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KTVO News: Groundbreaking Sustainable Living Center a source of pride in Fairfield

April 25, 2012

Groundbreaking Sustainable Living Center a source of pride in Fairfield

by Kate Allt | Posted: 04.25.2012 at 5:03 PM

Maharishi University’s Sustainable Living Center

FAIRFIELD, IOWA — The first university to offer a sustainable living program and a MBA in green technology is still finding ways to look to the future of sustainable living.

Maharishi University’s new Sustainable Living Center proves that a building and a community is capable of giving back more than it takes.

“This building is kind of a signal for hope for people who maybe don’t think this is possible,” said Lonnie Gamble, Sustainable Living professor. “They don’t think that it’s possible, they can point here and see that it is. We needed a place that reflected the principles that we teach, we teach in a building that – if we teach one thing in the classroom, but the building tells a different story, then which gives the stronger lesson?”

Today, the building used sun and solar energy to produce three times more energy than it required to function. Annually, the Sustainable Living Center will produce 30% more energy than it uses.

“The utility cottage… has photovoltaic panels on it and it also has all the inverters that convert DC electrical energy to AC energy that we use in the building,” said Tim Messenger, construction manager. ”It’s our own little power center, we’re our own little utility company here.”

Maharishi’s students prove that there is a lot more to energy efficiency and green thinking than one small change.

“If you want to be sustainable, you don’t just really want to install energy efficient light bulbs, but you want to make sure that the source of your energy is sustainable,” said student Peter Hodak. “Everything around you, including yourself.”

And everything about this building is sustainable, from the 25,000 earth blocks made by students, to the windows that allow for the building to be lit by the sun, to the trees that provide the building’s support.

The center is an embodiment of the principles of the sustainable living program, and is close to the hearts of faculty and students.

“I think it’s very important to first of all realize that you can do something and one thing you can do is lead by example,” said John Collins, Associate Chair of the Sustainable Living Department. “And I think this building leads by example. We can yell at our legislators about renewable energy, but if we don’t have our own building that uses it, what’s the point in that?”

“Studying in this school building, it make you feel like you are more yourself and at the same time it makes you feel like… it makes you appreciate your environment much more,” Hodak said.

“It’s actually really amazing that students are allowed to do this because this building is so new and young and there’s so many things that are going to be done,” said student Sam Rose. “And the way this university kind of works is this project, this really homework assignment is actually going to be used and students are going to do this. It gives you hope, it makes you think you can do something great when it’s really intimidating, but you can come together. It’s a beautiful place to work.”

And they’re not done yet. Plans for an edible landscape, a sustainable sewer system and water collection are all in the works. Eventually, the building will be entirely off the grid.

The students themselves are working on the constant improvements to the building with their class projects. Hodak’s project monitors the intake and outflow of energy, and Rose’s group has several improvements in the works, including a line of trees to block out sound from the highway and a rain garden.

The SLC is open for visitors who would like to see the building for themselves.

Posted in Architecture, Education, Sustainable Living | 1 Comment »

The Fairfield Ledger: M.U.M.’s newest building sets new green standards

April 25, 2012

M.U.M.’s newest building sets new green standards

By DIANE VANCE, Ledger staff writer | Apr 23, 2012

It’s the ultimate green building, said Craig Pearson, executive vice president of Maharishi University of Management, at Friday’s grand opening of the Sustainable Living Center.

Pearson was quoting how The Associated Press described the newest building on campus while it was still under construction in an article that was published in national media, including Forbes, Business Week and MSNBC.

“This sets new standards,” said Pearson.

David Fisher, chairman of the Sustainable Living program, founded at M.U.M. in 2003, said plans for the building began in 2004.

“Its design evolved over time,” said Fisher. “The intention has been to be off the grid in all ways.

“Scores of environmental buildings are being built across the country, some much larger than this, but this is the only building to do it all in one building.”

Fisher said constructing the Sustainable Living Center was a teaching tool for builders, students and anyone who had a part in finishing the building.

“It’s a work in progress, a living building,” said Fisher.

Sustainability comes from materials used, the design and placement of windows for natural day lighting, rain catchment for water (not yet operational), solar panels and a wind turbine.

A classroom used for Friday’s grand opening news conference was furnished with about 21 wooden tables, constructed on campus.

“These tables are made from 19 different plant families all harvested within 100 miles of here,” said Fisher. “The differences in colors are natural, indicating the different woods.”

