February 2012
www.EDCmag.com
The Premier Source for Integrated High-Performance Building
environmental design + construction
Celebrating YEARS of the road less traveled
Flooring created for every step you take... for the facts.
When it comes to the environment, red, white, and blue are some of the greenest colors around. Making products in the US reduces energy used for transportation, supports the American workforce, and keeps dollars invested locally. When it’s time for our products to be recycled, like those we show here, they don’t have far to go to start the product life cycle all over again.
ss#%.4)6!
centiva.com
Shown above: Centiva products on their way to be recycled. Reader Service No. 153 www.EDCmag.com/webcard
FICIENT
TM
EXPAND YOUR INSPIRATION Inspiration comes in many forms. Expanding inspiration? That’s where we come in. Eco-ficient™ insulated metal panels provide beauty, integration and efficiency. Not only do these panels come in a variety of profiles, colors and textures, but they also integrate well with other exterior finish systems and offer sustainability attributes significant for improving a building’s energy efficiency. Look to Eco-ficient™ insulated panels from MBCI for your inspiration. Visit us at www.mbci.com/neweco to learn more.
Houston, TX (Corporate) 877-713-6224 | Adel, GA 888-446-6224 | Atlanta, GA 877-512-6224 | Atwater, CA 800-829-9324 | Dallas, TX 800-653-6224 | Indianapolis, IN 800-735-6224 Jackson, MS 800-622-4136 | Lubbock, TX 800-758-6224 | Memphis, TN 800-206-6224 | Oklahoma City, OK 800-597-6224 | Omaha, NE 800-458-6224 | Phoenix, AZ 888-533-6224
www.mbci.com/neweco
Richmond, VA 800-729-6224 | Rome, NY 800-559-6224 | Salt Lake City, UT 800-874-2404 | San Antonio, TX 800-598-6224 Reader Service No. 134 www.EDCmag.com/webcard
CONTENTS
FEBRUARY 2012 VOLUME 15 NUMBER 2
16
26
In This Issue 12
16
30
Get with the Program
Green of Course
Green Hornet’s Nest
A California utility is helping owners and architects create energy-efficient projects through a collaborative, incentive-laden program.
A rural middle school follows a path of sustainability with an expansion and renovation for student advancement and fiscal responsibility.
How to help identify and overcome the risks of liability associated with green design and construction.
By Ted Reguly
By Greg Douglas
By Meghan A. Douris, Esq., LEED Green Associate
12
In Every Issue 6
WEB TOC
8
EDITOR’S NOTE
10
NEW + NOTABLE
34
ADVERTISER INDEX
Cool Roofing plus 21
Daylighting: Thermal Loss vs. Electrical Savings What the differences are and why we need varying standards. By Grant Grable, LEED AP
26
Heating Up with Solar Cogen Trying to cut costs and meet sustainability objectives? Consider solar cogeneration — renewable heat and electricity in one for maximum impact. By Dr. Gilad Almogy
On the Cover:
4
ed+c
F E B RUA RY 1 2
Thank you to everyone who has made the past 15 years possible. We’re looking forward to the next 15 years and beyond as we all explore what’s around the bend en route to a sustainable built environment.
Reader Service No. 1 www.EDCmag.com/webcard
TOC IMAGE COURTESY OF JEREMY SWANSON.
WEB
1
2
IMAGE COURTESY OF GUY CALI ASSOCIATES INC.
THIS MONTH’S WEB EXCLUSIVE FEATURES INCLUDE: District Gets Schooled on Wastewater Recycling
Runaway Building
Has your Business Insurance Gone Green?
By David Maciolek, PE
By Auden Schendler
By Matthew Stangle
Available land parcels for the new Evergreen Elementary School were not served by sewer, and the site required onsite wastewater management. Poor area soils made it unsuitable for a conventional disposal system, which necessitated another option — the result made LEED Silver feasible and created an educational tool.
Almost no building mechanical systems operate as designed. But nobody knows, nobody checks, and life goes on — until there’s trouble. In the peak of the ski season, on a -8 F night, two pipes at Aspen Snowmass’ new restaurant froze and burst. The root of the problem was that the mechanical system simply didn’t work properly.
Green insurance has been around for several years — policies for green commercial and residential buildings stated that in the event of loss, buildings would be reconstructed to their original LEED level. Now, non-green buildings can be rebuilt to LEED certification.
1
2
3
MORE WEB EXCLUSIVES Get the free mobile app at
SNAP THE MOBILE TAG HERE FOR MORE ED+C WEB EXCLUSIVE EDITORIAL.
http:/ / gettag.mobi
6
ed+c
F E B RUA RY 1 2
Online Only at www.EDCmag.com
MORE SHADES OF VERSATILITY.
VERSOLEIL . TM
Kawneer’s next generation sunshade platform – first introduced in a Single Blade System – is now more versatile with the addition of new Versoleil™ Outrigger SunShades. Pre-engineered for multiple Kawneer systems, the common component design offers versatility in both form and function. Versoleil™ SunShades offer a broad range of products to suit almost any project under the sun and the design flexibility to incorporate sunshades easily into any building envelope to help create your vision. All this, plus highly configurable blade options for maximum shading and energy saving potential. Kawneer’s Versoleil™ SunShades – versatility eclipsing all others.
