Omega Center for Sustainable Living

In 2006, the Omega Institute commissioned BNIM to design a new highly sustainable wastewater filtration facility with a strong educational component focused on water. The project replaces the current wastewater disposal system for 119 buildings on a 195-acre campus in Rhinebeck, New York by using biological methods of treatment via an Eco Machine. As part of a larger effort to educate visitors, staff and the local community on local, regional and global water issues, the project showcases this ecological system in a building that houses the primary treatment cells and a classroom/laboratory. The building received a LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council and is one of the first buildings to receive certification as a Living Building.