Faculty member Lonnie Gamble said designers and builders had to think outside the box on this building.

“This building and university are a great inspiration for the world,” he said.

Designer John Lippman has designed all the new buildings on campus since 2000. He listed the Sustainability Center as following architectural guidelines of Vastu, meeting gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification with plans to reach platinum, meeting the Living Building Challenge and meeting Building Biology standards.

“Vastu guidelines means the building is in harmony with nature,” said Lippman. “We have the silent core at the center of the building. High windows allow daylight to extend from two directions into the building’s rooms.

“We used natural materials in here, earth from the campus and whole tree trunks from Wisconsin.”

Sustainable Living student Makayla McDonald said the building reflects the people in the program.

“Community is strength,” she said. “This building has already drawn many people to come here. But it’s not just a building of classrooms. This is the merging of our dreams for the future. I want to express profound gratitude for this university and program. At age 20, it’s very important to have dreams and get to see them become reality.”

Fairfield Mayor and M.U.M. board of trustees member Ed Malloy, said the university was showing the kind of leadership in education that inspires everyone to consider new horizons with the grand opening of the Sustainable Living Center.

“In 2008, Fairfield began a process of creating a strategic plan for a sustainable community,” he said. “In 2009, we published the Fairfield Go Green plan and received national recognition.

“The theme that runs through the plan is to demonstrate for ourselves and others what a city can look like as it adopts new strategies and community designs. This building sets the highest standard.”

Malloy congratulated the university and everyone involved. He noted it was worthy to be called a learning center.

“Students participated in making the very materials that the walls are made of and participated as the mechanical systems that power the building were assembled,” said Malloy. “They will always know as they study in here that they are sheltered and powered by the very elements of nature that surround them — the earth, trees, wind and sun.

“Last year we celebrated gold LEED certification for Hy-Vee, and Kum & Go completed a renovation that earns them a silver LEED certification.”

The Sustainability Center building produces its own kilowatt energies and can send extra back to the grid to use to power other buildings on campus. With more fundraising, the building will complete the rainwater catchment system and waste treatment process, to move from gold to platinum certification.

URL: http://fairfield-ia.villagesoup.com/news/story/m-u-m-s-newest-building-sets-new-green-standards/814324

Photo by: DIANE VANCE/Ledger photo. Posted with permission from The Fairfield Ledger.

Also see: BEYOND GREEN: Building Produces Extra Energy | Maharishi University of Management to open new Sustainable Living Center, a net-zero energy bldg | Maharishi University dedicates efficient building | The Fairfield Ledger: Fairfield draws ‘who-da thunk it’ quote from Lode

Tags:building biology, design and placement of windows for natural day lighting, green building, LEED certification, Living Building Challenge, Maharishi University of Management, natural building materials, rain catchment for water, setting new green standards, solar panels, Sustainable Living Center, Vastu Architecture, wind turbine
Posted in Architecture, Articles, Education, Sustainable Living | 2 Comments »

Maharishi University dedicates efficient building

April 25, 2012

Sunday, April 22, 2012, 11:28 a.m.

Maharishi University dedicates efficient building

The Associated Press

FAIRFIELD, Iowa —

Dozens of solar panels and a 100-foot-tall wind turbine will help the Maharishi University of Management’s sustainable living center in Fairfield be among the state’s most efficient buildings.

University officials dedicated the building Friday, showing off a building that also makes use of technology such as a heat pump, geothermal tubing and careful placement of windows to maximize the use of daylight.

The Ottumwa Courier reports (http://bit.ly/Jp31nc) that Maharishi University Executive Vice President Craig Pearson expressed hope that the center would help other builders learn about sustainable options and build more environmentally friendly structures.

Lonnie Gamble, the professor and curriculum director for the sustainable living program, said the building will help him teach students about the possibilities of efficient buildings.

“Being in here means that instead of saying ‘here are the principles to build by’ — then apologizing for the building we’re in — I can show them what I’m talking about,” Gamble said.

When the solar panels and turbine produce more power than needed for the building, the energy will be sent to the campus grid and used for other buildings.

Fairfield Mayor Ed Malloy, who also is a Maharishi University board member, said students who learn about sustainable structures in the center will later create similar buildings throughout the world.

As more funding becomes available, the school intends to add a rain catchment system to provide water and will handle sewage in an on-site facility.

