Renewable energy, efficiency part of New Orleans rebuilding

The rooftop of Robert Green’s home bears two unmistakable marks that it is part of the effort to rebuild New Orleans with a new resilience.

There is a safe exit to a secure area of the roof—a feature that needs no explanation for longtime Lower Ninth Ward residents like Green, who lost both his mother and his three-year-old granddaughter in 20-foot-high floodwaters after the Industrial Canal levee broke in the wake of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005.

But in addition to that echo of the tragic past, there is an installation that points to a hopeful future: 15 solar photovoltaic panels.

Green’s home is one of 50 that have been completed so far in the Make it Right development, spearheaded by actor Brad Pitt, which aims to incorporate renewable energy and efficiency into every element of design. Similarly, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev’s Global Green project in the Lower Ninth Ward’s Holy Cross neighborhood has five low-energy homes. And the Pontchartrain Park Neighborhood Association, organized by actor Wendell Pierce, also is aiming to rebuild with solar and geothermal energy in every home.

Making use of Louisiana’s new incentives for renewable energy—among the best in the country—the projects aim to show that the up-front effort and investment in clean energy will pay dividends for the community, and for the individual homeowners, for years to come.

Getting It Right After Things Went So Wrong

Green moved into his 1,800-square-foot Make It Right home in July 2009, after spending three years in a Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer on the same site. “A sense of family and community is still here,” explains Green. He paid $126,000 for his new house with solar electric panels that can generate up to three kilowatts of energy. And the home is built to reduce the need for power, with Energy Star appliances and a tankless water heater.

Of course, there are many other features Green likes—the low-emissions carpeting and paint that he says helps keep his asthma symptoms at bay, the better light and air circulation, and “a sense of security.” Make It Right homes, many with a view of the levee, are elevated against future floods, and bolstered with frames and windows that can withstand 160 mile-per-hour winds. In addition to the rooftop escape hatches, they have insulation that is easier to replace should it mold.

And, says Green, there are the energy savings. Green says he has seen his summer electricity bill drop from more than $300 a month in the 1910 home that was destroyed in the flood and demolished, to $170 a month in his FEMA trailer, and to now around $125 in his new home.

“Day to day I breathe better,” says Green, “and it doesn’t cost as much.”

Full National Geographic Article

Five schools across the country have become LEED certified in order to provide the cleanest and most energy-efficient learning environments for their students.

Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins, CO has been certified LEED Silver. By following standards outlined by the USGBC, the Poudre School District saved about $11,500 annually on their water bill. They also incorporated as much natural light as possible, simultaneously saving money on artificial light and creating a more favorable learning environment for students.

Sidwell Friends Middle School in Washington, D.C. received a LEED Platinum certification, the highest award a school has received from the USGBC. They constructed an artificial wetland in between the new and old wings of the school, which serves a dual purpose: allow for efficient, recyclable water, and provide a hands-on learning environment for science classes. Solar panels and natural light systems take full advantage of sunlight while saving on energy costs.

Clearview Elementary in Hanover, PA - certified LEED Gold - is also bathed in natural light thanks to huge windows along its long corridors. According to studies by the California Board for Energy Efficiency, tests scores were 15%-26% higher in classrooms with plenty of natural light versus classrooms with lower levels of sunlight.

Rosa Parks Elementary in Portland, OR - certified LEED Gold - selected paints, carpets adhesives and sealants were selected for their low carbon emissions.

Finally, the LEED certified West Brazos Junior High School in Brazoria, TX, saved 18% on construction costs compared to the average middle school while using 55% locally manufactured materials.

Going Green doesn’t have to cost a fortune either. Whether you have a home you’re looking to turn Green or a local school you’d like to recommend, it can be affordable with government Green tax credits and debt consolidation.  With some smart planning and energy efficiency, any school can become the next LEED-certified school.

The event, which is targeted towards both building industry professionals (10/8 and 10/9) and homeowners (10/9 only), will showcase energy-efficient and environmentally responsible products and services.  Additionally, the event will feature a variety of interactive seminars from leaders in green building and design.  Think of it as a more navigable version of GreenBuild.

Tickets are only $10 in advance (www.gogreenexpo.com) or $20 at the door.

Special thanks to Chelsea Gleis from Organic Works PR for the event information.

The 50,879 square foot Shakopee, Minnesota facility was originally constructed in 1972 and has since three renovations and one major addition.  Highlights of the LEED-approved program include landfill waste reduction, an improvement of IAQ for the 100+ on-site employees and a sustainable purchasing program.

“As a supplier of products and solutions to this market, our decision to certify our building is an outward expression of our commitment, and has allowed us to more fully understand what it takes to participate in green and sustainable construction and renovation projects,” said Doug MacRae, Head of Building Systems.

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany.  BASF has more than 15,000 employees in North America, and had sales of approximately $17.5 billion in 2008.

During a two year construction period, general contracted by M.A. Mortensen Construction Co., the following sustainable features were incorporated:

• 90% recycled steel, primarily locally produced
• A high Albedo roof system
• Low-VOC paint, carpet, sealants and adhesives.
• A comprehensive storm water management system that harvests, filters and drains runoff to the Mississippi River.

The project also achieved a 50% reduction of potable water use in landscaping (30% indoor use reduction) and diverted 98 percent of construction waste from landfills.  Further, in a testament to the true sustainable nature of the facility,  it can be expanded to just over 80,000 seats.

Take a virtual tour of this impressive stadium at http://stadium.gophersports.com.

Specifically Applicable LEED 2009 Credits:

SS 7.2 Heat Island Effect: Roof - High albedo metal roofing can significantly contribute to the 75 requirement of this credit.

MR 4.1/4.2 Recycled Content: 10%/20% - Metal roofing can contain a high percentage of recycled content, assisting in total RC totals.

