CTC Award Winners - Sustainable Buildings

The majority of Federal sustainable buildings incorporate the principles laid out in the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) and the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED system. These metric systems evaluate a sustainable building on 6 umbrella categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovative operational and maintenance practices. Under the LEED system, the project can receive a rating depending on the number of points the project obtains in each category. USGBC rates LEED projects as certified, silver, gold, and platinum.

2003 Closing the Circle Award Winners, Sustainable Design

Fort Huachuca, Arizona developed a water management process/system that is designed to achieve sustainable water practices while satisfying the needs of 11,000 military and civilian personnel who live, work, or receive training work on location in this extremely arid climate. The water used at the fort is monitored from the wellhead, to account for the full amount extracted, to the entry and exit points of the wastewater treatment plant, to determine how much water can be used for irrigation reuse and other measures. The goal of the water management system is to achieve zero balance water pumping at Fort Huachuca by the end of 2007. Zero balance implies that the net impact of the fort's pumping on the regional aquifer would be zero. Taking action to reduce water usage will not only ensure that future generations have water, but also that the endangered, local species will maintain their habitat for survival. To accomplish its goals, Fort Huachuca organized a management team that implemented a plan with numerous strategies, such as water conservation, the reuse of treated wastewater, and the recharge of treated wastewater and urban runoff. This team, consisting of environmental scientists, compliance officers, engineers, technicians, attorneys, educators, real property specialists, and environmental services contractors, is constantly researching the best available conservation technology. Water saving devices installed to date include waterless urinals; low flow toilets, faucets and showerheads; horizontal axis washing machines; and drip irrigation. In addition, landscaping now uses native plants that are adapted to low annual rainfall. The most important aspect of Fort Huachuca's efforts to reduce water use is the conservation policies, such as the "Water Mitigation Policy." This policy requires that any project that increases water use must be offset by a project or technology that reduces water consumption by an equivalent amount. Another policy, the "Installation Irrigation and Water Management Policy," restricts the use of outside irrigation and is responsible for just over 20 percent of the annual reduction in water use. The final policy, predicted to decrease annual water use by 10 percent, requires that refrigerated air-cooling be used instead of evaporative cooling. Fort Huachuca formed numerous partnerships in order to continue its water reduction efforts. The facility, the Nature Conservancy, and the Bureau of Land Management purchase conservation easements that retire agricultural pumping in the region. Additionally, Fort Huachuca is a voluntary participant in the regional watershed partnership, the Upper San Pedro Partnership. This group has drafted a preliminary working plan for water conservation in the area. In addition, the facility completed a 10 year plan for water resource management, reduced groundwater pumping by 50 percent, completed recharge facilities and a sewer leak-detection survey, and provided educational opportunities for 7,000 employees. For more information please contact, Gretchen R. Kent at (520) 533-2549 or gretchen.kent@us.army.mil.