___

Information from: The Ottumwa Courier http://www.ottumwacourier.com

See: Newton Daily News: Maharishi University dedicates efficient building

Tags:Associated Press, daylighting, energy efficient building, geothermal tubing, heat pump, Maharishi University of Management, solar panels, Sustainable Living Center, The Ottumwa Courier, wind turbine
Posted in Architecture, Articles, Education, Sustainable Living | 3 Comments »

BEYOND GREEN: Building Produces Extra Energy

April 18, 2012

NEWS: Renew Iowa

BEYOND GREEN: Building Produces Extra Energy

Posted on: 4:49 pm, April 18, 2012, by Megan Reuther, updated on: 06:46pm, April 18, 2012.

Students and staff at one University in Iowa have a new place to learn, and the building is as unique as the school. Students and staff at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield are celebrating Earth Day this week by opening the school’s new Sustainable Living Center.

Designers say the multi-million project goes beyond green building. Sustainable Living Professor Lonnie Gamble says, “It does its own functions like a tree would. So, we use the metaphor of a tree for the design of the building.”

Gamble says the Sustainable Living Center is a living laboratory of classrooms, workshops and offices for the Sustainable Living Program. He says the building is like a tree because it collects and stores its own energy. The $2.5 million project includes a wind turbine and solar array and geothermal loop system. Architect Jon Lipman says, “The building produces more electricity than it uses.”

And, it doesn’t use much electricity. Lipman says the SLC is designed to strategically capture daylight, so lights aren’t needed anywhere in the building when the sun is shining. While showing the main hall, he says, “Up at the very top of it, we have windows, which are bringing south light down into the building, which then is being reflected down into the classrooms with these panels, and that allows us to get sunlight into the heart of the building.”

The students were also involved constructing the building made of local materials. Students made more than 25,000 compressed earth blocks. Gamble says, “The interior of the building is made from blocks of earth that are simply earth out of a parking lot we were building and put into a special machine that compressed it into blocks with no concrete or anything.”

As for the tree metaphor, trunks from the nearby state of Wisconsin actually serve a purpose by supporting the building’s roof. Lipman says round logs are more structurally sound than rectangular beams, so crews didn’t have to use as much of the resource found in nature. He says, “Which is a way of expressing in a very palpable way to the students that sustainable living, that discipline which teaches us how to live in harmony with nature, is really something that can be a part of the fabric of construction.”

You can see the Sustainable Living Center for yourself. The Maharishi University of Management is hosting a ribbon cutting this Friday in Fairfield. You can take a tour from 1 to 3:30 pm.

Click on URL to see the New at 5:00 report on Beyond Green Building: BEYOND GREEN: Building Produces Extra Energy http://whotv.com/2012/04/18/beyond-green-building-produces-energy/ (2:46).

Here are three permanent links to the report: a flash (.flv) file version (~22MB): http://www.rencapp.com/MUM_Schwartz-Guich-SLC.flv, an HD (720p .mp4) file (~32MB): MUM_Schwartz-Guich-SLC_x264.mp4, and an mpg file: http://www.rencapp.com/MUM_Schwartz-Guich-SLC_mpeg2.mpg. You can play whichever version might work best for you (the original and youtube uses flash).

Tags:Beyond Green, building creates own electricity, compressed earth block, Maharishi University of Management, natural building materials, natural whole tree beams, neutral carbon footprint, solar panels, sustainable building, Sustainable Living Center, wind turbine
Posted in Architecture, Articles, Education, Sustainable Living | 3 Comments »

Maharishi University of Management to open new Sustainable Living Center, a net-zero energy bldg

April 12, 2012

When Maharishi University of Management’s Sustainable Living Center opens April 20 it is expected to produce more energy than it will consume, thanks to a wind turbine, solar panels, geothermal tubing, extensive use of daylighting, earth block walls, verandas, and a range of other measures. (Photo by Tim Messenger)

MUM’s Sustainable Living Center To Be “Net-Zero Energy Building”

With an opening celebration and press conference scheduled for Friday, April 20, 11 am CT, Maharishi University of Management’s new Sustainable Living Center will have the distinction of being one of the few net-zero energy buildings in the country—it will produce as much if not more energy than it uses.

The building is designed to eventually be completely off the grid, including for water usage and waste treatment, as more funds are available. However, it will initially be connected to the grid, using electricity as needed during extreme weather conditions. At those times when the solar arrays and wind turbine produce more than the building uses, it will feed excess energy into the campus grid for use in other buildings.