VERSOLEIL™ OUTRIGGER
VERSOLEIL™ SINGLE BLADE
Architectural Aluminum Systems Entrances + Framing Curtain Walls Windows kawneer.com kawneergreen.com
© 2012 Kawneer Company, Inc.
Reader Service No. 40 www.EDCmag.com/webcard
EDITOR’S
NOTE 15 Years and Counting! It’s hard to believe that we’re celebrating our 15th year of producing ED+C with this issue. Some of you, like me, have only been around for a part of the decade and a half, but others have been onboard since the beginning and have seen the magazine change from a quarterly to a bi-monthly and then to the only monthly trade magazine dedicated exclusively to sustainable design and construction. Think about the first time you read an issue. What then was different from now? Did LEED exist? Were CFLs and LEDs easy to find on store shelves? Were people putting quotation marks around the word “green” to describe sustainability? Could all of the attendees at Greenbuild still fit at the Metropolitan Opera? The point is a lot of strides have been made in the past fifteen years — but we still have a long way to go. Maybe it’s the fact that we’ve just celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day here in the U.S. as I write this, but I can’t help but see similarities between the push for green and other worthwhile movements. For all the humanitarian progress we’ve made, ugliness like discrimination, bigotry and stereotypes still exist. The struggles to overcome societal blemishes continue years after they began. While many of us would like to believe green has arrived, we should ask ourselves if that belief is borne out of connecting solely with other people operating in our own sustainable bubble. While it doesn’t happen as frequently as it did when I first started, I still see more than my fair share of people publicly discussing their decisions that cause me to drop my head in despair. And I’m not talking about the usual policy makers who are more into grandstanding and ensuring their own agendas. I’m talking about everyday people. I happened to stop on a community access channel just prior to the holidays. On this show, an elderly man and woman were discussing the “ban” on 100-watt incandescent bulbs. The gentleman described how he had been stocking up on the
bulbs as opposed to switching to something more efficient because he knew “what is put in those new kinds of lights.” I tried calling in, but had no success. I was left shaking my head. Associate editor Laura Zielinski pointed out an article in a local newspaper about people protesting their utility’s implementation of new smart meters. The protestors cited a number of reasons for their position, including RF waves and privacy about others knowing how much electricity their appliances used. And here I am trying to get one of these meters installed so that I can more easily pinpoint potential problems immediately. Again, I was left shaking my head. Yeah, okay, I know I’m preaching to the choir here about continuing to make change. But we need to make that choir bigger. Each and every interaction readers like you have with someone unfamiliar with the benefits of sustainability is an opportunity — an opportunity to help someone else see the light. Share your green testimony. Spread the word! Okay, I’m done with the religious clichés, but you get the point. There are still many people out there who are unaware of the benefits or are unwilling to see the benefits of sustainability. Sadly, I don’t think everyone will yet be on board with green come our 30th anniversary. But, again, think about the changes that have been made in these last 15 years. How much more do you think things will change in the next 15? On behalf of everyone at ED+C, thank you for making this celebration possible. Cheers,
Derrick Teal Editor
2401 W. Big Beaver, Suite 700 | Troy, MI 48084 | 248.362.3700 | www.EDCmag.com Subscription Information Phone: 847.763.9534 | Fax: 847.763.9538 |
[email protected] Group Publisher Diana Brown
[email protected] Phone: 248.244.6258 Fax: 248.244.3911
Associate Publisher Michelle Hucal, LEED AP
[email protected] Phone: 248.244.1280 Fax: 248.786.1394
Editor Derrick Teal
[email protected] Phone: 248.786.1645 Fax: 248.283.6560
Associate Editor Laura Zielinski
[email protected] Phone: 248.786.1680 Fax: 248.502.9016
PRODUCTION + ART
Reprint Sales Jill DeVries
[email protected] Phone: 248.244.1726 Fax: 248.244.3934
Art Director Shannon Shortt
[email protected] Phone: 248.633.4835
ADVERTISING + SALES West Coast Sales Manager Karrie Laughlin
[email protected] Phone: 248.786.1657 Fax: 248.502.2065
Northeast Sales Manager Carrie Burrows
[email protected] Phone: 248.525.3363 Fax: 248.502.9018
List Rentals For postal information please contact Kevin Collopy at 800223-2194 x684 or email him at
[email protected] 8
ed+c
F E B RUA RY 1 2
Southeast Sales Manager Scott Daniell
[email protected] Phone: 770.788.6377 Fax: 248.502.9044
For email information please contact Shawn Miller at 845-731-3828 or email her at
[email protected] Production Manager Jeff Bagwell
[email protected] Phone: 248.244.6481 Fax: 248.283.6589
www.twitter.com/EDCmagazine www.EDCmag.com/connect www.facebook.com/Greenmags
ED+C’s use of Rolland Enviro100 Print instead of virgin fibers paper reduced its ecological footprint by: Tree(s): 53 Solid waste: 6,487 lb Water: 51,318 gal Air emissions: 16,863 lb BNP Media Helps People Succeed in Business with Superior Information
proud member
sbic
Commercial Solar Solutions Seeking an experienced team of solar professionals you can trust? We offer our commercial customers the full package of customer service, quality workmanship, state of the art technology solutions, and financial returns. Our commercial solar services include: Project Planning & Consulting Engineering & Design Project Implementation Quality Assurance & Commissioning
Colorado Convention Center | 300kW
Since 2005, Namasté Solar has been at the forefront of solar industry quality and trends with cutting-edge practices, technology applications, and best-in-class warranties and customer service. Installing a solar electric system is a smart, long-term investment that will provide decades of clean, renewable electricity, as well as solid financial returns for system owners and investors. As with any large capital investment, having a trusted partner with in-depth knowledge of the industry and technology is critical to its success.
