Culminating in a tour after a brief presentation, upwards of 40 people attended this Spring 2024 Program showcasing the HMTX Headquarters, a Living Building located in Norwalk, Connecticut. In the video below, you’ll hear from BuildGreenCT Board Chair & Living Future Hero, Melissa Kops and Rick Taylor, HMTX’s Senior Director of Community Engagement, who provided background on the building and its significant connection to the community.

Event sponsor, Keith Simpson, of Keith E. Simpson Associates, also discussed how his company worked as a member of the program team to design the regenerative landscape.

HMTX headquarters, dubbed “the House on the Hill” opened in October 2022 and is pursuing Living Building Challenge certification, seeking to attain 6 out of 7 “petals”. Already, the building has achieved several accolades, including the Energy Commercial Award of Honor and the Health Award of Honor at our 2022 Green Building Awards. Furthermore, in 2023, the building was awarded the Metropolis Planet Positive Award in the commercial workplace category.

Clearly demonstrating the Living Future mission, HMTX Headquarters was built with toxic-free, responsibly sourced materials, and relies entirely on renewable energy. Built to specifically complement the surrounding environment rather than hinder it, “the House on the Hill” collects and naturally purifies rainwater, promotes native plant growth, and floats above ground so as to minimize disruption to nature. 

Those of us who attended the tour left with an understanding of how the HMTX building contributes to the wellbeing of its occupants, the community, and the landscape.

In this video, you’ll hear building designer, Galen Carlson, of Perkins & Will, describe his experience designing one of the greenest buildings in CT. Aiming to attain the most Living Building Petals for a building in Connecticut, HMTX’s headquarters in Norwalk, CT exemplifies biophilic, regenerative, and above all, sustainable design. Building owner, Harlan Stone, was particularly invested in building community connection– both to one another and nature, a notion on display throughout this building.

Watch the video below to hear more about the Living Building Challenge, as it pertains to HMTX Headquarters and the design process of this visionary project. We’d like to sincerely thank our host and event sponsors for supporting this event; HMTX Industries, Keith E. Simpson Associates, and Shawmut Design & Construction.