Annually the building will produce more energy that it will consume.

The building’s 58 solar panels are capable of producing 15 kilowatts, and the 100-foot wind turbine is capable of producing 10 kilowatts. In addition, energy savings result from the use of technologies such as a heat pump and geothermal tubing. Many passive methods of alternative energy also contribute, such as extensive use of daylighting, the use of earth block walls to moderate temperature extremes and insulate, and strategic placement of windows and verandas.

A view of Maharishi University of Management‘s new Sustainable Living Center taken from the 100-foot wind turbine tower by MUM alum and installer Troy Van Beek of Ideal Energy. Energy cottage is to the right, Golden Domes are in the distance. (Photo by Troy Van Beek)

As more funds are raised, more features will be added until the Sustainable Living Center is completely off the grid with respect to electricity, heating, cooling, water, and waste. A rain catchment system will provide water, and there will be on-site sewage treatment.

“Even in this phase of development, the building is one of the best of the current generation of green buildings,” Mr. Gamble said. Eventually the building will be carbon neutral, which entails being completely off the grid.

“Our carbon footprint is much smaller than most new buildings as we used earth block, earth plasters, and many other low-embodied energy and low-carbon materials in construction,” Mr. Gamble said.

In addition to many University supporters, Kresge Foundation and Wege Foundation provided grants, and nationally recognized leaders in green building materials offered in-kind donations.

The building currently qualifies for gold LEED certification, said construction manager Tim Messenger. But the application is being held until the water and waste systems are in place, which will raise the Sustainable Living Center to the highest level of LEED certification, that of platinum.

The opening of the Sustainable Living Center will coincide with the EcoFairfield weekend being organized by students, and also with Earth Day on April 22.

EcoFairfield events will begin Friday afternoon with community service tree planting, and a keynote presentation by Seth Braun on Friday evening on shaping a collective vision for the future of Fairfield. See ecofairfield.wordpress.com.

To find out more about Fairfield and neighboring Maharishi Vedic City, visit http://discoverfairfield.org.

Schedule of Events:

WEDNESDAY EVENING, 7:00 p.m.
Traditional ceremony to open the Sustainable Living Center.

FRIDAY MORNING, 11:00 a.m.
Grand opening, with press conference.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Open house and tours of the Sustainable Living Center

SATURDAY AFTERNOON, 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Tours of the Sustainable Living Center

See B.S. in Sustainable Living at Maharishi University of Management: News: Sustainable Living Center Grand Opening

Tags:carbon neutral, daylighting, earth block, earth plasters, geothermal tubing, green building, heat pump, Kresge Foundation, LEED certification, low-carbon building materials, Maharishi University of Management, net-zero energy building, off the grid, solar panels, Sustainable Living Center, Wege Foundation, wind turbine
Posted in Architecture, Articles, Education, Sustainable Living | 2 Comments »

Video segments of Oprah’s Next Chapter on OWN: Oprah Visits Fairfield, Iowa—”TM Town”—America’s Most Unusual Town

March 30, 2012

Preview: Oprah Visits America’s Most Unusual Town Oprah spends the day in Fairfield, Iowa—one of the safest, greenest and most unusual communities in America. It’s the last place you’d expect to find two huge golden domes built for the thousands of residents who rush there to meditate twice a day. The full episode of Oprah’s Next Chapter aired on Sunday, March 25, at 9/8c.

Welcome to TM Town Fairfield is a quiet community nestled among the cornfields of Iowa. It’s also the center of the transcendental movement in the United States. Many of the 9,000 residents who live here meditate every day, including the Winer family. Watch as the Winers reveal why they left an affluent suburb outside of Atlanta to move to Fairfield. Plus, find out how the architecture of homes in Fairfield can improve a homeowner’s happiness.

The Architecture of TM Town Many homes in Fairfield, Iowa, are built in a style of architecture inspired by nature. Take a tour of one family’s home and learn about the theory behind its layout.

Fairfield’s One-of-a-Kind School The Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment uses “consciousness-based education” to teach children from kindergarten to 12th grade everything from college prep to spiritual awakening. Watch as Oprah tours the school and shares a meditation session with some of the older students.

16 Principles of the Science of Creative Intelligence The children at the Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment in Fairfield, Iowa, are learning life lessons it took Oprah decades to learn. Learn the 16 principles of the Science of Creative Intelligence for yourself.

