The 5.4.7 Arts Center is a community arts center to raise awareness of fine arts, both visual and performing, make the arts accessible to everyone and provide an environment to create and learn through classes, exhibits and performances. Our name comes from the date of the tornado that devastated Greensburg May 4, 2007. This date has been a catalyst for new beginnings in Greensburg and we want to remember this day that has forever changed us. The 5.4.7 Arts Center was designed and built by Studio 804, a non-profit organization of graduate level architecture students from the University of Kansas. The 5.4.7 Arts Center is the 1st LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum building in Kansas.
Sustainable Features:
The exterior of this facility is sided with reclaimed Douglas Fir lumber from the Sunflower Ammunition warehouses near Desoto, KS. Cellulose insulation made from recycled newspapers was used to insulate the walls. The counter tops in the kitchen and office are made from compressed recycled cardboard.
The Arts Center has 3 Kestrel Wind Turbines that produce 600 watts each. The turbines are connected to a bank of 12 batteries. There are 8 solar panels on the roof that convert the sun's energy to electricity to help power the facility. Three geothermal wells, 200 feet deep are used in a closed system to take water out of the building below the earth's surface where the temperature is around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. There the water is warmed or cooled depending on the season and brought back into the building to heat and cool the building. In the basement, these systems are wired into a Xantrex converter that converts the energy produced by the wind turbines and solar panels from DC to AC current to be used in the building, stored in the batteries, or sold to the city for credit.