atop the fourth floor and was used as a contemplation garden by the nuns of the original school. The structure was built by the Lord and Burnham Company in 1929-30 and is an excellent example of their period steel and cast iron frame greenhouse. Elements include: cast iron sills, steel framework and operable wood ventilation sash around the complete perimeter. The area covered by this glass roof construction totals approximately 1,850 square feet surrounded on four sides by corridors and class rooms. The current project includes new aluminum and glass glazing system, automated ventilation, environmental controls and a shade/heat retention blanket system.

Built in 1915 by the Lord and Burnham Company, this classic estate greenhouse and head-house structure has survived time, weather, 1940’s additions and modifications, fire and site changes. The current program for restoration involves the removal of the 1940’s additions, complete restoration of the head-house and original greenhouse structure, new safety glazing, new mechanical and control systems, automation of the ventilation sash and installation of a new shade/heat energy retention blanket system. Restoration of the original exterior cold frame structures is also hoped to be included in this project.

Original wood and annealed glass in the sidewall glazing systems in the oldest section of structures at Phipps Conservatory had deteriorated to a point for the need of emergency stabilization in 2008. This work was followed by the replacement of the upper wood and glass vent sash with aluminum and safety glass and new operating equipment. The current project is to replace all of the vertical wood and glass components with new replicated aluminum extrusions and safety glass glazing to exact match the original configurations.

This conservatory and production greenhouse complex was built by Lord and Burnham in 1963 and is a central feature of the 26 acre botanical garden complex. Having virtually no improvements or alterations for the past forty-four years the current administration, Friends of Birmingham Botanical Garden, have started a master-planning effort to restore the conservatory, reorganize the support facilities and restore and enlarge the production greenhouses.

Harkness Estate greenhouses were a classic example of early 20th century large estate greenhouse complexes. The estate, now a state park property, has a fully restored main house and is starting the restoration of the greenhouses with the cooperation of the Friends of Harkness. The project will be completed in phases with the first phase focused on restoration of the headhouse, main power and mechanical systems and the show house. The steel frame work will be repaired and a new replicated aluminum glazing system will be installed.

Based on the profile of the original Shade House structure on the Huntington Estate, this modern steel, aluminum and glass conservatory adapts traditional period conservatory design with a unique shape and new technology. The Conservatory has a one hundred foot wide dome central exhibition space and two connecting wings which house interactive educational displays. The conservatory has state of the art computerized environmental controls and one of the first earth tube supply air systems for passive cooling of a greenhouse environment in the country.

Institutional research laboratories and greenhouses completed in 2010. Facility includes BL2&3 greenhouse compartments, chilled water cooling, deep well geothermal recovery heating, growth chambers and computerized environmental control systems.