Rush Hour in Fairfield, Iowa Rush hour in Fairfield, Iowa, is unlike any other town in America. Twice a day, residents stop what they’re doing and head to two giant golden domes to meditate. Watch as Oprah meets with the town’s mayor and a founder of a nearby community to learn more about the practice of Transcendental Meditation and then tours the Bagambhrini Golden Dome of Pure Knowledge for women.

Oprah Meets Iowa’s Pandits Pandits are professional meditators who practice Transcendental Meditation for hours a day in the name of world peace. For two to three years, many of these men from India devote their lives to this practice in the cornfields of Iowa. On the day Oprah visits, nearly 800 are in residence. They’ve never allowed television cameras to film them—until now. Watch as Oprah gets an unprecedented look into the life of a pandit.

Three excerpts from the show are posted on The Transcendental Meditation Program website — www.tm.org/oprah — Excerpt one: Oprah’s take on TM, Excerpt Two: Why our family meditates, and Excerpt Three: From Guns to TM.

The show, America’s Most Unusual Town, on Oprah’s Next Chapter, will rebroadcast Sundays, April 8 at 7:00 pm ET/6 CT and April 15, at 6 pm ET/5 pm CT. Last minute schedule changes do happen and so this info is updated.

Oprah’s Next Chapter America’s Most Unusual Town
Oprah spends the day in Fairfield, Iowa – one of the safest, greenest, and most unusual communities in America. It’s the last place you’d expect to find two huge, golden domes built for the thousands of residents who rush there to meditate twice a day. Read more: http://www.oprah.com/own-oprahs-next-chapter/Oprahs-Next-Chapter-Americas-Most-Unusual-Town

For more on Oprah’s Next Chapter visit http://www.oprah.com/OprahsNextChapter. Find OWN on TV at http://www.oprah.com/FindOWN.

Here’s an article posted on the TM Blog about the preliminary results of the show: TM’s Popularity Surges After Oprah’s TV Show.

To find out more about Fairfield and neighboring Maharishi Vedic City, visit http://discoverfairfield.org.

Tags:America's Most Unusual Town, Fairfield Iowa, large group meditations, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightement, Maharishi University of Management, Maharishi Vedic City, MUM Golden Domes, Oprah Winfrey Network, Oprah's Next Chapter, Science of Creative Intelligence, TM, TM Town, Transcendental Meditation, Vastu Architecture, Vedic Pandits
Posted in Architecture, Education, Health, Peace, Videos | 1 Comment »

Des Moines Register: Oprah in Iowa: Fairfield meditation segment airs Sunday

March 24, 2012

Oprah in Iowa: Fairfield meditation segment airs Sunday
By TODD ERZEN | FILED UNDER – News | 1:28 PM, Mar. 23, 2012

The already more-well-known-than-you-think town of Fairfield, Ia., is about to have its national visibility grow by Oprah-esque proportions.

The media icon paid a stealthy six-hour visit to the Maharishi University of Management last October and will tell the country about her newfound devotion to Transcendental Meditation at 8 p.m. on Sunday as part of her new weekly series, “Oprah’s Next Chapter.”

Fairfield Mayor Ed Malloy, who took the media mogul on a tour of one of the university’s golden domes before she meditated there with about 400 other women, said Winfrey already had a working knowledge of Transcendental Meditation based on her experience with inner-city school systems.

The practice has been introduced there to children suffering from academic and behavioral problems with the help of Maharishi board of trustees member David Lynch, the television and film director whose private foundation promotes “Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace.”

“It’s had phenomenal results (in schools) and I think she became intrigued by that,” said Malloy, who has practiced Transcendental Meditation for 38 years. “Oprah’s bright and energetic and gregarious and thoughtful and provocative and we are honored and tickled to be featured by her in this way.”

Watch a sneak preview of the show

Sneak Preview: Oprah Visits America’s Most Unusual Town

Transcendental Meditation first came to Fairfield by way of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who gained international fame as the guru to the Beatles before transforming the bankrupt Parsons College property into his namesake university in 1974.

In 2001, the Maharishi’s followers incorporated their own town, called Maharishi Vedic City, about two miles north of Fairfield. Sales of non-organic food are banned and buildings are designed to follow principles the Maharishi established, such as facing east and featuring a golden roof ornament. About 1,300 people live there, and an estimated one-quarter of Fairfield’s 10,000 residents also practice Transcendental Meditation.

