Suburban Solution

A Florida credit union wanted its new branch to be an investment in the community it serves. It designed the building to run off solar power, use rainwater for irrigation and flushing and to create a welcoming environment with an open plan interior that eliminates the teller counter. Rather than developing a new site, it selected an already developed site and built the branch around the previously existing ice cream shop. The building, which received an 83 ENERGY STAR rating, used 75 kBtu/ft² in 2011, while its photovoltaic array produced 68 kBtu/ft². The owner is repositioning and adding PV panels in pursuit of net zero energy status.

Read the entire article: Magnify Credit Union South Lakeland Branch

NZEB in Progress

When Denver Public Schools identified the need for additional schools to serve a growing suburban area, it decided to pursue a net zero energy multi-school campus that teaches students to value sustainability. Photovoltaic panels on the student union roof produce enough electricity to power two of the campus buildings. Other buildings are designed so that a renewable energy source such as PV panels can be easily added in the future when funding is available. Wall cutaways reveal piping and insulation, and signs explain the high performance features of the campus. Major contributors to the building's annual energy use of 33.4 kBtu/ft² include high efficiency heat pumps and geoexchange fields, a tight building envelope and daylighting.

Read the entire article: Evie Garrett Dennis Campus

Resourceful by Nature

In 1988 the Natural Resources Defense Council helped pioneer green design when it renovated a New York City industrial loft as its international headquarters. More than 20 years later, the environmental advocacy organization is launching a reinvention of its six offices, starting with the renovation of the eighth floor of its New York headquarters. The LEED Platinum commercial interior project reduces water (46 percent lower than baseline) and energy consumption (HVAC energy use is 40.3 percent lower than code), maximizes available space and provides flexibility for expansion and reconfiguration. Daylighting and exterior views, workstations that balance privacy and collaboration, and advanced indoor air quality support employee productivity.

Read the entire article: Natural Resources Defense Council

What Makes Buildings High Performing

Analyzing eight High Performing Buildings magazine case studies gives a glimpse into characteristics that drive high performance. Common features include a tight building envelope, daylighting, efficient lighting with controls, renewable energy sources, ground source heat pumps and rainwater use. A compilation of lessons learned provides an overview of successes, problems, recommendations and questions that arose during the projects.

Read the entire article: What Makes Buildings High Performing

Lasting Dividend

The University of Florida has been incorporating sustainable design in its new construction projects since 2001, but it tried a new approach in 2011 with the construction of a graduate business studies building. In lieu of chasing LEED points, the project focused on energy-saving strategies that result in long-term savings without adding more up-front costs. The result: a LEED Gold building that uses 42% less energy than the baseline. Ample daylighting, breakout study rooms, lounges, lockers and a convenience store make it one of the most popular buildings on campus. A solar hot-water system is the primary source of domestic water heating. Efficient plumbing fixtures and drought-tolerant landscaping help reduce water use.

Read the entire article: University of Florida's William R. Hough Hall

Products

The growing importance of energy efficiency and sustainability has given birth to a new generation of products and technologies. This section provides a sampler of what’s new in the marketplace. Among the new products featured are a self-adhered white TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin) membrane that is energy efficient and reduces labor costs, a daylighting system that redirects daylight while eliminating glare and sunlight penetration, and a paint that can transform any paintable surface into a high performance dry-erase writing platform.

Read the entire article: Products