NamasteSolar.com
303.447.0300 Reader Service No. 99 www.EDCmag.com/webcard
3
2
1
NEW + NOTABLE
To request more information on these products, visit www.EDCmag.com/webcard and enter the corresponding reader service numbers.
1
Building Envelope Alternative
SIREWALL, an engineered sandstone product, is designed to be a sustainable alternative to wood walls. SIREWALL has an estimated lifespan of 1,000 years, is reportedly toxin-free, and resists mold and natural disasters. SIREWALL meets or exceeds current standards for energy efficiency and compressive strength. SIREWALL is typically 18” to 24” thick, stabilized with rebar and has 4” of rigid insulation hidden in the center of the wall. SIREWALL formwork has the flexibility of a modular system with interlocking end panels and versatile stretch panels. www.sirewall.com SIREWALL Inc. | Reader Service No. 28
2
Cool Roof Coating
Coat’N’Cool, an architectural coating engineered to reflect sunlight in the UV, IR and Visible spectrum, is designed to be a long-lasting reflective covering. Four colors have earned an ENERGY STAR rating, including: Basecoat White, Topcoat Antique White, Topcoat Butter Cream and Topcoat Siltstone. Cool roof products are intended to lower roof surface temperature, decreasing the amount of heat transferred into a building. According to Coat’N’Cool statistics, a cool roof can lower interior temperatures by 8-12 degrees, and can cut cooling demand by 10-15 percent. www.coatncool.com Coat’N’Cool | Reader Service No. 26
10
ed+c
F E B RUA RY 1 2
3
4
Daylighting Solution
3M Architectural Markets introduces the 3M Sunlight Delivery System, a daylighting solution that is designed to bring sunlight deep into interior spaces and provide consistent light levels throughout the day. The hybrid system uses a GPS-equipped rooftop collector to actively track, capture and transport the sun’s natural, full visible spectrum daylight beyond just the top floor. Ducts lined with 3M reflective film carry the light into the building’s interior, where it is delivered with multiple light fixtures. www.3marchitecturalmarkets.com 3M Architectural Markets | Reader Service No. 25
4
Residential Siding Insulation
Fullback siding insulation is specially contoured to fit neatly between the siding and the housewrap, adding an R-3 insulation factor. The insulation works to break the thermal bridge created by drywall, studs, OSB and the siding. The product is designed to reduce air infiltration, but enhance breathability. Heating and cooling energy bills may be lowered as well. Fullback siding insulation is specially designed to work behind almost every type of siding in use today — fiber cement, engineered wood, vinyl siding and steel. www.progressivefoam.com Progressive Foam Technologies | Reader Service No. 27
BE AMAZED.
BE AMAZING.
Prepare to be wowed. Aisle after aisle, the incredible tile and stone designs and vignettes at Coverings will amaze you. From bold to beautiful to basic or biodegradable — Coverings showcases the finest products, trends and programs from around the world. Whether high-end residential, large commercial, big budget, cost-conscious or LEED certified, you’ll find the materials you need here. And FREE AIA/ASIDcertified educational seminars will give you smart solutions, bright ideas and savvy insights to make you be a better tile and stone designer.
UNLIMITED POTENTIAL FOR YOUR BUSINESS. BE READY.
REGISTER NOW TO ATTEND COVERINGS 2012 FOR FREE.
