PRESS-RELEASE

Omega Press Release

April 22, 2010

Omega Center for Sustainable Living Receives AIA/COTE 2010 Top Ten Green Projects Award

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Omega Center for Sustainable Living ReceivesAIA/COTE 2010 Top Ten Green Projects Award

Landmark Achievement in Green Building Recognized withIndustry's Highest Award for Sustainable Design Excellence

RHINEBECK, NY – Omega Institute announced today that its most ambitious project todate, the Omega Center for Sustainable Living (OCSL), a water reclamation facility andenvironmental education center, was selected for the American Institute of ArchitectsCommittee on the Environment (AIA/COTE) Top 10 Green Projects Award for 2010.BNIM was the architect for the project and worked with John Todd Ecological Design tointegrate the Eco-Machine™ technology central to the project's function. This is the sixthBNIM building to receive the AIA/COTE Top Ten Award, given annually on Earth Day.

"We are thrilled about this award, which recognizes the integration of leading-edge greentechnology and the Earth's natural processes in architecture. For Omega, the OCSLrepresents our deep commitment to understanding our own environmental impact andmodels some of the best ways forward," said Skip Backus, chief executive officer atOmega and general project manager for the OCSL. "Inherent to any solution to ourenvironment's problems has to be the understanding of the essential interconnectionbetween ourselves, nature and each other," concluded Backus.

"The Omega Center for Sustainable Living is a model for water stewardship andregenerative architectural design," said Laura Lesniewski, project principal at BNIM."BNIM commends the vision of the client team for their intensive collaboration andwillingness to take this project into a realm of unparalleled leadership and performance.The OCSL has much to teach all of us about the potential for sustainable design."

The OCSL supplies all of its own energy needs and its operation is carbon neutral. Theself-sustaining building is heated and cooled using geothermal systems, and utilizesphotovoltaic power. Other features include a design that is a balance of passive (daylight,passive solar heating, natural ventilation) and mechanical (geo thermal, fans, electriclighting) comfort systems. It serves as the heart of Omega's ongoing environmentalinitiatives and includes a greenhouse, an Eco-Machine™, constructed wetlands, and aclassroom. The OCSL is open year-round for tours and educational events.

The core of the center is a 4,500-square-foot greenhouse containing a water filtrationsystem called the Eco-Machine™. This living system uses plants, bacteria, algae, snails,and fungi to recycle Omega's wastewater (approximately 5 million gallons per year) intoclean water that is used to restore the aquifer. John Todd, winner of the 2008Buckminster Fuller Challenge award, and his son Jonathan Todd, are the founders ofJohn Todd Ecological Design, Inc., which is responsible for the design of the EcoMachine™.

The OCSL is on target to achieve both LEED® Platinum and Living BuildingChallenge™ certification this year. The OCSL first received national design recognitionat the Greenbuild 2007 conference, where it was the sole winner of the Living BuildingChallenge "On the Boards Award" for a building in the design process that had achievedthe highest level of environmental performance. The OCSL was also a topic of paneldiscussions at subsequent Greenbuild conferences.

The OCSL and other AIA/COTE winning projects will be honored at the AIA 2010National Convention and Design Exposition in Miami.

For further information about the Omega Center for Sustainable Living, please visiteOmega.org/ocsl.

About Omega Institute for Holistic StudiesFounded in 1977, Omega Institute for Holistic Studies is the nation's most trusted sourcefor wellness and personal growth. As a nonprofit organization, Omega offers diverse andinnovative educational experiences that inspire an integrated approach to personal andsocial change. Located on 195 acres in the beautiful Hudson Valley, Omega welcomesmore than 23,000 people to its workshops, conferences, and retreats in Rhinebeck, NewYork and at exceptional locations around the world. eOmega.org

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About Omega Institute for Holistic Studies
Founded in 1977, Omega Institute for Holistic Studies is the nation's most trusted source for wellness and personal growth. As a nonprofit organization, Omega offers diverse and innovative educational experiences that inspire an integrated approach to personal and social change. Located on 250 acres in the beautiful Hudson Valley, Omega welcomes people to its workshops, conferences, and retreats in Rhinebeck, New York, and online at eOmega.org.