High Performing Buildings - Spring 2008 - (Page 29)

LESSONS LEARNED Monitor Building Performance Implementing a measurement and verification plan helps confirm that the high performance building is operating within anticipated parameters. Without monitoring the main building systems, the owner of the best designed and best constructed building in the world may not be aware that the building is not performing as intended. In the case of Sweetwater, a 77% reduction in potable water use was anticipated while over 90% was achieved. In contrast, achieved energy savings were lower than anticipated. Comparing actual meter readings to the energy model baseline and the design case is unrealistic without matching actual conditions. Nevertheless, adjustments are being made to the building energy use, particularly lighting, to achieve readings closer to the anticipated savings. Nutrient Recycling Three times during the design process, owner, architect, LEED consultant, structural engineer, mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, landscape architect, civil engineer, construction cost consultant, commissioning agent and a representative from Friends of Sweetwater Creek State Park gathered to consider cross-disciplinary strategies and make decisions based on team consensus. On several occasions, the integrated design process yielded ideas and solutions that developed the project design into a more intelligent and elegant expression. A good example is the nutrient recycling aspect of the project, where excess liquid from the composting toilet system is combined with the building’s gray water before being pumped to the exterior landscaping as liquid plant food, thereby eliminating the waste stream to a treatment plant or conventional septic system. No single discipline was responsible for the solution; rather, it required input and expertise from the owner (a civil engineer by training with a willingness to explore an unconventional solution), the mechanical engineer (the portion of the system inside the building), the civil engineer (the portion of the system outside the building), the landscape architect (the plant material), and the architect (integrating the system into the building). Display Lighting Efforts to optimize building performance can continue even after building operation begins. To further improve the building’s performance, the design team encouraged the owner to implement newer technologies for the display lighting when available. The interpretative exhibits’ track lighting is a significant power consumer in the building. Because this lighting is associated with the displays, it was not included in the energy modeling of the base building. When the building opened, reliable dimmable compact fluorescent lighting lamps were not available; thus, dimmable incandescent lighting lamps were used. The owner plans to swap out these lamps with dimmable compact fluorescents when feasible. $500,000 for this project, including $250,000 from a major corporate donor and varying amounts from other businesses. Grants were received for some of the renewable energy features including a large donation of salvaged photovoltaic panels valued at approximately $85,000 and a grant from the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority for new photovoltaic panels valued at approximately $20,000. If the value of the donated recycled photovoltaic panels (about $85,000) was included in the cost of the building (excluding exhibits and site work), the ﬁnal cost of the building would be approximately $185/ft2. However, the actual cost of the building, not including the value of the donated panels, was $175/ft2. The majority of the contributions were made because the project was going to be an exemplary sustainable building. The sustainability of the project made the fundraising signiﬁcantly easier and brought in many partners and donors interested in promoting green buildings. those interested in learning more about resource conservation and high performance, green buildings. Acknowledgments This article contains data from an energy analysis and modeling report prepared by Commissioning & Green Building Solutions, Inc. One World Sustainable Energy Corporation provided the estimated solar photovoltaic production for the visitor center in Figure 1. The emissions information was derived from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID) for the calendar year 2000. • ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dan Gerding, AIA, is managing principal of Gerding Collaborative, LLC. Teaching Tool Recognizing its place within a conservation park, the facility preserves and interprets the cultural history of the area; conserves and protects the local natural ecosystem; and educates the public in environmental stewardship, using the site and building design as a teaching tool. The interactive facility allows visitors to experience areas inside, beside and on top of the building. Sustainable systems, incorporated into exhibits inside the building, teach visitors about conservationism. With the exhibits and site design, Sweetwater Creek State Park Visitor Center has become a destination for Spring 2008 HIGH PERFORMING BUILDINGS 29

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of High Performing Buildings - Spring 2008

High Performing Buildings - Spring 2008
Daikin AC (Americas)
Contents
Seattle City Hall
SEMCO
3M Energy & Advanced Materials
Price
Sofame Technologies Inc.
Sweetwater Creek Visitor Center
ASHRAE Certification
Greenheck
Daylighting Strategies That Maximize Benefits
Energy Conservatory, The
ASHRAE e-learning
Ecobuild America
CTG Energetics, Inc.
Cambridge City Hall Annex
Tate Access Floors, Inc
Air-Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Institute
31 Tannery Project
Building Owners & Managers Institute
Indian Springs Discovery Center
International Facility Management Association
ASHRAE Healthcare
Fulton Companies, The
AAON, Inc.

High Performing Buildings - Spring 2008