WWW.COVERINGS.COM Please use VIP Code AEDC22 when registering. Please visit us on Facebook — www.facebook.com/CoveringsShow
Reader Service No. 118 www.EDCmag.com/webcard
GET WITH THE
Program
12
ed+c
F E B RUA RY 1 2
A California utility is helping owners and architects create energy-efficient projects through a collaborative, incentive-laden program. By Ted Reguly
C
alifornia architects have found an unlikely partner in their efforts to build energy efficiency into their blueprints. That partner is their local utility. Yes, the power supplier is not only encouraging design teams to create energyefficient designs, but it is also offering generous incentives to use less power. And if you look in San Diego alone at the number of kilowatt hours saved and incentives paid, the effort is definitely a blueprint for success. Savings By Design (SBD) is a utility-funded initiative that encourages high-performance building design, construction and renovation through incentives for design teams and building owners. Over the last two years San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has awarded nearly $10 million in incentives to more than 100 building projects, which will collectively achieve almost 48 million kilowatt hours (kWh) and 1.4 million therms in energy savings. That’s roughly equivalent to powering 6,897 houses for a year. With more than 70 San Diego architects participating in Savings By Design, the partnership between business, design and utility professionals has been so successful that the energy savings projected by SDG&E in response
to visionary goals set by the California Public Utilities Commission has already been exceeded at 122 percent. The success is due in large part to the collaborative dynamic of the program as SDG&E reaches out to architects through professional associations like the American Institute of Architects (AIA) with in-depth information on new technologies, policies, products and innovations. “This kind of collaborative program is important because it has affected a fundamental shift in the way building owners think about energy conservation,” says Randy Hanna, AIA, Hanna Gabriel Wells Architects. “The obvious benefit of the incentives has gone
The acclaimed Hanna Gabriel Wells office is the first commercial net-zero energy building in San Diego County and is a hallmark Savings by Design project that achieves an annual energy savings of 29,047 kWh and 138 therms, or $4,500. Credit: Kessler Photography
www.EDCmag.com
13
GET WITH THE
Program The world’s leading trade fair for Architecture and Technology
Frankfurt, Germany April 15 – 20, 2012
Top themes: Digitalisation of light and buildings. Buildings as power stations. > Lighting > Electrical engineering > Home and building automation > Software for the construction industry
www.light-building.com
[email protected] Tel. 770.984.8016
Reader Service No. 10 www.EDCmag.com/webcard
14
ed+c
F E B RUA RY 1 2
KdA Architects + Planning designed the award-winning St. Bartholomew’s Chapel to be 100 percent naturally daylit during operating hours and generate 40 percent of its own power as the building “lives light on the land” in accordance with Native American custom. The chapel utilizes a significant amount of site-harvested building materials; the signature element being the massive rammed earth walls that flank the sanctuary, each nearly 60 feet long, 18 feet tall and 2 feet thick. Symbolically important, these beautifully textured and organic walls are literally molded from 120 tons of sacred reservation soil. Credit: Harrison Photographic
deeper to promote a greater awareness of sustainable strategies that can be obtained through efforts like LEED and other certifications. Where the office building market might have balked at the certification process, now they understand a high-performance building costs less to live in and could yield a beneficial return on their investment.”
How it Works Qualifying buildings exceed California’s Title 24 Energy Efficiency Standards by at least 10 percent, with greater incentives being awarded for those that perform at least 30 percent better. The additional incentives can be earned from LEED certification, enhanced commissioning and end-use monitoring. SBD supports the LEED certification effort by offsetting the associated time, resources and costs. The program’s software captures performance data and generates documentation integral to the intensive submission process led by the design team, and the monetary incentive to the building owner offers a financial subsidy. Savings By Design recognizes two types of construction, which ultimately affect the health, comfort and productivity of the building occupants and reduces building and operating costs for the owner. The “Whole Building Approach” considers integrated energy efficiency solutions that balance electric and gas use. For less complex buildings, the “Systems Approach” uses a simplified energy simulation modeling tool to identify system options, associated savings and qualifying incentives on daylighting; interior lighting; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; service hot water; plus manufacturing, refrigeration and food processing systems. “Through Savings By Design, SDG&E has brought the architectural community a greater awareness of new energy efficiency strategies and cutting-edge technologies,” says Hanna. “The program actively supports innovation by collaborating on energy models, such as natural ventilation studies, to test the performance standards of emerging technologies that could be incorporated into new projects.”
