Archive for EQ
Video: Prototype LEED-Certified Office Depot Opens
Posted by: | CommentsOffice Depot is opening it’s first LEED-certified prototype store in Austin, TX. What makes this store so significant is that the prototype that has been approved by the USGBC to be replicated in order to streamline future LEED-certified locations.
The model location features, among other items, 52 skylights for EQ, solar panels providing 10% of energy needed to operate the store for EA, native low-irrigation landscaping for WE, a high-albedo roof and preferred parking for EEV’s towards SS and high recycled content concrete and parking curbs for MR.
Kudos to Office Depot - learn more about their environmental stewardship program here.
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Featured Video: LEED Silver High School in Colorado
Posted by: | CommentsThis video is brief walk-through of the huge, 300,000 square foot Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins Colorado. It earned LEED for Schools Silver certification and utilizes over 70% recycled material, solar panels and heavy daylighting. The best part of the video is that is is primarily narrated by students of the school.
A great statistic in this video is that the estimated $100,000 in energy savings each year translates into 2 new teachers on staff. Thinking back to my high school days, it seems that facilities have come a long, long way.
Please let us know of any other LEED for Schools projects that you would like us to share.
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What Work Can Be Done During a Building Flush-Out?
Posted by: | CommentsOption 1a of NC 2.2 Credit EQ 3.2 requires supplying 14,000 cu. ft. of outdoor air per square foot of a building’s floor area. If you select this option, the good news is that you won’t have to complete IAQ testing (option 2) and run the risk of having to do the flush-out anyway or manage occupant interference and comfort (option 1b - flush-out with early occupancy). The bad news is that you could be looking at up to two weeks for the flush-out to complete and seriously limited as to the kind of work you can do in the building during the process.
A construction project coming to a standstill for two weeks is every contractor’s nightmare. So, the question now is, “What work can actually be done during this two week period?” The answer is, unfortunately, very little.
No absorbent materials (furniture, workstations, etc) can be moved into the space and no punch list items involving materials or supplies containing VOC’s of any amount can be completed.
What’s left? Commissioning, and a limited amount of it. Assuming that the building HVAC system would be constantly operating, it clearly can’t be commissioned. That leaves lighting systems, life/safety and building envelope. Additionally, if actual measurements are going to be taken for EQ 8.1 (daylighting) this is as good a time as any to do them.
If you have additional work items that you think worthy of mention, please post them as a comment to this entry.
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Quick and Easy LEED Calculators
Posted by: | CommentsThe most robust online calculators for LEED are within LEED Online, but here are a few ‘public access’ resources that you could consider pointing out to clients for research.
- Concrete and aggregate supplier Holcim Ltd has a LEED calculator for ALL of the credits in every LEED rating system. It’s not for reliance purposes, but a great interactive educational resource for those interested in LEED certification.
- EcoScoreCard powers the environmental calculators for quite a few building material manufacturers. Rather than list each site individually, you can visit this site and click to them all. Excellent for MR reference.
- Walkscore.com is great for estimating community connectivity within the SS division. The limit is that it only has data for the 40 largest cities in the US but, come on, it’s free.
Are there any sites that you think are noteworthy, please share them.
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Big Ass Fans for LEED Credits
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Photo: Big Ass Fans
Not only does Kentucky-based manufacturer Big Ass Fans have one of my favorite company names, but they also produce an innovative product that can significantly contribute to LEED certification.
Big Ass products range in diameter from 6′ to a whopping 24′ (pictured in this post) and can circulate a huge amount of with very little energy comsumption. The 20′ diameter model only consumes about 1300 kwh per year and has an amazingly huge displacement of more than 240,000 CFM.
From a LEED perspective, the fans can contribute to EA, EQ, and ID credits, as they did in the world’s first LEED platinum airport hangar at Bob Hope International airport in Burbank, CA. Seven of the 24′ Powerfoil Plus models were installed in the facility.
According to BAF, there are also a few ancillary benefits to having the fans in the hangar. When aircraft return from flight they tend to be covered in condensation, causing corrosion and wet floors. The fans help attenuate these problems by drying the aircraft quickly and also discourage birds from entering the hangar.
I recently spotted a Big Ass fan in a Dominican Republic airport terminal. Please report any Big Ass (fan) sightings you have had.
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IDI for LEED Certified Industrial Buildings
Posted by: | CommentsAtlanta-based industrial real estate developer IDI prides itself on cutting edge facilities and the latest buliding technology.  Their commitment to green building and LEED certication is proof that they deliver what they promise.
A USGBC member since 2006, IDI has completed four LEED certified properties and has sixteen additional properties under development (totalling 5.5 million square feet) that are seeking certification.
“Companies realize that occupying LEED buildings is not only good for the environment but also good for business since these facilities, with their enhanced work environments, help attract and retain employees,” said Jay Mitchell, senior vice president and regional development officer in IDI’s Atlanta development office.
