Sustainable Land Development Today - March 2008 - (Page 47) “The adaptive reuse of a former industrial building and site, Durrant’s new corporate headquarters is on target to achieve LEED® Platinum Certification. building is heated and cooled with a ground-source geothermal heat pump system. Geothermal well water is also used to flush toilets and irrigate landscaping. A daylight harvesting system controls the interior lighting, dimming electric lighting in response to the amount of sunlight entering the building. On the roof, photovoltaic panels generate electricity and a solar panel provides hot water to sinks. Durrant reused many components salvaged from deconstructing the existing building, including wood studs, roof insulation, and structural steel. In addition, several Durrant employees were able to reuse the fiberglass insulation for their own homes. The firm recycled approximately 70 percent of the construction waste, diverting it from the landfill. Metals went to scrap dealers, concrete was ground up for aggregate, and “clean” lumber went to the chipper under a pilot program of the Dubuque Metropolitan Solid Waste Agency to recycle wood as garden mulch. In addition, the firm specified new construction materials with a high recycled content wherever possible. The carpet and office furnishings are highly recyclable and are manufactured by companies with a strong commitment to sustainable manufacturing practices. Most of the sustainable strategies Durrant employed in designing the new headquarters did not add to the initial cost of the building. Some strategies, such as increased insulation, have a small cost, but one that is quickly offset by reduced energy costs. High-tech systems like photovoltaic panels do add significant cost. However, incentives are available from the Iowa Energy Center, the U.S. Department of Energy, and even the Internal Revenue Service to help building owners offset the initial cost of certain systems and upgrades. Durrant did extensive research to seek out and evaluate applicable programs. These included tax credits for improved building energy performance, and no-interest loans and property tax credits for photovoltaic installations. During the course of the research, a number of programs were identified that are only available to not-for-profit entities that, while not available to the firm, would certainly benefit many of its clients. When the firm moves into its new building this spring, the office will showcase its design expertise, help demonstrate sustainable design strategies for its clients, and be a great place to work. The fact that it cost no more than a standard building shows that, indeed, Green Design is Good Design. SLDT About the author: Gary Bechtel is a principal at Durrant. He can be reached at gbechtel@durrant.com or 563-583-9131. For more information go to: www.durrant.com. Innovative Stormwater Management Products Media Filtration Underground Retention/Detention The Complete Stormwater Management Products Provider Hydrodynamic Separators Specialty Applications Course of Construction Site Controls Contact us today to learn more about these exciting systems for complete stormwater management. Call 1-800-579-8819 Visit our web site at: www.kristar.com Circle 136 • or www.SLDTonline.com/webcard www.SLDTonline.com 47 http://www.durrant.com http://www.kristar.com http://www.kristar.com http://www.SLDTonline.com/webcard http://www.SLDTonline.com
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