Project Success
use to achieve the highest efficiencies,” says Kevin deFreitas of KdA Architecture + Planning. “It’s an extraordinary partnership model that other states should consider because it incentivizes good stewardship and is complimentary with existing sustainability programs.” In an effort to reconnect with traditional Indian culture of living “lighter” on the land, KdA led a design team that re-imagined the historic St. Bartholomew’s Chapel on the Rincon Indian Reservation that was ravaged by a backcountry fire. The project incorporated a complement of locally sourced materials, bioclimatic design, efficient technologies and sustainable strategies. Low-tech, high-mass rammed earth walls, oversized roof overhangs, skylights and protected operable and clerestory windows were combined with high-tech products such as a thin-film solar PV system, a tankless water heater, a computerized lighting control system, and high-performance glazing and insulation. The result is a LEED Gold building that consumes approximately 26 percent less power, and 35 percent less water than comparable structures. The chapel achieves a combined annual savings of 26,007 kWh and 12 therms, saving $3,915 annually at current energy prices,
As the first commercial net-zero energy building in San Diego County, Hanna Gabriel Wells’ own offices were a hallmark Savings by Design project that recently received top honors at California’s Energy Efficiency Integration Awards. The firm transformed a LEED-classified brownfield site — an old, cement-laden auto repair garage — using the latest natural daylighting strategies that balance the building’s west-facing façade with ample skylighting; natural ventilation through a façade of operable windows where the garage’s roll-up doors once were; an array of rooftop PVs; and sustainable landscaping. The building achieved 48.1 percent greater efficiency than Title 24. The renovations earned more than $14,000 in incentives and affected an ongoing energy savings of 29,047 kWh of electricity and 138 therms of natural gas, or approximately $4,500 per year at current energy prices. “What’s remarkable about Savings By Design is that not only does it use a carrot versus a stick to motivate sustainable design as it helps designers navigate California’s rigorous compliance codes, but the program is an interactive resource providing technical support designers
G R E R E S E
E A
N B U R C H I
I N
and was front-loaded with $8,797 in Savings By Design incentives. “Savings By Design’s strong education component enables the design community at large to analyze good design and share best practices,” says deFreitas. “Working with SDG&E informs an architect’s future projects, whether they participate in the program or not, and begets success on all platforms — for designers, for building owners and for the environment.” While green is the golden rule in today’s new construction, challenges remain as designers balance budgets with product choices and performance expectations. Energy efficiency programs like Savings By Design are a good model for how collaborative partnerships offer smart and strategic, forward-thinking solutions to offset the cost of high-performance building design, as well as affect ongoing utility cost savings that can significantly impact the bottom line of any business. TED REGULY IS THE DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER PROGRAMS & ASSISTANCE FOR SAN DIEGO GAS & ELECTRIC, A REGULATED PUBLIC UTILITY COMMITTED TO CREATING WAYS TO HELP CUSTOMERS SAVE ENERGY AND MONEY EVERY DAY. HE CAN BE REACHED AT 858-654-8653 OR TREGULY@ SEMPRAUTILITIES.COM
L D S T I
I N G T U T E
:H·YHKHOSHGRYHU$3VPDLQWDLQWKHLUFUHGHQWLDOV EXWKDYH\RXFRQVLGHUHGRXURWKHUVXVWDLQDELOLW\VHUYLFHV" h GBRI webinars are fantastic. “ TThe I love the convenience that they provide me in maintaining my LEED credential. Truly a great value! e!
”
(;$035(3$5$7,21 ō/(('3URMHFW([SHULHQFHIRU$3H[DPHOLJLELOLW\ ō/(('6WXG\*URXSV ō6XVWDLQDELOLW\3URMHFW0DQDJHPHQW7UDLQLQJ
Now available on CD!
ANALYSIS
$FFHVV\RXU&(KRXUVDQ\WLPHDQ\ZKHUH
6RPHRIWKHEHQHÀWVRI*%5,FRXUVHV ō*%&, $,$DSSURYHG ō*HWDOO&(KRXUVIURPRQHSODFH ō&RVWHIIHFWLYH ō3XUFKDVHGKRXUVGRQRWH[SLUH ō:DWFKOLYHRQGHPDQGRUQRZRQ&' ō:RUNDW\RXURZQSDFH ō$FFHVVFRXUVHVDW\RXUFRQYHQLHQFH
ō(QHUJ\0RGHOLQJ ō5HWXUQRQ,QYHVWPHQW$QDO\VLV ō/(('(QHUJ\6WDU)HDVLELOLW\$QDO\VLV
CONSULTING ō3URMHFW0DQDJHPHQW&RQVXOWLQJ ō '7D['HGXFWLRQ(YDOXDWLRQ ō/(('&RQVXOWLQJ
FIND US ONLINE AT WWW.GBRIONLINE.ORG Reader Service No. 11 www.EDCmag.com/webcard
www.EDCmag.com
15
GREEN of Course A RURAL MIDDLE SCHOOL FOLLOWS A PATH OF SUSTAINABILITY WITH AN EXPANSION AND RENOVATION FOR STUDENT ADVANCEMENT AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. By Greg Douglas
hen it comes to building a green school, being earth friendly isn’t the only perk that comes to mind. A green school has features that benefit both outdoor and indoor environments. The truth is: A healthy and comfortable space for students and staff impacts everyone’s performance in a positive way. It’s been proven that when students are
16
ed+c
F E B RUA RY 1 2
immersed in a green building environment with features such as good air quality and natural daylight, they score better on tests, earn better grades, and asthma and allergy symptoms are significantly reduced, if not eliminated. Lake Mills is a rural community with strong ties and an appreciation for the environment; it also strives to be fiscally responsible and extremely supportive of students’
academic needs. The Lake Mills Area School District, approximately 40 miles from Madison, Wis., needed an upgrade to its middle school, located in the heart of the community. The school, which serves children in fifth through eighth grade, is also used for community purposes. Miron Construction Co. Inc. teamed up with the district and Bray Associates Architects Inc. to design and construct an addition, as well as renovate the
THE STUDENTS AT LAKE MILLS MIDDLE SCHOOL CAN LOOK FORWARD TO BETTER SCORES AND FEWER SICK DAYS THANKS TO THE SCHOOL’S NEW GREEN FEATURES. IMAGES COURTESY OF PHIL WESTON.
