Discovery Features

A.5 RAMMED EARTH

Visitors walk by a low, curved rammed earth wall. They Transporting building materials
view an interpretive sculpture that represents the
layering process required to construct rammed earth. contributes to poor air quality.

This wall is built out of local dirt.

Plate steel with rusted surface finish

The DLC uses rammed earth extensively. Layer by layer, dirt is
shoveled between forms and compacted down, slowly building
Ground steel pattern on inside surface an earthen wall.

A.5 RAMMED EARTH

20 | 21
 Visitor Walkthrough

The Welcome Gallery introduces visitors to the Desert Living

Center (DLC). Immediately, visitors encounter three large banners
that carve out a separate space for the gallery’s centerpiece: an
interactive model. The banners provide space to deliver essential
content that will orient visitors to the site. They also serve to
mediate the amount of light entering the area, as well as break up
visitor movement through the gallery.

Once visitors move beyond the

banners they are immersed in
an Ambient Program, which is
projected onto the walls of the
Welcome Gallery. This program
is designed to enhance the key
messages of the DLC, by creating
an inspirational environment.
Subdued lighting effects, simple
projected silhouettes of plants
and animals, and evocative text
enhance the space.

An Interactive Model is the

central interpretive exhibit in this
gallery. It offers visitors a unique
topographical vantage point for
viewing the DLC site. Attached
to the model are three pivoting
monitors that contain an interactive
media program, which interprets
the individual features that make
the DLC sustainable.

3
Ambient Program

9
 Discovery Features

A.1 STRAW BALE

As visitors arrive for a conference, meeting, or to
browse the gift shop, they pass by truth windows, that
reveal the wall is made out of straw. The straw’s “window
frames” interpret different aspects of the material.
Straw is a waste product that is often
Steel plate depiction
of sun’s rays bouncing Brushed or stainless
burned, contributing to air pollution.
off of straw bale wall steel sculpture of rice
Steel plate frame with rusted
finish and inset glass panel
Straw bale is an ideal building material to use
at the DLC.

Straw, a waste material from grain farming, has been turned

into a useful building product that is ideal for building in
desert climates. The DLC benefits from its naturally high
thermal properties that keep indoor temperatures from being
affected by outside weather extremes, as well as its load-
baring capacity. Used like building blocks, it can support
several stories of floors and roofs.

A.1 STRAW BALE

16 | 17
Discovery Features

A.6 ARROYO

Las Vegas has one of the highest per-capita

rates of water consumption in the nation.

The arroyo stream channel funnels storm water

into constructed wetlands for collection,
treatment and reuse.
As people walk across the Desert Bridge, they look down
This water-carved channel is dry most of the time due to into the arroyo. Visitors are treated to interpretive
infrequent rainfall in the Mojave Desert. When rain does sculptures that reference the hurried movement of
water that flows down this channel during rainstorms.
come, the arroyo leads gushing water to the constructed
wetlands for reuse on-site.

A.6 ARROYO
Undulating waves of cast glass
depicting flow of water

Stones at bottom of arroyo

 16

2.01.01 Water Cycle Kinetic Sculpture III DESIGN DEMONSTRATION AREA

Las Vegas 2.00 Sustainability Gallery
You are part of the water cycle.
2.01 Introduction
Springs Visitors are drawn toward a simple water fountain in front of an opaque wall. When they 2.01.01 Water Cycle Kinetic Sculpture
drink from the fountain, the wall becomes transparent and the cycle of the drinking Key Messages:
water is revealed through a complex kinetic sculpture. Points along the cycle include
Preserve clouds, Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, a water treatment plant, a Joshua tree, a washing
• Water is a shared resource as well as a
component of your body
machine, a child, a toilet, historical figures, a dinosaur, etc. Visitors physically become • The water we use has always existed and will
part of the water cycle and discover the water they drink has always existed – and will always exist
always exist. • The water we drink has been through the
entire water cycle countless times.
Desert • LVVWD plays a key role in making desert living
possible.

