Green and Sustainable Features and Practices
We’re committed to being green
Even while our plans were in the fantasy stage, our commitment to sustainable building practices and features was very real. Right from the beginning, our staff and board wanted our new home to be as green and sustainable as possible. That commitment has influenced, and will continue to influence, every decision — from the architect and construction contractor we selected to the landscaping and furnishings we choose.
Green practices started long before construction
Early on, we worked with the Madison Environmental Group on a recycling plan for the demolition and construction phases which include crushing and recycling existing concrete, recycling all scrap metal and wood and recycling all lighting fixtures and bulbs. All of the concrete that was demolished on site was ground and will be reused on site as the base for the parking lots and gym.
Our site won’t be certified, but it will be certifiable
As we did our research, we took our cue from two leading green building management and certification systems: LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and the Green GlobesTM system. While we are not pursuing certification from either program because of costs involved, we are following their guidelines and making the greenest decisions we can. Our architects recently tallied up the LEED points we would qualify for with our current plans and determined that the building would likely meet the LEED Gold standard ranking. (Learn more about these programs at www.usgbc.org and www.greeenglobes.com)
- Adapting an existing building
- Re-use existing structural steel
- Rain gardens to collect storm water run-off from our site.
- Energy-efficient windows and high efficiency lighting with 2 sensors appliances
Building materials, finishes and furnishings to be selected:
- Recycled-content/recyclable carpeting
- Recycled-content gym and exercise room flooring
- Recycled-content cabinet laminates and countertops
- Linoleum (not vinyl)
- Sealed concrete and
- Low VOC paint
- Reused furniture, cabinets, equipment and fixtures
Heating and cooling systems were selected with sustainability in mind
> Heating and Cooling: We will install a 98% efficient heating and cooling systems including 1) a modular chiller, 2) variable frequency velocity air handlers, and 3) CO sensors that can tell when a space is occupied — and by how many — and adjust the temperature accordingly
> Heat recovery units: These units will be connected to the HVAC system so we are reusing the energy that would normally be vented out of the building
> Solar hot water: All the hot water in the building will be heated to a base temperature using solar power and will be boosted to temperature using a high efficiency gas heater.
We’re exploring more green possibilities
We are working with Wisconsin Focus on Energy to help us determine the most energy efficient systems, and we are participating in their incentives and rebates program. Depending on what we find out we may be adding:
> Solar collectors for exterior lighting
> MechoShades for control of solar heat gain and glare
While very cool, these green features proved impractical or cost prohibitive
> Grey-water system using roof run-off for various domestic water purposes (flushing toilets). But we are considering still a large tank system to use for irrigation of landscaping.
> Photo-voltaic for electricity
> Computer-controlled motorized clerestory windows tied to temperature and A/C
