At first glance, the Institute of American Indian Arts may look like a run of the mill college campus, but cutting edge, traditional, and contemporary Native art is not the only thing happening inside the IAIA doors. According to Paul Fragua, (Jemez Pueblo), IAIA’s campus development coordinator, the Library and Technology Center was built a year and a half ago with traditional Indigenous knowledge at the core of design and construction.

A little over ten years ago, IAIA was a small two-year college, but a master plan was set into motion with visions of a four-year accredited institution with enrollment of about 500 students. Within this master plan were guiding principals for responsible development in the construction and sustainability of new buildings that were safe, and healthy environments that were conducive to learning.

Today, IAIA is a role model for other tribal colleges in terms of energy conservation and efficiency.

• Both the administration building and the LTC building are capable of capturing rain water into an underground holding area, which is then used to water the plants on the campus grounds.
  
• The administration building makes full use of natural light, with high windows in studio spaces and office areas.
  
• The LTC building integrates daylight into the lighting system with skylights and large windows in the library. A light meter determines how much artificial light is needed and adjusts automatically after first taking advantage of the natural light.
  
• The LTC building also was constructed with low-toxic, and non-toxic materials. Furniture, paint finishes, flour finishes and ceiling finishes are much more earth- and people-friendly. Even the carpet squares throughout the building are made from recycled materials.

Old Technology with a Twist

Fragua estimates that the energy savings for the LTC building are at about 30 percent. “So much of this is Native knowledge and the Native way,” he said of the age-old conservation values and methods. “It’s Indigenous technology with contemporary technology married to it. It’s the best of both worlds. We possess so much knowledge and this instills Native pride.”

IAIA has future plans to build a new Lifelong Learning Center on campus. The estimates for energy conservation at least double that of the LTC. With hopes to collect rainwater from the Lifelong Learning Center buildings along with the existing Academic and LTC buildings, Fragua estimates IAIA will be able to collect about 2.5 to 3 million gallons of rainwater per year. Currently, the campus uses about 2 million gallons per year. IAIA also set a goal to treat wastewater on site through a natural filtration process.

Also in the works for the LLC renewable energy plan is bio-mass. Bio-mass is a unique process of burning woodchips, excess sawdust, bark and what would otherwise be called waste wood and converting that energy into electricity for heating, air conditioning, even hot water.

“This is cutting edge in a sense, but really it’s old technology with a contemporary twist,” said Fragua.

 

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