Madison Fire Station No. 14 resets sustainability conversation for city

The goal for the new Madison Fire Station No. 14 was to create a highly functional, sustainable, and pragmatic building that is also a space where employees in high-stress jobs can relax, socialize, and connect with nature.

The team-based approach to the LEED Platinum Madison Fire Station No. 14 integrates design and sustainability in a way that supported the unique needs of the fire department and the city, while delivering a building that outperforms, costs less to build on a square foot basis.

The building, which has also garnered a National AIA Justice Facilities Award and an AIA Wisconsin Design Award, was designed using the AIA Framework for Design Excellence, setting a new set of standards and processes for the city.

Jon Evans, a City of Madison engineer and the building design project manager, says the Engineering Division’s Facility Management team uses the framework and toolkit in its design process because it helps the team focus the project.  

“I was drawn to the Toolkit because of the 10 categories and their open-ended questions, which I find very appropriate to the design process,” he says. “Specifically, these questions are helping us define what is important for the project, which leads to more creativity and brainstorming during the design process. 

Read the full AIA Knowledge Net article.