The Naval District Washington (NDW) renovated the Washington Naval Yard, which includes three buildings in the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) site and the Sanger Quadrangle building. Siting: Using sustainable methods, NDW demolished five buildings, renovated three historic buildings, and constructed a new building and a new eight level parking garage to create an environmentally healthy workspace for all employees. NDW formed a commissioning team to ensure that the project had a solid foundation and that development was monitored closely. The team helped to identify issues during construction so that the completion time was reduced. The Sanger Quadrangle building was the first green building of its kind for the Navy. Since its completion, the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) now mandates sustainable designs for all of its building projects. The Navy preserved the building's historic façade by constructing a building within a building. The NDW chose to use a commissioning team on this project as well so that the design and development of the quadrangle proceeded smoothly. Sustainability was achieved through improvements in indoor environmental air quality, building energy performance, resource efficiency, and waste minimization. Energy Efficiency: The NAVSEA site reduced energy consumption by using an air-conditioning system operated with an economizer cycle. The economizer cycle mode admits increasing volumes of outside air to obtain "free cooling" and thereby save the mechanical cooling energy. Besides increasing the airflow, the air-conditioning systems are equipped with 30 percent efficient filters that capture the particles from the existing room air to improve indoor air quality. Also, this air system has a "low temperature application," which ensures that the primary air is dehumidified and the resulting space humidity remains constant. This innovative air system prevents more than 2.5 million kg of air pollution from taking place. The project also uses energy-efficient windows with low E glass that provides a low shading factor, tinted glass walls on the south and west exposures, skylights to provide natural light, light shelves to provide shading as well as day lighting, low U-value walls and roofs to provide enhanced thermal insulation, variable frequency drives, lighting systems, lighting control systems, chilled water system, and recycled content materials. Together, these practices saved more than 5.6 million kw/year of energy. To save energy at the Sanger Quadrangle, the Navy installed numerous energy saving products, including dimmers and occupancy sensors in the majority of rooms, skylights, and a smaller HVAC system that uses high-efficiency variable speed motors in order to achieve the same level of productivity. To insulate the building, so that the temperature achieved by the HVAC system is maintained, the Navy installed double-glazed insulating glass for the windows and insulated the brick walls. Even though this insulation cost more than conventional building practices, the costs will be returned in less than one year by savings in energy bills. Construction and Demolition Recycling: NDW required that the construction contractor recycle construction and demolition debris and install recycled content products whenever appropriate. NDW placed bins around the site to collect aluminum, white paper, newspaper, corrugated material, wood, and metal. During construction, NDW also offered recycling for geo-textile and waterproofing recycled plastics, used bricks, and all construction and demolition waste. The existing concrete floor was crushed and used for other projects, while recycled content products included concrete containing coal fly ash, wallboards containing recycled gypsum, and ceiling tiles containing recycled newsprint. Resource Efficiency: NDW installed low water consuming fixtures so that water use was reduced. And air quality was made a priority so that employee productivity is maximized. Carbon monoxide monitors were placed throughout the building to ensure safety. Also paints and carpet adhesives with low levels of volatile organic compounds were used in this project to increase air quality. Even environmentally preferable transportation was encouraged on site; NDW asked staff to save energy by taking advantage of public transportation, carpools, and vanpools. Also, NDW limited the number of parking spaces so that employees would find alternatives to driving. Altogether, this building is predicted to provide energy savings of $130,000 in less than 8 months. For more information please contact, Thomas Lewis at (202) 433-7181 or Thomas.lewis@navy.mil.

Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (SNL) used sustainable design principles in constructing the Model Validation and Systems Certification Test Center (MVSCTC). Built with the LEED criteria in mind, this building was a renovation project that included a pollution prevention and resource conservation committee to advocate sustainable design as a part of the SNL team. To successfully create this high performance building, requirements and expectations were incorporated as early as possible in program documents and a methodology was established to ensure that the expectations were met. Additionally, the team met weekly with the construction contractor during construction to make sure that the contractor was meeting deliverables and project goals. Siting: In order to save materials, more than 70 percent of the existing building was retained, and 65 percent of the construction debris from the previous structure was reused. In the end, 20 percent of the final project was composed of recycled content materials. Additionally, SNL limited the construction site to a confined area so that the neighboring landscape was not modified or harmed. Energy Efficiency: To become more energy efficient, SNL used an integrated approach. The walls, roofs and windows were insulated to help prevent temperature loss, while the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system was chosen based on a life cycle cost analysis. A thermo-plastic olefin roof with an insulation value of R-30 and a white reflective coating reduce heat gain. Windows contain high performance, low-e glazing, and day-lighting is maximized. Also, dimmers and sensors helped to save light energy. Water Efficiency: Because it is located in a dry climate, SNL used drought tolerant plants for landscaping and low albedo surfaces to reduce storm water run-off. An irrigation system is in use now but will be replaced with a harvested water system and natural rainfall in the future. Water efficient plumbing fixtures were installed. On-demand electric water heaters will be used for faucets and showers to save water and energy. Materials and Recycling: Concrete, insulation, and laminated paperboard all contain recycled content in accordance with EPA's recycled content recommendations. More than 65 percent of construction debris was recycled, including land clearing debris, fluorescent lamps, concrete masonry blocks, copper wire, and scrap metals. In additions, items such as sinks and hardware were removed and sent for reuse. Indoor Air Quality: After the completion of construction, the indoor air was flushed for a two-week period to ensure the removal of air contaminants such as volatile organics. All paints, sealers and adhesives are low VOC products. Also, in order to monitor carbon dioxide levels, sensors were placed throughout the building to ensure necessary air exchange during occupancy. MVSCTC was built with sustainable measures with no extra costs. SNL expects to save approximately $1-2 million per year from the energy saving devices and procedures. For more information please contact, Brett Locke (505) 844-6818 or bmlocke@sandia.gov.

