April/May 2009
LEED
C O N T E N T S
Executive Director's Corner: Standing with Giants, by Deb Kleinman
Special: Remembering Greg Franta, by Annette Stelmack
LEED: Aardex Receives Second Platinum LEED Certification from the USGBC, by Mike Hehir
Energy Incentives: Xcel Announces New Incentives, by Erine Mathe
Sustainable Development: Grassroots Efforts Support a Sustainable Ethic, by Sarah Martinez
Government: Greening the Government: State Leads by Example, by Angie Fyfe
Case Study: Extracting Value From NAIOP's Highly Criticized Building Cost Report, by Courtney France
Go Green, Save Money: Rep. Perlmutter Legislation Promotes Going Green To Save Green, by Christopher Votoupal
Colorado Building Green is the official newsletter of the U.S. Green Building Council – Colorado Chapter, and is published bi-monthly. If you are interested in submiting a story, ideas or other information for publication, please contact the editor at sarah@usgbccolorado.org
Aardex Receives Double LEED Platinum From USGBC
The firm is one of only two in the world to achieve this distinction
By Mike Hehir, Sales, Aardex LLC
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KEY SUSTAINABLE FEATURES
Sustainable Sites
Transportation incentives include bike racks, locker rooms and two new bus stops.
Most of the car parking and truck services are in the back of the building, segregating cars from people. The pedestrian friendly design extends from the building to public sidewalks; encouraging walking to neighborhood commercial areas and enhancing community vitality. Roadways and parking lots are separated from sidewalks and pedestrian plazas by landscaped hedging, rocks and trees.
The Signature Centre project transformed what was once an uninviting previously developed asphalt parking lot into an active community-engaging building with an environmentally sensible design full of life.
The park functions as both a human repose and wildlife habitat as well as for watershed maintenance and habitat restoration. Pervious pathway, storm water bio-swales and landscape of indigenous plants provide habitat and peace for the community as well as allowing water to refurbish the underground aquifer.
The project’s landscaping is composed of fully indigenous species with drought tolerance specific to the Colorado climate; all designed to control erosion, create shade and screen cars from pedestrian areas. High percolation landscaping near the building and bio-swale drainage along the Parkway allows water absorption and cleansing before being discharged to the newly improved detention area to the east.
Water Efficiency
The public park serves detention requirements with pervious landscape. Use of river rock as well as natural vegetation, water sensors and indigenous grasses that are drought tolerant and native to the State use much less water. These water saving measures are anticipated to save 56% on annual water usage compared to typical landscaping practice in Colorado.
For the neighboring community, the project improved not only the Signature Centre site water quality but the community’s as well by increasing capacity and porosity in an adjacent detention area, limiting the amount of water sent downstream.
Auto faucets with infrared sensors are used in all building restrooms. Ultra low-flow hydro powered lavatories, dual flush toilets and waterless urinals were used throughout the building. The fitness center is complete with low flow showerheads that use less than 1.5gpm.
Combined annual water savings is projected at 46.5% when compared to an EPACT-1992 baseline.
Early designs considered several water reuse strategies including those for building grey water and site storm water. Local codes and Colorado Water Law prohibited these design elements.
The topography at the base of the Rocky Mountain foothills remains undisturbed; preserving the natural beauty of the region. The detention and treatment area of the community was improved; converting the surrounding acreage from a still-water pond to a vegetated and landscaped community portrait.