Living

Center

Design
Development

December 20
2001
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2.02.02 Tower of Trash III DESIGN DEMONSTRATION AREA

Las Vegas 2.00 Sustainability Gallery
See a month’s worth of your garbage in the Tower of Trash.
2.02 Nothing Disappears
Springs Visitors gaze up at a tower of trash that appears to be ready to topple onto them at any 2.02.02 Tower of Trash
minute. Graphic panels indicate that the trash in the can represents the amount of Key Messages:
garbage each Las Vegas resident generates every month. A rolling digital display marks
Preserve the weight of garbage being produced in Las Vegas every second. Interpretive text
• Las Vegans produce almost 200,000 tons of
trash per month, or 280 lbs. of trash per
indicates how much of this waste could have been diverted by recycling programs and person. That translates into over 3 million tons’
composting. worth of additions to Clark County landfills
every year.
• Pay attention to what goes into your garbage.
Desert • There are alternatives to the landfill, or linear,
waste solution.

Living

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Development

December 20
2001
23
III DESIGN DEMONSTRATION AREA
2.00 Sustainability Gallery
2.02 Nothing Disappears
2.02.05 Garbage Truck Theater
Key Messages:
• Many products that you use every day have
been made from what used to be considered
waste.
• Find out what happens to your waste and your
recycling bins once they leave your curb.
• Desert communities have unique challenges
when it comes to waste management. For
example, it is difficult to control desert
dumping, and it is crucial that the extremely
limited water supply not be contaminated.
2.02.05 Garbage Truck Theater
The garbage truck theater provides several experiences for visitors at once. They can
explore the exterior of the truck, trying to match the recyclable materials with their
resulting products. Parts of the truck are made from surprising materials: what appears
to be a normal wheel is actually made from recycled crumbled rubber; the body of the
truck is made of flattened aluminum cans; and the windows are made from glass
bottles.
As visitors approach the truck, motion sensors activate the trash compactor. Visitors
inside the mini-theater are treated to a depiction of the garbage in the truck being
squashed against the back side of the garbage bin. A light-hearted film follows,
addressing recycling programs and waste collection and disposal in Las Vegas, focusing
on some of the products made from the glass, paper and aluminum collected at
curbside pickups. Simple lighting effects create a mini object theater – as the film
describes products made from recycled materials, those products hidden among the
trash in the walls of the truck are illuminated.
Visitors outside the truck peruse interpretive graphics
outlining the challenges of sustainable development
in Las Vegas, including desert dumping and
contamination of a limited water supply.
45
III DESIGN DEMONSTRATION AREA
2.00 Sustainability Gallery
2.04 Explore the Alternatives
2.04.03 Alternative Energies (Airstream Trailer)
Key Messages:
• New energy technologies are being invented
and developed all the time.
• If you stay informed of new technologies, you
can decide which ones work for you.
2.04.03 Alternative Energy and Transportation (Airstream
Trailer)
Inside an airstream trailer, visitors can experiment with other types of alternative
energies. This will be an ever-changing exhibit area where new breakthroughs and press
releases are regularly updated. Some of the topics that may be covered include:
• Breakthroughs in solar and electric transportation technology
• Biomass energy sources
• Increased efficiency in wind power generation
• Cheaper technologies in solar power generation.
Also, this is where visitors can explore “The Difference of One,” a computer interactive
that invites visitors to input personal information about their lifestyle, including such
items as whether they own a car, whether they recycle, how much water they use in a
day, and so on. They receive a rating based on their level of resource conservation, and
then get a printout with suggestions on how they, as individuals, can make a difference
by changing some of their behaviors.
 32

2.03.06 Entry Vestibule (Alternative Materials) III DESIGN DEMONSTRATION AREA

Las Vegas 2.00 Sustainability Gallery
As visitors enter the home, they become aware of the decision-making process of the
2.03 Do More with Less
architect and builder. The abundance of material samples and blueprints ‘printed’ on the
Springs floor make it clear the architect has made many decisions in designing this home. All the
2.03.06 Entry Vestibule (Alternative Materials)
Key Messages:
material options under consideration for a house in desert conditions are on display.
Preserve • Sustainable design and building must take
into consideration local conditions.
• Every choice you make for your home has a
sustainable alternative that will use less water,
less energy, and may ultimately save you