The General Services Administration (GSA)-built U.S. Courthouse in Youngstown, Ohio is the first courthouse developed by GSA to receive a LEED certification. It was completed under budget and ahead of schedule. The project team started the project with a daylong charrette to inform the project participants about the LEED rating system and establish sustainable design parameters for the project. Siting: The courthouse is located on a former brownfields site. GSA returned more than 79,000 sq ft. of the site from pavement to a natural state complete with native vegetation. GSA also reduced the impervious areas on site by 58 percent. All of the excavated earth from the project was reused on site. Materials and Recycling: All of the demolition and construction waste was recycled, including 12.5 tons of steel and 45 tons of metal. The structural steel used for the building contained 90 percent postconsumer recycled content. The building also was carpeted with recycled content carpet. Resource Efficiency: The site is planted with low-water plants, and the absence of irrigation is estimated to save more than 1,000,000 gallons of water annually. Seventy five percent of the building is day-lighted, which saves a substantial amount of money on electricity, and the roof was painted white in order to reflect heat. Also, the sustainable design of the building is estimated to save 10 percent on electrical savings annually and 22 percent on energy savings annually. Indoor Air Quality: To ensure healthy indoor environmental air quality, GSA sealed the ductwork during construction so that dust and debris were not able to enter. The building air was flushed for a two week period prior to occupancy. In addition, the carpet is certified as a low-emitting material. Other: To reduce ozone depletion, HFC refrigerants are used in the chiller and water coolers, and the fire suppression system uses no halon. For more information please contact, Mary Walsh at (312) 353-3704 or mary.walsh@gsa.gov.

2004 Winners and Honorable Mentions

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia embraced the principles of sustainable design and worked with the surrounding community in order to develop the Herbert H. Bateman Educational & Administrative Center (HHBEAC). This center pursued a plan with LEED standards in mind. This project was funded by numerous sources through fundraising and donations. Siting: The development of HHBEAC disturbed less than .1 acre of additional habitat because it was constructed on a site that had been previously disturbed. This site housed 5 buildings and a parking lot; however, now it houses the HHBEAC and the parking lot, while the rest of the area will be restored to the native habitat. Materials and Recycling: Building materials for this project were selected because of their low impact on the environment. The developers chose wood from sustainable forests; engineered wood, which is manufactured from younger trees and wood strands; cork flooring from the bark of the trees; and recycled content materials (carpet, rubber flooring, dry wall, Tectum panels, etc). In addition to using recycled content to build, the developers also minimized construction waste and recycled what they could. Since HHBEAC was built on a site with existing buildings, the old buildings had to be torn down. Deconstruction techniques were used to salvage lumber from the existing buildings to use on further projects. Energy Efficiency: HHBEAC uses natural lighting, natural ventilation, energy efficient electricity, and various forms of renewable energy like solar and geothermal. The geothermal system draws heat from underground water in the wintertime and does the reverse in the warmer seasons. Water Efficiency: To be water efficient, the refuge created "natural looking" wetlands filled with native species. These wetlands are actually ecologically based wastewater treatment systems that tend to the facility's on-site wastewater. The bacteria and other organisms that live on the roots of the plants treat the wastewater. The treated water is then reused as toilet flushing water. Additionally, the facility uses waterless urinals, which reportedly saves more than 100,000 gallons of water per year. The parking lot surfaces are gravel instead of pavement to allow rainwater to percolate into the ground, reducing storm water runoff. Other: To promote both the building and the idea of sustainable development, HHBEAC displays numerous educational exhibits around the site explaining sustainable building techniques and systems used in the facility. There is an average of 1.5 million visitors per year to Chincoteague, so numerous people will encounter this information on the wastewater treatment, geothermal heating and cooling, and recycled content materials used in the building. For more information please contact, John D. Schroer at (757) 336-6122 or John_Schroer@fws.gov.

