In partnership with UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Gensler investigated design methods for carbon neutral buildings in the Congo Basin of Cameroon, a humid subtropical climate. Our goal was to employ minimal use of mechanical systems while maximizing passive systems for light and cooling — to produce a fully carbon neutral building that ensures thermal comfort in a harsh environment.

As a case study for future design in similar climates, Gensler designed a 5,000-square-foot distance learning center in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The project will serve the Congo Basin Institute at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. Our building will increase the Congo Basin Institute’s capacity to raise awareness and action around science, technology, and innovation best practices in one of the most ecologically and economically vulnerable places on earth.

The scientists and researchers who will use the facility engage in long-term collaborations with experts worldwide to investigate and test emerging technologies that address health, food security, water, and climate issues. The carbon neutral building is intended to serve as an objective illustration of the principles and values that inform the work being conducted within it.