This Transcendental Meditation academy is located in in the Blue Ridge Mountains, 2 hours from Washington  DC. It has 3 innovative features:

 

1)  It incorporates principles of the International Passive House Standard, the most rigorous energy efficient building standard.  (a practical way to radically reduce the carbon footprint of buildings).

 

2) Thirty buildings were prefabricated in a modular plant. This required careful coordination of the conventional  enhanced construction, including  highly insulated airtight walls and windows, and energy recovery ventilation (for 24 hour fresh air).

 

3) It was designed according to the ancient system of building in harmony with nature for health and happiness: Maharishi Vastu Architecture.  Orientation, placement, and proportion are involved as well as the use of natural non-toxic materials. One example of orientation, visible in the above picture is that all the buildings catch the first rays of sunrise.

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Team members:  Michael Chelnov: architect. Bruce Hahn: designer

Larry Zimmerman: designer

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click on images below