Hamer Community Conservation Center Designed with a High-Performance Building Envelope to Reduce Energy Use and Carbon Emissions

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — ClearWater Conservancy is incorporating advanced high-performance building envelope strategies into the design of the new Hamer Community Conservation Center, creating a facility that prioritizes energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and long-term carbon reduction. This work is made possible in part through support from the West Penn Energy Fund, an organization that supports transformational projects advancing sustainable energy technologies throughout the West Penn Power service region. 

Located in the footprint of a historic barn and situated on twelve acres of ClearWater-stewarded land in Houserville, the Hamer Community Conservation Center is designed as a visible demonstration of environmentally responsible building practices and conservation-focused design. The project will serve as a permanent home for ClearWater Conservancy while also providing space for community workshops, outreach programs, meetings, and conservation education.

Designed collaboratively by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and Reese Hackman, the project’s high-performance exterior envelope plays a central role in reducing operational energy demands and improving building durability.

The building envelope — including the walls, roof systems, insulation, air barriers, and glazing systems — has been carefully designed to minimize heat loss, improve airtightness, and maximize energy efficiency throughout the year. By reducing unwanted air leakage and thermal transfer, the envelope significantly lowers the building’s heating and cooling demands while creating a more comfortable indoor environment for occupants.

Key building envelope strategies incorporated into the project include:

• High-performance wall and roof assemblies designed to exceed standard energy efficiency benchmarks.

• Advanced insulation and air sealing systems to minimize energy loss and maximize airtightness. 

• High-performance glazing systems that balance daylighting, energy efficiency, and views of the surrounding landscape.

• Bird-friendly glazing designed to reduce the risk of bird strikes.

• Careful detailing and commissioning of envelope systems to ensure long-term performance and durability.

• Integration of daylighting strategies to reduce reliance on artificial lighting. 

  
  

ClearWater has partnered with Envinity, Inc. to provide building envelope commissioning services for the project. Engaging a commissioning agent early in the design process helps verify that the building envelope systems are properly detailed, coordinated, and constructed to achieve the project’s performance goals.

“The Hamer Community Conservation Center has been designed to reduce embodied and operational carbon through the incorporation of rooftop solar panels, a geothermal mechanical system, and responsible material selection,” said Allen Kachel, Senior Associate at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. “The project visibly demonstrates ClearWater’s values and expresses sustainable design so that it can inspire the entire community who will be welcomed into this new conservation center and reinforce our roles as stewards of the environment.”

Additional sustainable features integrated into the project include rooftop photovoltaic solar panels, a geothermal heat pump system, energy-efficient LED lighting with daylight harvesting controls, and the reuse of salvaged materials from the historic barn that once stood on the site.

Once complete, the Hamer Community Conservation Center will serve as both a gathering place and a teaching tool, demonstrating how thoughtful design, conservation values, and high-performance building practices can work together to reduce environmental impact and inspire community stewardship.

For more information about ClearWater Conservancy and the Hamer Community Conservation Center, visit clearwaterconservancy.org.

About ClearWater Conservancy

ClearWater Conservancy is a nationally accredited land trust dedicated to conserving and restoring the natural resources of central Pennsylvania through land conservation, watershed restoration, environmental outreach, and community engagement. Guided by the mission to connect, protect, restore, and steward, ClearWater works to ensure healthy lands, clean water, and strong communities for future generations.

About West Penn Energy Fund

The West Penn Energy Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports transformational projects advancing sustainable energy technologies throughout the West Penn Power service region. The organization focuses its funding in three primary areas: the deployment of sustainable and clean energy technologies; energy efficiency and conservation technologies; and projects that promote economic development, environmental betterment, and public education related to sustainable energy. Through strategic investments in community-focused initiatives, the West Penn Energy Fund works to improve the economic and environmental health of the communities it serves.

About Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, founded in 1965, is an architecture practice with five studios across the country focused on designing places that inspire connection and wonder. The firm works to understand the unique people, places, and materials that inform each project, translating collective community aspirations into built environments that are both grounded and transcendent. Their work is carefully crafted to embody resiliency and adapt to an ever-changing world.