The U.S. Army Proving Ground, Yuma, Arizona houses more than 1,700 military and civilian employees and hosts more than 10,000 visitors per year. These homes are inefficient and not sustainable. So, the office of Research and Technology Application decided to construct an energy efficient model home so that others would notice the benefits of sustainable housing and future housing would be modeled after it. Energy Efficiency: Yuma's model house features many energy efficient processes. Solar technology is used to heat the building, which is highly insulated so that heat does not escape. The home is constructed with structural insulated panels (SIPs) that are made of polyurethane foam. In order to cool the building, this home relies on strategic architectural shading. Windows are shaded with porch roofs and ramadas. Also, there is a high efficiency air conditioner and other energy star appliances, which reduce energy use so that this house will not use more than 20,000Btu/sf/yr. Water Efficiency: Because APG is located in a very dry climate, the model home attempts to conserve as much water as possible. APG installed low-flow fixtures and water-saving devices in sinks, showerheads, toilets, and dishwashers, as well as drought tolerant plants. When mature, these plants will be placed in locations that will provide either shade or sun where appropriate. All of these sustainable efforts have saved the model home money, energy use, and promoted environmental health. Yuma's house uses one third of the energy that an average home uses. For more information please contact, Sue Ibrahim at (928) 328-3021 or Soheir.Ibrahim@yuma.army.mil.

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) pursued sustainable building objectives while developing the new Alaska Tsunami Warning Facility in Palmer, Alaska. This building is the first LEED certified building in Alaska and is used to monitor potential tsunamigenic earthquakes in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and British Columbia. On account of the important mission performed in the building and its location in a seismic zone, the building is an earthquake resilient structure, implements energy conservation requirements in a severe weather environment, has complete redundancy of all major support systems, requires minimum building maintenance, and is sensitive to the environment. Construction and Demolition Recycling: NOAA saved money in numerous places in order to come in under budget, one of which is the site choice for the facility. The building was constructed on an existent disturbed construction site. During construction, the developers recycled or reused more than 300 tons of materials, including the foundation of the old building. Energy Efficiency: NOAA maximizes green initiatives with on-site recycling, relocation and reuse of existing structures, arctic-engineered wall/roof envelope system, triple exterior window units, direct digital HVAC controls, low VOC/formaldehyde products and various water conservation measures. The construction did not take longer than the allotted timeframe and actually cost less than the government cost estimate. Furthermore, additional savings will occur over time through reduced maintenance, water and energy costs. NOAA reduced energy consumption by 30 percent and saved more than 500 CCF (100 cubic feet) of natural gas. For more information please contact, Bernie Denno at (301) 713-2870 ext. 101 or Bernie.denno@noaa.gov.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) not only believes in greening the country, but also in greening itself. Thus, when constructing the EPA Kansas City Science & Technology Center, Kansas City, Kansas, EPA created a sustainable and energy efficient structure. To achieve the best results, EPA organized a design competition. Teams were graded on their ability to finance, design, and construct a safe, attractive, and functional laboratory. The chosen floor plan would become the latest edition to the EPA's buildings. Siting: The Unified Government of Kansas City and Wyandotte County donated a brownfield site to EPA to encourage a revitalization movement in the industrial area in Kansas City. EPA modified the site so that by the completion of the construction, 64 percent of the non-building site was unpaved and contained native and adapted species. Additionally the site included a storm water management plan that reduced runoff by 32 percent through an increase in impervious surfaces. EPA encourages its employees to use greener transportation by locating the building close to numerous bus stops, providing bike racks and showers, and providing three alternative fuel recharging stations for hybrid vehicles. Construction and Demolition Recycling: During construction, EPA tried to reduce and reuse as much construction waste as possible. Seventy-six percent of the materials were derived locally to reduce transportation and fuel use. Also, through the use of EPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines, the laboratory achieved a 97 percent recycled content level. Besides using recycled materials to build, much of the waste was recycled. A plan was developed to manage asphalt, steel, concrete, wood, paper, corrugated materials, and land clearing waste. The option to recycle was voluntary; however, there was a cost incentive reason to participate. This system found such success and resulted in a total of 96 percent of all construction, demolition, and land clearing waste being recycled, which saved nearly $50,000. Energy Efficiency: Laboratories typically use much more energy than office space. To reduce energy usage, EPA chose to operate the facility with five natural gas-fired boilers with sophisticated Variable Air Volume (VAV) fume hoods. These systems allow ventilation, heating, and cooling processes to be reduced during nights, weekends, and when the fume hoods are closed. To reduce energy use further, EPA took full advantage of natural light and installed windows with low-e glass. EPA also installed light dimmers and occupancy sensors so that excess lighting is not wasted. Water Efficiency: To conserve water, EPA installed low-flow plumbing fixtures throughout the science and technology center. The sanitary flush fixtures are connected to a rooftop rainwater recapture system. This innovative system collects rainwater where it is redirected to a holding tank. This tank then redistributes the water to landscape faucets, flush fixtures, and cooling towers which saves EPA $2,800 annually. Indoor Air Quality: To ensure the safety of the building occupants, only products containing low volatile organic compounds were used. Finished sections were installed sequentially so that off-gassing materials were not absorbed into fabrics. Also, constant ventilation flowed throughout construction so that contaminants would be limited. For more information please contact, Cathy Berlow (202) 564-4600 or berlow.cathy@epa.gov or Bucky Green (202) 564-6371 or Green.bucky@epa.gov.