existing building, in a way that would allow the middle school to truly serve as a leading example of a green school. The district sought a living teaching tool to enhance learning opportunities by integrating sustainability into the students’ curriculum, and to increase the health and wellbeing of the staff and students. The 36,632-square-foot renovation and 59,865-square-foot expansion of the existing Lake
Mills Middle School provided much-needed academic space and also consolidated the middle school into a single building. The facility now includes a special wing for fifth and sixth graders that minimizes interaction with older students. The shift of fifth graders to the middle school alleviates crowding issues at the elementary school. The project drivers included improved teacher interaction,
unique learning spaces, code compliance including improved accessibility, connection to the neighborhood, annual operational efficiencies, replacement of outdated systems, classroom acoustics and access to natural daylight for all students and staff. Studies show that in green schools, as compared to “standard” schools, morale is higher and students learn better and have fewer absences (the same can be said for staff members).
LEED Facts Platinum:
58/80*
Sustainable Sites Water Efficiency
11/16 5/7
Energy & Atmosphere
13/17
Materials & Resources
10/13
Indoor Environmental Quality 13/21 Innovation & Design
6/6
*out of a possible 80 points
www.EDCmag.com
17
GREEN of Course “THE GREAT STORY ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS THAT SUSTAINABILITY WAS ALWAYS A PROJECT DRIVER, NOT NECESSARILY EARNING LEED CERTIFICATION, AND THE PROJECT TEAM USED THE LEED FOR SCHOOLS RATING SYSTEM AS A ROADMAP TO INTEGRATE SUSTAINABILITY INTO THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT FROM THE BEGINNING.”
I may not be able to stop a speeding g train, butt I’m a m major or force in providing innovative in ovativ concrete ncrete crete solutions. solutions
“Miron Construction’s goal was to create a unique space that would not only satisfy all of the project drivers but would also fulfill Lake Mills School District’s mission, which is to provide an outstanding education that inspires students to be responsible citizens and lifelong learners in an ever-changing world, and that is exactly what we gave them,” says Theresa Lehman, director of sustainable services for Miron Construction. Lehman served as the LEED Project Administrator on the project. The green design strategy used throughout Lake Mills Middle School involved integrating green features that would become more than just building elements; they would provide hands-on learning opportunities for the teachers, students and the community. Additionally, the design now connects the teachers and students to nature, creating a positive atmosphere that promotes learning and inspires students to behave in a sustainable manner.
Green Design Features Bill Lambros, ambros, P.Eng. Lafarge ge Aggregates Aggregate & Concrete
Lafarge is about so much more than materials. It’s about the people who stand behind hind them. It’s about the people dedicated to transforming materials to adapt too our everyday environment. These are e the people of Lafarge. Those who are totally committed to finding sustainable for better Those who l solutions l ti f ab tt world. ld Th h collaborate ll b t with ith architects, hit t leading universities, research centers, industry and environmental organizations to make sustainable construction a reality. I’m proud to be one of these people. Join me online where I discuss how Lafarge has been able to bring multiple solutions to the design process to maximize performance, aesthetics and economics.
Visit: www.lafarge-na.com/visitwithme
© 2011 Lafarge North America Inc. LEED and the related logo is a trademark owned by the U.S. Green Building Council and is used with permission.
Reader Service No. 12 www.EDCmag.com/webcard
18
ed+c
F E B RUA RY 1 2
Lake Mills Middle School’s high-efficiency building envelope, energy-efficient lighting and controls system, and geothermal heating and cooling system contribute to making the school 45 percent more efficient than a conventional school, yielding an annual energy savings of $85,000 compared to a code-compliant school. Additional strategies that contribute to the overall energy efficiency include the addition of windows, including window wells in the lower level to increase natural daylighting. Exterior sun shelves were also added to reduce heat gain and provide glare control. Low-flow plumbing fixtures were installed, resulting in a 42 percent decrease in water usage compared to EPACTcompliant fixtures. More than 27 percent of the materials have pre-consumer and post-consumer recycled content and 63 percent of the materials were regionally harvested and manufactured. More than 68 percent of the wood purchased for the facility is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified and free of added urea-formaldehyde. All adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, flooring and classroom furnishings are GREENGUARD certified. A construction waste management plan was implemented during the construction process, which resulted in the diversion of 77 percent (595 tons) of waste from the landfill, thereby reintroducing the construction materials to the manufacturing process. Reusing and refurbishing existing classroom furniture also saved thousands of dollars. Additional project features included an underground stormwater retention system located below the playground area. The site is
LAKE MILLS MIDDLE SCHOOL
Location: Lake Mills, Wis. Owner: Lake Mills Area School District Architect: Bray Associates Architects Inc. Commissioning Agent: Sustainable Engineers Construction Manager: Miron Construction Co. Inc. Size: 98,527 square feet Cost: $15,000,000
SUSTAINABLE GOALS, USING LEED FOR SCHOOLS AS A ROAD MAP, WERE SET FROM THE OUTSET OF THE PROJECT, WHICH HELPED ACHIEVE A TOP-TEN RANKING FOR LEED FOR SCHOOLS PROJECTS WORLDWIDE. IMAGES COURTESY OF PHIL WESTON.