MR 2.1/2.2 Construction Waste Management: Divert 50%/75% from Disposal - Any excess material is easily recycled, elevating the percentage of recycled construction waste.

MR 5.2/5.2 Regional Materials: 10% / 20% - Properly purchased metal materials assists in the regional materials credit.

MR 1.1 Building Reuse: Maintain Existing Walls, Floors and Roof - Depending on age, it may be possible to reuse the actual roofing material but, given the longer useful life of a properly maintained metal roof vs. a traditional roof, the roof decking may be in better condition.

Other Sustainable Benefits:

There are also some benefits that, while not directly related to LEED, should be considered from a sustainability perspective.  First, length of service.  Metal roofing materials generally also have a longer warranty (up to 50 years) and, again, useful life than a traditional roof system.   Secondly, at the end of this longer useful life, the roofing materials are more easily recycled than traditional materials.  Today, the materials can, in many cases, be hauled off for free.

Special thanks to Adam from GreenIsGlobal.net for the post idea.  Be sure to check out his metal and solar laminate roofing blog.

Present Day

A careful integration of the historic facade, renewable energy, and stringent green building practices gave birth to The Campus Square Building in Midtown Harrisburg, Pa.  Campus Square is a landmark mixed-use facility in the community and plans to become the first LEED® Gold Core and Shell Building in Harrisburg, Pa.  This building is part of a major revitalization by the city which, in Midtown, has been spearheaded by GreenWorks Development.  Their plan is to build/renovate over 1 million square feet within the 10 block radius of Midtown and do it all in an environmentally responsible manner.

Anchoring the Green Building Design was forty-six (46) geothermal wells (located under the footprint of the building) and a 220 Panel Solar PV System (42 kW) on the roof.  The Energy Harvest Grant which will fund the Solar Equipment was the first stimulus dollars awarded in the state of Pa.  In addition to the ground source heat pumps and solar PV system, here are some of the various green aspects of Campus Square Building:  fly ash used in every yard of concrete, white roofing material, high efficiency glazing, completely automated building management system (Wireless ATC, Security, Lighting & Solar), regional materials, IAQ plan during construction, low VOC materials, high recycled content in the finishes, low flow water closets and waterless urinals.

Circa 1964

From the early conceptual stages of the project, LEED was a priority.  With the Architect (Ganflec Architects), Construction Manager (Wohlsen Construction) and an MEP Design Build Team all working closely together through budgeting and design to come up with the ultimate balance of cost, green aspects, efficiency and quality.  The end result is a well thought out, socially and environmentally responsible project which will house the new Green Center of Central Pa and several other tenants.  Hopefully the students of the new Green Center will be able to learn first hand from the green building aspects of Campus Square and assist in the continual growth of the industry.

Candidates for the LEED Green Associate credential with iPhones or iPods now have access to prep tools they can take with them anywhere in their pockets.  They’re perfect for stealing a few minutes to study during commutes, when waiting in line or whenever the opportunity arises.

Today, we’re going to look at two such applications for the iPhone and iPod that have recently been released.

EcoFlash LEED Flash Cards

EcoFlash’s application, priced at $19.99, is a traditional front/back virtual flashcard.  Notable features of the application are (i) a choice between automatically shuffling the cards each time you launch the application or remembeing where you left off,  and (ii) the ability to tag/bookmark certain cards for a rapid return (they call if Leafmarking).  At the time this post was written, the application included 518 flashcards.

GBES LEED Flash Cards

Green Building Education Services’ version, priced at $34.99, has two components.  First, a series of front and back flash cards.  This app will also remember where you left off, but doesn’t seem to have the tagging feature.  With only 200 flash cards at the time this post was written, it falls short of the sheer volume in the EcoFlash app.  However, the second component of the application, a 100-question practice exam, makes up for it.  The questions are randomly shuffled after each exam session is completed, but the an exam session can be spread out over multiple sittings.

If I’m choosing, it’s a toss up.  Having more flashcards (the EcoFlash application) obviously allows you to take more material with you on the go.  On the other hand, a practice test in the palm of your hand (the GBES application) is really attractive in the days before taking the test.

It will be interesting to see how these applications look and what additional bells and whistles they contain at their next update.  Stay tuned.

Planned improvements include an ambitious replacement of the building’s entire window system, an upgrade of heating and cooling plants and the integration of a smart lighting system.  The $13.2MM project will provide an estimated annual energy savings of $4.4MM, yielding a three-year payback on investment.

The following video summarizes the project and includes interviews with the building’s owner, Anthony E. Malkin, and Scott Horst, EVP of LEED with the USGBC.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKnxDcIUfdY

Special thanks to Brandon Bloch with the US Department of State and America.gov for providing this video.

Click for Larger Image

Similar in intent to the EnergyGuide label that is present on appliances, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has released the prototype design for its advanced building energy labeling program.

The Building Energy Quotient program, which will be known as  Building EQ, will rank all types of buildings except residential from a grade scale of ‘A+’ for Net Zero Energy to ‘F’ for Unsatisfactory.   Each asset will have a  two rankings based on (i) it’s designed/modeled efficiency and the (ii) operational efficiency of  a building - and both will be displayed on the label.

“ASHRAE’s label will help building owners differentiate their product in a technically sound manner while providing tenants with the tools they need to select energy-efficient spaces,” said Ron Jarnagin, chair of ASHRAE’s committee for developing the program .

In the Building EQ system, ASHRAE has borrowed quite a bit from the UK’s Display Energy Certificate (DEC) program.  The DEC system became mandatory for large buildings in the UK in October of 2008.

The Building EQ system will officially be launched in 2010, but beta testing by a select group of users will start in the fall of 2009.