Fort Bragg, NC has an annual construction budget of $250 million to expand, develop, and modify its property. However, Fort Bragg is located in the North Carolina Sandhills, which are highly erodable, close to watersheds, and contain a 6,500-acre greenbelt in the midst of its property. These environmental gifts provide complications when it comes to development. Despite the difficulties, Fort Bragg works carefully to create sustainable and efficient projects. Fort Bragg's sustainable design team is developing two projects, the Golden Knights' new headquarters and the 16th Military Police (MP) Barracks complex, with the gold SPiRiT standards in mind. SPiRiT, which stands for the sustainable project rating tool, is the Department of Defense's modification of the LEED standards. Developed by the Army Corps of Engineers, it follows many of the same recommendations as LEED, but also adds in standards that are applicable to military structures. In order for the developers at Fort Bragg to achieve the SPiRiT rating, in both the Golden Knights' headquarters and the 16th MP Barracks location, multiple sustainable ideas were used. Siting: The developers at the Golden Knights' building improved the site numerous ways by adding resource efficient and waste prevention tools, including increased recycling. To help encourage alternative transportation to the facility, the developers added bike racks, showers, changing rooms, and designated carpool areas. The facility also reduced the heat island effect and light pollution to help conserve energy. Additionally, on site, the developers included a storm water treatment system that collects rainwater for irrigation and reduces water use by 30 percent. This system removes total suspended solids and total phosphorous, which eliminates the need for an additional irrigation system. On site at the 16th MP Barracks, developers pursued efforts to help protect the surrounding wetlands by building multistory buildings and a stormwater infiltration system. This system is connected to the roof drainage system to be more efficient. "Gator" bags on trees hold the water for slow infiltration, which avoids the use of mechanical irrigation. Construction and Demolition Recycling: The developers who worked on the 16th MP Barracks complex partnered with a local non-profit organization, Fayetteville Urban Ministries, to organize the diversion and reuse of materials from construction. The sustainable design team stockpiled and mulched trees and land-clearing debris, diverted concrete and asphalt to grinding, and segregated scrap metal for resale. Not only did the team reuse the materials on-site, but also it reutilized the site, which was a previously contaminated site that had been used for the laundry facility. Energy Efficiency: Additionally, to save energy, the sustainable team planted shade trees and installed light colored concrete to reduce the heat island effect. Low-flow Energy Star systems also contributed to their savings. Other: While planning for these sustainable additions, Fort Bragg asked the local community for comments. This participatory process ensured that the planning process address the needs of both Fort Bragg and the local community. Out of this process occurred the Installation Design Guide (IDG). IDG is the provision of standards, approach, and maintenance of visual, spatial, and environmental considerations that form an attractive and sustainable installation. The IDG provides design information on quality of life, economic interests, and environmental performance. After the success of the two above sustainable buildings and the formation of the IDG, Fort Bragg has decided to embrace the challenge of including sustainable design principles. For more in formation please contact, Christine Hull at (910) 432-8873 or hullcg@bragg.army.mil.