KICKAPOO CENTER
What is the Kickapoo Center?
Once the founders of Kickapoo began the process of re-naturalization, they realized that an additional structure was required. This structure would be used for both the equipment and materials needed to manage and maintain the Conservancy and to serve as a small convening area for Kickapoo and its Partners. The structure envisioned has become Kickapoo Center. In 2008 Kickapoo acquired 1.33 acres of land on which to build Kickapoo Center. It is located next to Kickapoo Dwelling’s driveway entrance at Limekiln Road at the south end of the Conservancy.
Conception
In keeping with the concepts of Kickapoo Dwelling, Kickapoo Center has been designed, and is being built, by the same architect and builder team —with the additional team member Victor Zaderej of SolarHomesUS.com.
While Kickapoo Dwelling was and is quite “green” and energy efficient (for its time), Kickapoo Center started with the idea of seeking a structure with the highest energy efficiency at a cost approximating conventional building costs.
The Center envisions providing people interested in (or visiting) the Conservancy a convenient place to meet. It will also host the Kickapoo Talk programs. It will also host meetings, programs, and seminars of our Partners and of other local organizations. The Partners will have access to the Center as well as the ability to reserve time and otherwise use the Conservancy’s Calendar.
Design / Construction
The meeting portion of the Center (apart from the equipment shed/garage) was designed using three integrated concepts to accomplish the desired cost-effective energy efficiency:
- Use of an earth tube for fresh (but naturally and automatically conditioned) air intake,
- Use of the conventional metal roof as a solar collector, air heated just below it being circulated in the structure after having it pass through
- The concrete floor slab, making use of it as a heat sink (storage of heat in the winter for cloudy dates).
All of these features supported the very high insulation under the floor slab, in the walls and roof (use of ICFs and SIPs), and in the windows. As construction progressed, the U.S. Department of Energy took an interest and installed sensors inside and outside the structure allowing them 24/7 access via the Internet for monitoring external weather conditions as well as internal (ambient) structural conditions.
The interior of the meeting portion provides for an entry foyer, the meeting room itself, a display area, a galley kitchen and bathroom. The Greene and Proppe architectural drawings can be viewed under Resources.
