Catherine’s Cottage is a 13-room convent supporting the needs of Poor Handmaid Sisters with beginning stages of memory loss. Named after the PHJC foundress, Blessed Catherine Kasper, Catherine’s Cottage is an interpretation of the “Greenhouse Concept.”

While this project will not pursue certification as a green building, several strategies of sustainable design were employed in the design and construction. The building was constructed with products from rapidly renewable sources, products that are recycled or that are made from mostly recycled content. Emphasis was given to products requiring a very low level of cleaning and the maintenance and operation methods for the facility are centered on the use of natural products. Disturbance of the site was minimized during construction by preserving existing green space and using areas formerly paved as parking areas for the construction. During construction, the contractor recycled and salvaged with the Owner every item they could, thereby reducing the amount of debris and waste that went to a landfill.

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