Keep Indianapolis Beautiful HQ

Jeff Mader was a member on the Board of Directors of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful through 2018, and while under previous employment had the opportunity to work on the landscape architecture design for KIB’s new Headquarters Building. Serving as the Client and Designer proved to be a fun challenge and brought a different and valuable perspective to the design process...including an increased awareness of budget, fundraising, and how those interrelate to the design process.

As part of the design process, sustainable design and pursuing LEED Certification became increasingly important. With these goals in mind, the site design incorporated as many aspects of “green” as possible. Some sustainable features include pervious concrete pavement in the parking lot, pervious pavers and recycled sidewalk concrete bench in the pocket park, interior courtyard, and all native plants requiring no irrigation. The combination of the pervious pavement,along with a raingarden, and 8,000 gallon cistern capturing roof drains have been shown to keep over 42% of the rainwater hitting the site out of the combined sewer system in the neighborhood, as well as over 60% reduction during times of peak flow.

Jeff also volunteered time to work with Heron School of Arts students in the development of an interpretive signage system throughout the building and site. The results were an educational self guided tour with prominent, yet subtle, signs providing facts describing the environmental benefits of over 20 sustainable features of the facility. Jeff also provided input into the development of the Green Roof that was established over significant portions of the existing roof, with an effort to maximize native plant species in the plant mix used for the green roof.

The facility was awarded LEED Gold Certification, as well as a Monumental Affair Achievement Award for the Landscape Architecture Category.