Winfrey has tried to make a similar impact on her employees by encouraging them to meditate twice during each work day.

Paul Chesnutt-Winer, who hosted Winfrey in his home and will be featured with his family on Oprah’s television show, said the practice of Transcendental Meditation could not have made a better friend.

“She’s an amazing combination of being a strong, executive woman and really a lot of fun,” he said.

See this earlier post by Todd Erzen on Mar 22, 2012 with links to a preview of the show and interview with Dr. Oz on Oprah’s visit to Fairfield and company-wide practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique. Fairfield sees itself through Oprah’s eyes on Sunday.

For information on Transcendental Meditation, visit www.tm.org.

Tags:David Lynch, David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace, Fairfield Iowa, Fairfield Mayor Ed Malloy, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Maharishi University of Management, Maharishi Vedic City, Oprah Winfery, Oprah's Next Chapter, OWN, Parson College, TM, Transcendental Meditation, Vedic Pandits
Posted in Architecture, Articles, David Lynch Foundation, Education, Health, Sustainable Living, Videos | Leave a Comment »

The Fairfield Ledger: Fairfield readies for Sunday debut on Oprah network

March 22, 2012

Fairfield readies for Sunday debut on Oprah network

Mar 21, 2012

Sunday’s televising of “Oprah’s Next Chapter” featuring Fairfield and Transcendental Meditation is expected to generate interest in the community.

A number of initiatives are under way to aid tourists and potential visitors.

“There’s a lot of excitement surrounding the airing,” said Maharishi University of Management alum Mariam Daudi, a coordinator for many of the initiatives. “The whole community is coming together to prepare in case there’s a big response. It’s fulfilling to work with so many different community leaders.”

Involved parties include Fairfield officials, Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, Maharishi School, M.U.M., Maharishi Vedic City, Maharishi Foundation, David Lynch Foundation and Ideal Community Group.

The convention center is developing a self-guided tour for visitors. A one-day training session for volunteer ambassadors also is in the works.

The welcome and information center at the Maasdam Barns site on Highway 1 South is expanding its hours.

Plans are under way to open the Taste of Fairfield visitors’ weekends in May and June to those who don’t practice the Transcendental Meditation technique. Planning also continues for M.U.M’s Experience the Self event to be held July 10–22.

Oprah visited Fairfield Oct. 19 to film for the hour-long program. It airs on the Oprah Winfrey Network at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Locally, O.W.N. can be accessed on channel 203 on Mediacom, channel 279 on Direct TV, channel 90 on Lisco and channels 189 and 885 on Dish Network.

Student Activities at M.U.M. is hosting a viewing of the program at Dalby Hall in the Argiro Student Center. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.

For more information about the program, visit www.oprah.com/own.

Reprinted with permission from The Fairfield Ledger. Article URL: http://fairfield-ia.villagesoup.com/news/story/226103?cid=14836

Addendum: Members of the Fairfield community are invited to a live viewing of Oprah’s New Chapter, Sunday, March 25, at 8 pm CT (doors open at 7 pm) at the Sondheim Theater, Fairfield Arts & Convention Center. Free Admission – First come first seated.

See OWN: Oprah Visits America’s Most Unusual Town, Sunday, March 25, 8 p.m. CT, 9-10 p.m. ET/PT

Tags:David Lynch Foundation, Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, Ideal Community Group, M.U.M., Maharishi Foundation, Maharishi School, Maharishi University of Management, Maharishi Vedic City, O.W.N., Oprah Winfery, Oprah's Next Chapter, Transcendental Meditation
Posted in Architecture, Articles, Education, Health | 4 Comments »

OWN: Oprah Visits America’s Most Unusual Town, Sunday, March 25, 8 p.m. CT, 9-10 p.m. ET/PT

March 20, 2012

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network presents a new episode of “Oprah’s Next Chapter” featuring America’s Most Unusual Town this Sunday, March 25, 8:00 p.m. CT (9-10 p.m. ET/PT).

On “Oprah’s Next Chapter,” Oprah Winfrey travels to Fairfield, Iowa—one of the safest, greenest and most unusual communities in America—to visit a school where daily Transcendental Meditation^® (TM) practice is mandatory. Winfrey then visits the neighboring community of Maharishi Vedic City, where non-organic food is banned and all houses face East — adhering to an ancient Indian style that brings peace and harmony. Also, for the first time, cameras are allowed inside a top-secret, 80-acre compound where 800 Indian men live spending eight hours a day meditating and chanting. Later, Winfrey joins the community at their domes for evening meditation.

