Stanley Architects was founded 40 years ago and has been established in Austin since 1984. Through these years of research, education and experience our firm has been able to develop a deep awareness and appreciation for sustainable design as an underlying philosophic and pragmatic approach to the design process. We have served as prime consultants for many diverse projects requiring effective integration of multiple systems and components. We have also served as sustainability consultants for other prime firms, successfully helping them integrate sustainable systems into their own projects with a knowledge and background of how to be most effective in this capacity.

Our steadfast approach is to develop each project from its inception with a holistic, incorporated attitude to environmentally sensitive design. Fundamental principles are coalesced into the design process early in the master planning, site development, budgeting and programming stages. From this foundation through the life of the project, a sustainable approach to regional, site-specific, and building issues is realistically integrated into the project design, respectful of the client’s needs, budget and timeline.

Success with our approach depends critically upon a collaborative effort. Our firm has accumulated many years of experience with this synergetic approach to design. We obtain input from all the users, consultants, and team members during all stages of the design process. Our experience proves that early involvement by the entire team in the planning and programming phase is especially invaluable, even if the input seems minor at the time. This is usually done via initial goal-setting sessions followed up with design charettes. Each point of view is recorded in written and graphic documents, such as programming summaries, educational specifications, sketches, etc., which coalesce the collaborative process. These documents are actively used throughout the project to achieve an integrated design.

Our case study, Franklin High School, is a 300,000 sf facility with a 45 acre campus which was completed in 1996, $1million under the $27 million budget. This large, complex project required extensive experience with implementing an integrated design approach with a multitude of consultants, user groups, staff, etc. Franklin was awarded the Caudill Award for its innovative design and has been presented as a case study for successful sustainable design in large scale institutional projects at national and state conferences for the public, design professionals, and educators. Original design criteria for the school were developed from "Energy Efficient School Design" presented by the Governor’s Energy Office, DOE 2, and AIA guidelines adapted for hot, arid climates. Total energy design criteria: 55,000-60,000 btu/sf/year for campus, utilizing hybrid HVAC systems.