Most recently, IDI earned LEED silver certification on two industrial facilities in Georgia, 744k sf and 502k sf, respectively. Among other credits, these facilities earned points in the following divisions:
- SS: High-albedo roofing and hardscape
- WR:Â A 50% reduction in water usage, with a large amount of savings derived from efficient landscaping and irrigation
- EQ/EA: Strategic use of skylighting to reduce the need for artificial light and more effectively daylight interior spaces
- MR: A consistent focus on regional and high recycled content materials
The additional rent needed by IDI to recoup the additional cost of a LEED certified facility is negligible. The company estimates this amount to be a mere $0.03 per square foot.
“Building a more sustainable and efficient building is the right and responsible thing to do. Coupled with our tenant clients, their employees, and our investor clients now being more interested in sustainability, it’s an easy decision,” said Mitchell.
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Using a Light Shelf for EA and EQ LEED Credits
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Photo Credit: AADL.org
Incorporating a light shelf into your building design is a great way to make progress on EA and EQ LEED credits. Basically, a light shelf is an architectural element placed overhead that redirects light deeper into a building than it would otherwise travel, thus reducing the need for artificial light.
Interior vs. Exterior: A light shelf can be placed on the interior or exterior of a building or, ideally, extend on both sides of the window. However, in some urban applications with zero lot line conditions the shelf can only be interior. While this, to some extent, diminishes the benefits it certainly doesn’t negate them. The real loss is not as much in the volume of reflected light into the space as much as it is in the glare reduction on the lower part of the window system.
Limitations: There are, however, some limitations. A shelf generally should be placed on the south elevation to take advantage of maximum sunlight exposure. If your building doesn’t have a southern exposure, the benefits can be significantly diminished, especially on a northern exposure. Also, a relatively high ceiling height is required for optimum benefit. Depending on the source, you’re looking at 9.5 to 10 feet. Lastly, in a geography with a limited number of sunny days, the overall benefit is reduced.
The most valuable aspect of the light shelf is that it is a passive solar technology, requiring almost no maintenance and has zero moving parts. As with any ‘green’ technology or design element, the simpler the solution and the less ongoing occupant interaction required, the better.
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Considerations in Daylighting Options
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We receive inquiries about energy efficiency and energy audits from clients ranging from homeowners to facility managers and everyone in between. One of the main areas of immediate payback is analyzing current or planned lighting systems and fixtures. Lighting makes or breaks any space and also is directly tied to the overall feeling of a space. Too dark and it feels uninviting, too bright and it can be overwhelming.
There have been many daylighting studies done, all proving the productivity and general well being improvements of having lots of natural light.  A recent article in the January edition of Architectural Products Magazine highlighted some notable results:
- Full daylighting enabled students to get more vitamin D than students in schools with primarily electric lighting. These students’ had nine times less dental decay and grew nearly an inch more in height over two years.
- Daylighting has proved to increase per transaction value in retail store settings. Customers stay in the store longer.
The most obvious way to obtain more daylighting is more windows. However, windows are typically the weakest part of a building envelope in terms of insulation, and adding more may create a potential for greater energy consumption in heating and cooling.  To solve this problem, consider some alternatives such as:
- Light shelves
- Tubular skylights
- Channel glass
- Exterior / interior shading
- Active systems that track and direct daylight
When comparing the cost of a passive system (fixed skylight, light shelf, etc) against an active (exterior solar control, tracking skylight, etc) system it is important to include all the variables that contribute to ultimate performance. For example, active daylighting systems can provide up to nine times more light than a passive system and spreads light more evenly over a wider area saving valuable energy costs.
In the end, the most effective daylighting scheme is going to rely on both passive and active as well as interior and exterior systems, but hopefully this post has given you some ideas for your own analysis.
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Agrifiber for Structural Building Elements
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The obvious benefits of of traditional structural insulated panels include faster build time (3-4 time faster than traditional wood and metal framing), off-site fabrication and potential cost reduction. But, by using agrifiber-based SIPs, these benefits are augmented by contributing towards the following LEED NC 2.2 credits:
EA 1 - Optimize Energy Performance:Â Agrifiber SIPs generally have a very high R-value and produce a building envelope that up to 5-7 times tighter than traditional wood construction.
MR 5.1 & 5.2 - 10% / 20% Harvested within 500 miles: Obviously this requires proper purchasing but, given the typical amount of structural material relative to overall material, the volume goes a long way.
MR 6.0 - 2.5% Rapidly Renewable Materials: It’s possible to satisfy your entire MR 6.0 requirement with one building component.
EQ 4.4 - Low-Emitting Materials: Most agrifiber SIPs exceed ASTM standards and some use a soy-based adhesive resin.
Additionally, there’s a potential for two Innovation & Design points:
ID 1.1Â - Minimize Construction Waste: SIPs are manufactured off-site to exact specifications, including most openings, which can result in vitually no waste.
ID 1.2 - Regionally Harvested Materials: Exceeding 20% of the total materials.
If you’ve had any experiences with agrifiber SIPs, please comment. We would love to hear from you.
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