landscaped with native vegetation and bioswales, which serve as an outdoor classroom, providing hands-on teaching opportunities on biodiversity and ecology and also minimizing the need for an irrigation system. Staff, teachers and students aren’t the only ones who will benefit long term from the school board’s decision to build the environmentally friendly school. Taxpayers will also benefit due to the annual operational savings. Green schools cost less to operate, freeing up resources to truly improve the education of students. In early May 2011, Lake Mills Middle School was awarded LEED Platinum certification, as established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute. The project earned 58 out of 80 possible points. “The great story about this project is that sustainability was always a project driver, not necessarily earning LEED certification, and the project team used the LEED for Schools rating system as a roadmap to integrate sustainability into the design of the project from the beginning,” Lehman says. “Once the project was bid out, and favorably came in under budget due to the economy, the school board decided
45%
yearly energy savings
63%
of materials were regionally harvested and manufactured
68%
of wood is FSC certified
10
E N G I N E E R E D S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
rule
Engineered sustainability is the synthesis of common sense and innovative building materials and methods for the common good.
We Value Engineered Sustainability™ www.SYNTHEONInc.com Reader Service No. 13 www.EDCmag.com/webcard
www.EDCmag.com
19
GREEN of Course
NOT ONLY DID THE SCHOOL COME IN UNDER BUDGET, BUT THE SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS EMPLOYED CAN HELP KEEP OPERATIONAL COSTS LOW THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING’S LIFE. IMAGES COURTESY OF PHIL WESTON.
AAir & Waterproof Barrier Systems
Testedd to hhurricane conditions d
Proven where others fail
FastFlash Air & Waterproof barrier systems for new construction & window retrofits.
Created, tested and proven 5PQSPUFDUUIFNPTUWVMOFSBCMFDPOOFDUJPOTJOUIFCVJMEJOH FOWFMPQFGSPNBJSBOEXBUFSMFBLT BOEDPOEFOTBUJPOGSPN FYUSFNFXFBUIFSOBUJPOXJEF
tXXXQSPTPDPDPN Reader Service No. 14 www.EDCmag.com/webcard
20
ed+c
F E B RUA RY 1 2
to pursue LEED certification. The level they desired was initially Certified, then Silver, and then Gold. The project was awarded Platinum, which had exceeded the school board’s expectations, and the best part was that it was achieved at no additional cost. This is a true testament to the importance of integrating sustainability from the beginning.” But just how green is Lake Mills? In the Top LEED for Schools projects worldwide, Lake Mills Middle School ranks number one in Wisconsin and number seven in the world at the time of certification. By addressing the uniqueness of school spaces and issues such as classroom acoustics, master planning, mold prevention, community space sharing and indoor air quality, (items that directly affect the health and wellbeing of children), LEED for Schools provides a comprehensive green design and construction tool that enhances the quality of the facility, focuses on water and energy reduction and provides guidelines for measuring actual building performance. Carefully planned acoustics and abundant daylight make it easier and more comfortable for students to learn. The clean indoor air cuts down on sick days and provides children with a head start for a healthy, prosperous future. The innovative design also provides a wealth of hands-on learning opportunities. GREG DOUGLAS IS VICE PRESIDENT OF DESIGN BUILD SERVICES FOR MIRON CONSTRUCTION.
COOL ROOFING
+ plus
DAYLIGHTING: Electrical Savings
By Grant Grable, LEED AP
Thermal Loss
What the differences are and why we need varying standards.
D
aylighting is the use of natural light as a main illumination source from myriad glazing devices in both vertical and horizontal positions within a building. The use of daylighting stems from the beginning of time, and there have always been concerns regarding proper design, light output, glare and even heat. The quality of light and the value to the human eye and visual acuity have never been argued. The light in the shade of a tree has been measured at 600–800 foot candles (6,000 – 8,000 lux), yet the eye is never more relaxed than when it’s introduced to these lighting levels. It is the light that our eyes were made for. However, over time, the value of daylighting through a building’s roofing system (often referred to as “toplighting” in the U.S.) has
taken on debate from an energy perspective, pitting thermal efficiency of a system against electric light energy reduction provided by the system. Today, code bodies are torn between thermal efficiency mandates and the use of commissioned lighting control with properly diffused, high visible light transmission skylights as to which properties provide the greatest
performance measurements for total building energy efficiency.