The episode will only be available in its entirety on the OWN TV network. However, clips and footage may be featured on www.Oprah.com. Once there, find out what channel the Oprah Winfrey Network is on in your area by entering your zip code on the right. Canadian viewers, click here. Watch a Sneak Preview here: Oprah Visits America’s Most Unusual Town.

Oprah spends the day in Fairfield, Iowa—one of the safest, greenest and most unusual communities in America. It’s the last place you’d expect to find two huge golden domes built for the thousands of residents who rush there to meditate twice a day. Watch a sneak preview; then tune in for the full episode of Oprah’s Next Chapter on Sunday, March 25, at 9/8c. Please note: There will only be one episode, on March 25. http://www.oprah.com/own-oprahs-next-chapter/Sneak-Preview-Oprah-Visits-Americas-Most-Unusual-Town-Video

Addendum: Members of the Fairfield community are invited to a live viewing of Oprah’s New Chapter, Sunday, March 25, at 8 p.m. CT (doors open at 7 p.m.) at the Sondheim Theater, Fairfield Arts & Convention Center. Free Admission – First come first seated. Also, being broadcast live for students in Dalby Hall, Argiro Student Center, on the Maharishi University campus. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. CT. Free admission

Also see The Iowan: Sizing Up Small Towns: Rethinking Success in Rural Iowa: Fairfield Thinks Inclusively.

Tags:America's Most Unusual Town, Fairfield Iowa, golden domes, Maharishi Vedic City, Maharishi Vedic Pandits, Oprah Wiinfrey Network, Oprah Winfrey, Oprah's Next Chapter, organic food, OWN, TM Town, Transcendental Meditation
Posted in Architecture, Education, Health, Peace, Sustainable Living, Videos | 3 Comments »

The Iowan: Beyond LEED: Maharishi University’s Sustainable Living Center

March 5, 2012

[potluck] Beyond LEED

Fairfield, Iowa – March 1, 2012

Maharishi University of Management's Sustainable Living Center

Compiled by Carol Bodensteiner and Mary Gottschalk

More and more new or renovated structures in Iowa trumpet their commitment to reducing demands on air, water, and energy resources — some even achieving platinum status in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification (currently the highest level recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council). The folks at the Sustainable Living Center (SLC) in Fairfield are aiming higher.

Rising to the Living Building Challenge (an international performance-based certification program) and incorporating both Building Biology principles and Maharishi Vedic architecture guidelines, the SLC design introduces such features as the use of naturally hygroscopic materials to self-regulate humidity, the use of natural building materials, and complete water and energy self-sufficiency — the ability to go off the grid.

According to David Fisher, Director of the Sustainable Living Program at Maharishi University of Management (MUM), this higher standard is “doable with current technology.” For example, the combination of insulation, solar and wind powers, and geothermal heat will allow the SLC to generate excess electricity, which will be contributed back to the campus power grid. Similarly, by collecting rainwater for drinking and running black/gray water through a peat moss filtering system for irrigation, the building will have net zero water usage.

In addition to being resource-neutral (and, possibly, resource-positive), the SLC has other unique features, including 16 whole aspen tree trunks that provide major structural support for the building and 26,000 earthen blocks manufactured by MUM students out of local clays. To avoid any toxic chemicals, plaster has been made from sand, cow manure, and soil; paints are milk-based with color pigments derived from clay, minerals, and spices.

When the building opens this spring as classroom and office space for the Bachelor of Science program in Sustainable Living, the SLC will still be a work in progress, says Fisher. “But we’re going to open so our students can share in the experience of showing the construction industry how it can be done.” — M.G.

For information on the Sustainable Living Center, contact David Fisher at dfisher@mum.edu and visit thesustainablelivingcenter.com. Learn more about Building Biology and Vedic architecture online at baubiologie.de (choose English language) and maharishivastu.org.

Rendering courtesy Sustainable Living Center

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Tags:BauBiologie, going off the grid, LEED Platinum certification, Living Building Challenge, Maharishi University of Management, Maharishi Vedic Architecture, natural buidling materials, net-zero building, non-toxic building materials, solar photovoltaic panels, Sustainable Living Program, Sustainabliity, wind turbine
Posted in Architecture, Articles, Education, Health | 2 Comments »

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