3'-0"
money.
Desert

Living

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Design
Development

December 20
2001
 36

2.03.10 Bathroom III DESIGN DEMONSTRATION AREA

Las Vegas 2.00 Sustainability Gallery
From the point of view of household water conservation, the bathroom is the most
2.03 Do More with Less
important place in the home. Visitors enter the Sustainable Home’s bathroom and see
Springs the toilet and sink mounted in an unusual position: at eye level, encouraging them to
2.03.10 Bathroom
Key Messages:
see their own bathroom water use in a new way. The drainpipes lead down to the floor
Preserve offering visitors a close-up view of the heat reclamation and graywater systems. A • Inexpensive fixtures, such as toilet tank water
savers ($10) can greatly reduce total
second toilet demonstrates the principles of composting toilets. Graphic panels explain household water use and save on water bills.
how these systems work, and explain the virtues of low-flush, air-flush toilets, compost
• The bathroom is a place where a lot of heat is
toilets, toilet tank water savers, heat reclamation, and low-flow fixtures. used – and lost. Simple devices can be

3'-0"
installed to reclaim dissipating heat from
Desert drainpipes to reduce your power bills.
• Graywater is just fine for your garden. Recycle
graywater and save a bundle on your water
Living bills.

Center

Design
Development

December 20
2001
35

III DESIGN DEMONSTRATION AREA 2.03.09 Oversized Thermostat

2.00 Sustainability Gallery
Do you pour on the A/C? Look how much energy you’d save if you warmed up a little!
2.03 Do More with Less
2.03.09 Oversized Thermostat A large wall-mounted thermostat provides visitors a chance to calculate their savings if
Key Messages: they turned up their thermostat a few degrees in the summer, and turned it down a few
• You would save a lot of energy, and therefore degrees in winter. Depending on the season and the time of day, visitors are encouraged
money, if you turned your thermostat down 2 to adjust the thermostat up or down. A small read-out instantly calculates the energy
degrees in winter, and up two degrees in and money saved.
summer.

3'-0"
37

III DESIGN DEMONSTRATION AREA 2.03.11 Shopping Game Kiosk (Washing Machine)
2.00 Sustainability Gallery
The Washing Kiosk puts a fresh spin on different ways to accomplish one of life’s most
2.03 Do More with Less
mundane chores: laundry.
2.03.11 Smart Shopper Kiosk (Washing
Machine) Visitors are challenged to purchase the most energy- and water-efficient of three
Key Messages: different washing machines. The machines are displayed and each bears a description of
• Every time you wash your laundry you could its main characteristics. Visitors make their choices on an interactive screen, choosing to
be saving money, water and energy delve deep into issues pertaining to washing machine design and detergents – or
stopping just long enough to make a quick purchase.
Product information:

3'-0"
Key Issue: are they designed to be water and energy
efficient?
Traditional Top-loader
- Traditional vertical axis type uses 40 gallons/load (clothes
must be submerged)
- Clothes rub together causing them to wear out quickly
- Final ‘high-speed’ spin still requires one hour of drying time
- No half-load option
- 10 lbs capacity
- $900
Front-loader
- Front-loading system requires only 13 gallons/load
- 13 lb capacity therefore fewer loads required
- Includes setting for different-sized loads
- Tumble action lifts and drops clothes rather than
submerging them in water, therefore less water used and
less wear on clothes
- $1100
The Washer-Dryer Combo
- Front-loading system requires only 13 gallons/load
- Combined washer/dryer – you don’t have to transfer clothes
from washer to dryer
- Saves space because washer & dryer are combined
- Save money because you don’t have to buy separate
washer & dryer
- 13 lb capacity therefore fewer loads required
- Super high-speed spin cycle means less time and energy
spent drying clothes
- Includes setting for different-sized loads
- Tumble action lifts and drops clothes rather than
submerging them in water
- $1400
33