benefits from toplighting systems in a multitude of climate conditions and locations throughout the U.S. For this report the DOE Thermal Performance contracted with TIAX LLC, which and Energy Savings enlisted information and assisIn June 2008, the U.S. Department tance from a breadth of respected of Energy’s Building Technologies lighting, controls and daylighting Program published a research professionals around the country. paper titled “Commercial Building The thorough report looks into Toplighting: Energy Saving Potenwhy skylights in conjunction tial and Potential Paths Forward,” with lighting control should be which covers the energy savings considered. Additionally, the report focuses on total PHOTO COURTESY OF SUNOPTICS, AN ACUITY BRANDS COMPANY. building energy savings and what the key factors are for a subsequent system. What the DOE identifies is really at the crux of the argument. If a skylighting system is being designed for use in a building absent of lighting control, then thermal performance value should be the highest consideration. After all, any thermal value (whether in thermal loss or thermal gain) that deviates negatively from that of the building envelope and roofing system will provide www.EDCmag.com
21
COOL ROOFING
+ plus
Figure 1. Relative Savings/Losses, 4% SFR INSULATION VALUES OF BUILDING ENVELOPE COMPONENTS
Energy Cost Savings ($/yr./ft2)
The term “U-value” may seem foreign to many in the roofing industry, as the usual measure for the insulation value of a product is described as “Rvalue.” However, with skylights, U-value is used to quantify heat loss through plane elements of the building envelope. U-value is defined as the overall thermal transmittance of a particular construction element (typically a window, door or skylight), including the effect of surface resistance. It depends upon the thickness and thermal conductivity of its component layers and, in the case of air cavities, the emissivity of the surfaces. As a measure of U-value, the lower the number, the better the insulation value. Basically, U-value is the converse of R-value.
$0.35 $0.30 $0.25 $0.20 $0.15
Lighting Total $0.20
Total $0.31
Heating Cooling
$0.10 $0.05 $0.00 -$0.05
There is an easy calculation that allows you to see what the R-value of a window or skylight may be:
Burlington
Phoenix
1 ÷ U-value = R-value Once you utilize this formula with different skylight systems, you will quickly realize that even some of the well-promoted thermally efficient skylights have a fraction of the R-value that the building’s roofing system has. A skylight will never equal the insulation value of a roof and still allow for light to pass through, so its only value is in the quality of light that passes through the product. After all, it is called a “skylight” not “sky-insulation.”
a negative energy impact to the building either in increased cooling loads or increased heating loads. However, what would be the primary motivator for including less thermally efficient building products through a perfectly well-insulated roofing system? If thermal performance was the main motivator and the only energy savings opportunity, an energy professional would argue that all toplighting products should be removed from the facility as they will never equal the insulated value of the roofing system. However, globally we’re now seeing growing mandates for thermal performance of toplighting systems with little to no mandate for performance around the light output properties (let alone the missing key ingredient mandatory for any true energy savings through daylighting — commissioned lighting controls). In many cases around the world, building codes are being established with higher effective skylight-tofloor ratios to compensate for the reduced visible light transmission occurring from decreased values in solar heat gain (SHGC in the U.S. or G-value in Europe) as well as decreased conductance (U-value). For instance, the European Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (2002/91/EC) under the 2006 Building Regulations Approved Document L2A, “Conservation of Fuel and Power in New Buildings
22
ed+c
F E B RUA RY 1 2
other than Dwellings,” states that rooflights are limited to 20 percent of floor area. The areaweighted average U-value of all the rooflights must not exceed 2.2 W/m2K, while the U-value in an array must not exceed 3.3 W/m2K, providing the average U-value overall does not exceed 2.2 W/m2K. As these high skylight-to-floor ratios (SFRs) between 10 percent to 20 percent have shown, the increase to thermal mandates has driven the increase to SFRs to be able to meet light output needs for the space. However, extensive studies have been performed on what lighting control mandates along with toplighting have done to minimize SFRs for a space, which decreases thermal impact and, in many cases, even reduces air conditioning in the process. In section 4.6 of the DOE commercial toplighting report, it states that the primary factors influencing the economics of toplighting are climate and building type (primarily due to lighting power density, schedule and light well needs); appropriate skylight technology selection is also crucial. The key performance attributes of a skylight for daylighting are good diffusing properties to aid in light distribution and avoid glare and high visible transmittance (VT). Of special note in this report, as stated by the DOE, “Other desirable properties that are much less important for daylighting applications are low solar-heat-gain coefficient (SHGC in U.S., G-value in Europe Standards) and conductance (U-value).” The DOE report illustrates the rationale for this prioritization in a graph, re-created here as Figure 1. The report also states: “Reduced lighting energy use ranks as, by far, the greatest factor in the annual savings at economically optimum SFRs. The reduction in lighting energy use is directly related to VT, i.e. the higher the VT, the
lower the total skylight area needed to achieve a given lighting energy savings. However total skylight area reduces cost and energy losses.” The report goes on to identify that, “To further minimize energy losses, in most climates, the SHGC and U-value of the skylight should be as low as possible. However, because heating and cooling energy losses are small relative to lighting energy savings, if reducing SHGC (G-value) or U-value results in any significant reduction in visible transmission (while maintaining high diffusion, 90 percent
