Sustainable Facility - November 2008 - (Page 43)

ments in order to realize savings and efﬁciency in the future. For example, Hobbs Brook Management employs thermal water storage with a turbo ice machine system in a number of its buildings in an effort to conserve energy. The systems, installed by New England-based Building Automation Systems, provide chilled water and ice storage during off-peak energy hours for cooling the buildings the following day. (See sidebar for details.) PURCHASING HOLDS THE (GREEN) PURSE STRINGS The purchasing department can also do its part toward LEED-EB O&M certification by buying green, durable products, such as reduced-mercury lamps, and showing a preference for products made with recycled content and salvaged materials. To minimize the environmental impact of furniture disposal, many companies have even opted to recycle excess office furniture and supplies through non-profit organizations such as The Furniture Trust (www.thefurnituretrust.org) and Building Materials Resource Center (www.bmrc. com), both based in Boston. Green cleaning and maintenance should be a core element of any LEED-EB O&M program, as purchasing (and using) green cleaning supplies are safer and healthier for janitorial employees and the general employee environment. Working with its janitorial service provider, Janitronics, Hobbs Brook Management has used green cleaning products in its facilities for the past ﬁve years. The Green Seal-approved cleaning program currently employs four cleaning products and a cleaning management program by 3M, and in 2009, will integrate HEPA vacuum cleaners, ﬂat mops and microﬁber dust cloths. Although the initial cost of this equipment is higher, they require fewer resources to operate, provide a safer environment for the janitorial staff as well as the tenants of the buildings, and improve air quality. (See sidebar for additional details.) Building Automation Systems’ (Weymouth, Mass.) TURBO Thermal Ice Storage System Ice storage is becoming an important energy-saving element in green design, and many energy providers and utilities offer rebates and promotions for using such a system. The main beneﬁt of this system is that it allows for the production and storage of ice 24/7, reducing the electrical demand during standard business hours. At one of Hobbs Brook Management’s larger buildings, a typical day would require 1,400 tons of ice to be produced in order to cool the building during a traditional work day. Because the turbo ice machine allows for ice storage, the system only needs to make 850 tons of ice, drawing off the reserve when necessary to make up the difference. Drawing a lower electrical demand during the day means that the air conditioning equipment uses approximately 40 percent less energy than a conventional system. The up-front costs were reduced as well due to lower equipment costs, and maintenance requirements. Because the system operates like basic refrigeration, the facility’s regular HVAC technicians can work on it. The result of using this system saved the tenants of Hobbs Brook Management a total of $250,000 in peak energy costs in 2007. An added bonus is that Hobbs Brook Management is able to receive premium pricing from its vendors by planning its energy consumption ahead of time. Janitronics’ (Waltham, Mass.) Green Cleaning and Maintenance Ofﬁce building tenants are looking for an increased level of green cleaning service from their property manager, and the cleaning industry is responding. Hobbs Brook Management works with Janitronics, a janitorial services company, to implement its green housekeeping practices. Janitronics has comprehensively researched and developed its own green program in order to stay ahead of the curve, admitting that most janitorial ﬁrms with an ofﬁce market portfolio are implementing similar green initiatives. Janitronics will be integrating these changes into its green cleaning program for the Hobbs Brook Ofﬁce Park in 2009: • Traditional upright vacuum cleaners will be converted to HEPA ﬁltration backpack units, which reduce the particle size to .03 microns. Although nearly double in price, the backpack unit is better ergonomically for the laborer, with a lighter wand that enables faster cleaning and results in better productivity. • Traditional string mops will be replaced by new ﬂat mops that require less water to clean and provide a more sanitized environment. • Dusting will be performed with microﬁber dust cloths that trap dust particles and prevent disbursement of dust into the air. HUMAN RESOURCES The HR department can help a company earn credits in support of LEED-EB O&M certiﬁcation by promoting alternative commuting options, such as installing bike racks for twowheeled commuters, offering mass transit reimbursement, organizing company carpools, and showing that a percentage of staff relies upon alternative fuel vehicles. By encouraging telecommuting and compressed workweeks where appropriate, the HR department can also contribute to a smaller carbon footprint for the company. The LEEDEB O&M program also requires enforcement of a no-smoking policy and development of a company-wide recycling program. For Hobbs Brook Management, green practices extend to include preferred parking for hybrid vehicles and carpoolers, as well as making shower facilities available to encourage the use of bicycles as transportation. programs in construction as well as operations. The real estate department also needs to work with the facility manager to eye potential properties and what might be involved with maintaining them in a green way. With the new LEED-EB O&M program, facility managers have real incentives to seek the attention and cooperation of various departments within their company to effectively operate and maintain a green building. It takes a village, or just teamwork, to get the green in the details. SF William Holland, AIA, LEED AP, is a senior associate at Margulies Perruzzi Architects (formerly Margulies & Associates), one of Boston’s most innovative architectural and interior design ﬁrms. Holland specializes in green design and is the vice-chair of the USGBC Massachusetts Membership Forum. LEGAL AND REAL ESTATE The legal and real estate departments can play a role in how green buildings are acquired and maintained, and how sustainable policies are crafted, adhered to and publicized. The legal department should consider how leases are written and what role green details play in the agreement. Leases should be written so that tenants have an incentive to save energy, and should also encourage adherence to green W W W . S U S TA I N A B L E F A C I L I T Y. C O M 43 http://www.thefurnituretrust.org http://www.bmrc.com http://www.bmrc.com http://WWW.SUSTAINABLEFACILITY.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Facility - November 2008

Sustainable Facility - November 2008 Contents Editorial Industry Watch Web TOC New and Notable The Case for Daytime Cleaning Commitment to Energy Effi ciency and Sustainability Finding the Green Solar for the Commercial and Industrial Sector: What’s Hot Now? Connecting Sustainability and Green Cleaning Recycling Rechargeable Batteries Sharing Best Practices The Consultant Conundrum Sharing the Facilities Management Burden The Building Owner’s and Operator’s Sustainability Solution: Energy Audits Greenbuild: Green Product Buzz Guide Product Focus Marketplace and Classifieds Advertiser’s Index Initiatives

Sustainable Facility - November 2008

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