Urban laboratory in Texas taps American Standard

Piscataway, N.J.-based American Standard Brands partnered with Realty Appreciation to supply the water saving plumbing products for the Urban Living Laboratory -- the world's largest LEED-certified research, demonstration and teaching laboratory.

The Urban Living Laboratory, located at the Texas AgriLife Urban Solutions Center, is part of a public-private partnership with the Texas A&M University System. Covering 73 acres in Dallas, with more than one million square feet of buildings, the community is designed to be be pedestrian-friendly, featuring walking trails and extensive green space. Environmentally-friendly buildings with technologically advanced features and products will enhance the quality-of-life for the residents and tenants.

The development will feature resource-efficient landscapes and energy-efficient buildings. For instance, storm water will be collected and reused for landscape irrigation, which will minimize the impact of the development on city drinking water and storm water systems, as will the WaterSense-certified toilets, faucets, showerheads and urinals.

The Urban Living Laboratory also includes a state-of-the-art technology platform for monitoring, controlling and analyzing ecological processes, energy systems, water usage, indoor air quality, transportation and human behavior.

The lab will enable scientists from Texas A&M University and other universities to research and teach the concepts of sustainable development. Researchers will study how social, biological and physical attributes of urban environments influence health and productivity. This project will also support research that facilitates the development of policies and programming among government agencies and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).