III DESIGN DEMONSTRATION AREA 2.03.07 Where Does Your Power Come From?
2.00 Sustainability Gallery
It takes a lot of power to deliver all of the water that Las Vegas Valley residents use.
2.03 Do More With Less
Where does that power come from? A monitor displays a power outlet with a power cord
2.03.07 Where Does Your Power Come From?
plugged into it and the cord disappears at the bottom of the screen. Under the screen a
Key Messages:
real cord sticks out of the wall, loops and re-enters the wall. Visitors pull on this cord and
• LVWWD uses 60% of Nevada’s electrical power see themselves drawn along the delivery route of electric power – along power lines
to deliver water to your home.
above and below ground, through transfer stations all the way to the source. The source
• Las Vegas generates most of its electricity by
will change each time showing the various power sources: coal pit, hydro-electric
burning coal, a non-renewable, inefficient form
of generating power that produces large station, wind power station, solar station, etc.

3'-0"
amounts of greenhouse gases.
Interpretation focuses on Las Vegas’ main
• The electricity we use can be generated in a
sources of power but also hints at
variety of ways.
alternative sources that will be explored
further in the “Explore the Alternatives”
thematic area.
39

III DESIGN DEMONSTRATION AREA 2.03.13 Living Room

2.00 Sustainability Gallery
A place to relax…and reflect.
2.03 Do More with Less
2.03.13 Living Room The Living Room in the Sustainable Home is a completely finished area. It is designed as
Key Messages: a soothing and comfortable space in which natural light has been captured and diffused.
• Sustainable design should not be determined Interpretation in this area is discreet, highlighting such features as low-e windows, light
solely by materials, resources and energy: wells, and the benefits of recessed windows. This quiet area allows visitors to take in the
basic needs and comfort must also be part of feel of the space and to reflect on all they have seen.
the solution.
Large windows and a glass patio door offer views onto the garden. Furnishings and
décor are, of course, sustainably designed.

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Discovery Features

B1.6 RADIANT HEAT FLOORING

Burning fossil fuel is a costly way
to control temperature.
The DLC uses solar energy to heat floors.
Visitors using classrooms see a glass mosaic
interpreting the heat that radiates through
the floors. A floor panel shows visitors what’s
going on underneath their feet, piquing their
interests about coils and radiant heating.

Coils carry hot water underneath floors at the DLC, Glass tile mosaic in
warm hues depicts heat
distributing radiant heat throughout buildings. This even heat
rising from the floor.
distribution system is advantageous because it heats occupants
Glass plate revealing coils with
rather than air throughout the room. This leaves occupants footprints etched underneath
feeling warmer at cooler room temperatures.

B1
B1.8
RADIANT HEAT
FLOORING MANIFOLD
 Discovery Features

C1.3 SHADING / DAYLIGHTING

Visitors walking by the exterior of the
building see long overhangs and shorter
fins underneath. Their ability to protect the
wall’s natural material is highlighted by sun
sculpture projecting out from the wall.
Air conditioning is not the only way to maintain
comfortable temperatures in Nevada.

Overhangs shade DLC’s walls during the hot summers.

Steel plate and rebar structures

show angle of sun’s rays at the Shorter fins supplement overhangs and ensure that the entire
summer and winter solstices. wall is shaded during the sun’s peak points.
The winter rays penetrate
into the building by reflecting
off of the light shelf.

C1
C1.4 DAYLIGHTING

42 | 43
 Discovery Features

A.3 BUTTERFLY ROOF / CISTERN

The Mojave receives less than five

inches of rainfall annually.

Butterfly roofs help collect storm water for reuse.

This butterfly roof collects storm water by using gravity to

direct water down angular slopes into a cistern. Because
Steel rebar depicting rainfalls are heavy and sudden, rocks are placed inside the
rocks, stones and cistern. Stones piled in at varying intervals—from large rocks
pebbles in cistern
down to smaller pebbles—control the volume of water released
into the arroyo.
Organic-shaped cast
glass showing water
flowing through cistern
and out into arroyo

As visitors descend the stairwell into the atrium, they follow

the same path as the storm water. Visitors see steel and
cast glass sculptures that represent the layers of rocks,
stones and pebbles that are lying inside of the cistern.
A

A.3
BUTTERFLY ROOF/
CISTERN

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