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The vegetated wall of the Co|Lab.
Roy, now HITT’s CEO, had that in spades when she $1,000 per square foot to build). “Innovation takes
approached WM+P in 2015 about a new kind of facility time, commitment, and investment of resources,”
for research and development in the construction noted HITT’s website in the announcement of the
and architecture sectors. “The Co|Lab is a direct groundbreaking for the Co|Lab in June of 2014.
manifestation of her vision,” said project architect “We had a chance to refine some things that had
Eric Ross, AIA, NCARB. “She had the high-level idea, become industry standard and push them further,”
vision, and program. She saw this as part of a mandate project architect Ross continued. The approach was
to transform the company.” to start with the broad-based requirements for high-
“As building professionals,” Roy stated on the level LEED certification and overlay the rigorous use
company’s website, “we must take responsibility for of what the architects, using McDonough-originated
innovating and improving our industry.” She was and -trademarked terms, refer to as “Design for the
able to tap the resources of a billion-dollar company Circular Economy” and “Cradle to Cradle” materials
to fund this responsibility (the Co|Lab cost nearly and systems. The Circular Economy model favors
IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN 35
