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Do you have a commercial building that might be a good candidate for ‘high performance’? The picture at the right is the Real Goods high performance building in Hopland, CA. The U.S.Department of Energy is looking for commercial developments in the design phase that might qualify as High Performance Buildings demonstration projects. Steven Winter Associates (SWA) is under contract with the DOE to identify and consult to commercial building project teams. Potential clients must be interested in incorporating high-performance practices including energy and water conservation, resource-efficient materials, indoor air quality, recycled waste programs, state-of-the- art HVAC systems, fuel cells, photovoltaics, or low-impact landscaping. SWA is consulting on three projects in different parts of the country: a public library in Chicago that is building a green roof, recycled building materials, and extensive daylighting; a prototype office building for a major developer in Boston that will have reusable/recyclable interior materials and finishes, and advanced mechanical/electrical/plumbing systems with raised floor distribution; and a mixed use commercial/residential building on a site in Arizona that may incorporate PV panels, solar water heating, water harvesting, and a water-source heat pump system. Contact Mike Crosbie, SWA: mcrosbie@swinter.com[sorry this link is no longer available]
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A 65 X 40-foot demonstration home sits on the grounds of Farm Science Review, an annual outdoor farm exhibition near London, Ohio. Constructed by the Ohio Soybean Council and the United Soybean Board, the “House That Soy Built” showcases the many ways soy beans can be substituted for chemical and petroleum products commonly used in buildings. Last fall, 150,000 visitors saw soy-based plywood, concrete sealer, plastics, carpet backing, adhesives, coatings and inks, lubricants, and solvents. The living room displays many products including carpet backing, candles, tabletops and fabric dye. The house will be updated each year as new soy products are developed. This year, all the lumber will be replaced with soy-adhesive finger-jointed lumber, and another room will added to display other soy products. Howell Cindy: HowellC@osborn-barr.com
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In constructing its new offices, Greenpeace USA is modeling the best of green design, creating a productive work environment for its employees, and giving its architect and contractor a new specialty niche. Greenpeace chose to renovate a building close to mass transit in downtown Washington D.C. They joined together five buildings for a total of 15,000 square feet. The developer allowed Greenpeace to write into the lease that the entire building would be PVC-free (except for electrical wiring for which there is no substitute). The open work station layout resulted in numerous savings in addition to fostering communication among employees. For example, they used 45 percent less drywall and 61 percent less wood by not breaking up the space and needing fewer doors. And many fewer lighting fixtures were needed.The extensive list of leading environmental products includes: ** All woods are FSC-certified. Knoll even used certified wood in the chairs it custom-manufactured for this project. ** PVC-free products used throughout ** Pantry countertops made from recycled yogurt containers and rubber flooring from recycled tires. ** Recycled-content carpet, installed with low- VOC adhesives. ** Bathroom tiles made from recycled glass; doors and desks constructed from certified wheatboard and particleboard respectively. ** […]
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This Spotlight section is on U.S. Green Building - highlights of important developments over the last 6 months. The first article discusses results of a survey on the builder/buyer attitudes toward green building features.
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Since 1991, Ecotrust has supported the growth of regional businesses that integrate conservation and economic development. Now, the organization is redeveloping an historic warehouse in Portland into a green retail and office complex. It will serve as “a marketplace for the ideas, goods, and services of the emerging conservation economy.” The 80,000 square foot Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center is named for the philanthropist and Ecotrust board member whose $2.5 million gift enabled the building’s purchase. A $2 million low-interest loan from the Ford Foundation is helping to finance the $12 million project. Space will be leased to companies and organizations that focus on conservation. 80 percent of the space is leased; opening ceremonies are planned for this summer. Patagonia, a leading sustainable business, will be the retail anchor. The building will house Ecotrust’s headquarters, the Wild Salmon Center, ShoreBank Pacific, the Certified Forest Products Council and Progressive Investment Management. The Natural Capital Center is in Portland’s emerging Pearl District, an area targeted for dense redevelopment as part of a regional smart growth strategy. It will be home to 15,000 new residents. The Portland Streetcar, which starts operating this summer, will stop directly in front of the building.The building is […]
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Maryland Smart Growth ProgramSince 1997, Governor Glendening has spearheaded the nation’s most comprehensive smart growth program in the state of Maryland. The award-winning “Smart Growth and Neighborhood Conservation Program” provides incentives to attract commercial and residential growth in communities with existing infrastructure and away from undeveloped areas. [sorry this link is no longer available]In March, the governor announced that Baltimore’s largest office building – a $75 million complex called Montgomery Park – will be a green renovation of a vacant 1.3 million square foot building. The Maryland Department of the Environment will occupy 262,000 square feet of floor space. The building’s energy efficiency features such as extensive daylighting, and insulating glass and sensors, will reduce energy costs from the $2 per square foot of a typical comparable building to about 98 cents a square foot annually. Recycled materials will be used throughout the building in partitions, ceiling tiles and carpet. Collected rainwater will be used to flush toilets. Contractors expect to salvage about 75 percent of the demolition debris. Also in March, Governor Glendening signed an executive order that creates a commission to recommend criteria for a comprehensive energy conservation strategy, green buildings and for the purchase of renewable energy. […]
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How do we help people integrate sustainable thinking into their lives without preaching? Joe Mozdzen, our new columnist, gives us his thoughts.
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30 small businesses in Sweden created environmental management systems and received ISO 14001 certification by banding together.
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An on-line guide to designing and constructing green buildings has been produced by the Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC). Although it is geared primarily for commercial and institutional buildings, it also includes resources for residential projects. It begins with an introduction to the economic, environmental and social benefits of green buildings, and the holistic approach to designing buildings.Each chapter consists of questions to consider for the particular topic and then a comprehensive set of links related to the topic. It covers all the important substantive areas from transportation to codes, from materials to energy efficiency, from indoor air to demolition. There are links to resources for technical assistance, financial assistance, software, and news about green buildings. It leads you to case studies covering commercial, municipal, residential, brownfields and hospitality applications. Check it out: [sorry this link is no longer available]A new book from the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council, Low-Energy, Sustainable Building Design for Federal Managers, is designed to help government personnel meet the ‘Greening the Government’ executive orders and to make informed decisions on sustainable design strategies, renewable energy options, water conservation, operation and maintenance, and resource-efficient materials. [sorry this link is no longer available]org The group will […]
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