Summit County Materials Recovery Facility
Green Globes™ Case Study
LOCATION: Summit County, Colorado
FLOOR SPACE: 11,560 square feet
BUDGET: $1,445,000
CONSTRUCTION DATES: October 2005 to September 2006
OWNER: Summit County, Colorado
ARCHITECT: Matthew Stais Architects
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Carl Warnke, Engineering Designworks
MECHANICAL ENGINEER: Architectural Engineering Consultants, Inc.
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: ABS Consultants, Inc.
Design Achieved Two Green Globes
In recognition of leadership in the incorporation of energy and
environmental considerations in the planning and construction of this
building
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PROJECT NOTES
The Summit County MRF building is 11,560-square-foot industrial
facility in Colorado. The building is the first facility of its kind to
be certified green.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Integrated Design Process (IDP)
• Emphasis on an IDP during design development
• Green design facilitation supported integration of energy and environmental considerations throughout the stages of design
Environmental Purchasing
• Aspects of green specifications incorporated (e.g. recycled content
for steel structure, recycled "PET" carpet in office area, no VOC paint
in office area, recycled rubber flooring)
• Energy-saving, high-efficiency equipment
Commissioning Plan
• Best-practice project commissioning plan includes:
o Engagement of Commissioning Authority
o Review of Design Intent and Basis of Design documentation
o Inclusion of commissioning requirements in construction documentation
o Development of Commissioning Plan
SITE
Development Area
• Site comprised of about 20 feet of fill, which came from earth excavated from landfill pits; previously used as a parking area
Minimization of Ecological Impact
• Best management practices control site erosion
• Exterior lighting unobtrusive to preserve nocturnal sky
Enhancement of Watershed Features
• Storm water run-off controlled to prevent damage to building and vegetation, and to minimize run-off into waterways
• Run-off from the roof controlled and directed to a pervious area and existing sediment pond
ENERGY
Building Energy Performance
• Building projected to be 30% more energy efficient than reference EPA Energy Star Target Finder building
Space Optimization
• Floor area optimized to efficiently fulfill functional and spatial
requirements while minimizing the amount of space to be heated and
cooled
Microclimate and Topography
• Building is located and oriented to optimize the effect of
microclimatic conditions for heating or cooling (i.e. main building
axis runs due east-west for optimal solar gain)
• Site topography and design measures optimized to provide shelter from wind and snow
Integration of Daylighting
• Daylighting is optimized by the use of south facing clerestory windows
• Electrical lighting is integrated with daylighting, taking into account daily and seasonal variations
Building Envelope
• Thermal resistance of exterior enclosure meets Building Energy Code
levels; thermal resistance is R19 for exterior wall and R38 for the roof
• Measures included to prevent groundwater and/or rain penetration
• Best air/vapor barrier practices optimize building integrity; air
barrier materials meet local and national building code requirements
Energy metering
• Major energy uses are sub-metered (i.e. industrial processes such as the baler and conveyor equipment will be monitored)
Energy-efficient Systems
• High-efficiency lighting fixtures, lamps, lighting controls/occupancy sensors, HVAC equipment
• Other advanced building technologies and practices to improve energy
and resource efficiency (e.g. energy recovery ventilators, radiant
heating panels and stratification fans); radiant hydronic tubes in the
floors for possible future use
Energy-efficient Transportation
• Secure bicycle parking and changing facilities
WATER
Water Conserving Features
• Water-saving devices or proximity detectors on urinals, low flush toilets, water-saving fixtures on faucets and showerheads
Minimal use of water for irrigation
• Water-efficient irrigation system
• Landscaping specifies plants that are able to withstand extreme local weather conditions and require minimal irrigation
Minimization of off-site treatment
• On-site wastewater treatment system
RESOURCES, BUILDING MATERIALS AND SOLID WASTE
Materials that Minimize Consumption of Resources
• Integration of salvaged building materials and components (i.e.
office area is designed to utilize used roof, walls, and structural
elements)
• Building materials with recycled content include structural steel, insulation, concrete and finish materials
Building Durability, Adaptability and Disassembly
• Design promotes building adaptability (i.e. site and floor plans
include up to 50% expansion potential to meet future use projections)
• Design and selection of materials and fastenings allow easy
disassembly (i.e. pre-engineered steel was used for 90% of the
buildings)
Reuse and Recycling of Construction/Demolition Waste
• Construction, demolition and renovation waste management plan
Facilities for Recycling and Composting
• Entire facility is dedicated to the recycling of waste
EMISSIONS AND OTHER IMPACTS
Minimization of Air Emissions
• Filtration system on the energy recovery ventilators prevents emission of ambient dust
Minimization of Ozone-depletion
• Refrigerant used in the air conditioning system avoids ozone
depleting substances; ozone-depleting potential of refrigerant (R-410A)
equal to 0
Control of Surface Run-off and Prevention of Sewer Contamination
• Measures to intercept and/or treat contaminated water to prevent
toxic materials, oils and suspended materials from entering sewers or
waterways (i.e. sand oil grease interceptors at all floor drains)
Pollution Minimization
• Compliant storage tanks will prevent soil and surface water contamination
• Storage and Control of Hazardous Materials
• Secure, appropriately ventilated areas for storage of hazardous and flammable materials
INDOOR ENVIRONMENT
Effective Ventilation System
• Air intakes and outlets positioned at least 32 feet apart; inlets upwind of outlets
• Air intakes located more than 60 feet from major sources of pollution
and at least the minimum recommended distances from lesser sources
• Mechanical ventilation system capable of flushing out the office area
with 100 % outside air at ambient temperatures above 32°F
Source Control of Indoor Pollutants
• Easy access to the Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) to facilitate maintenance and drainage to avoid accumulation of debris
• Measures to avoid pollution at source (i.e. high ventilation rates);
indoor pollution generated by recycling processes addressed by overall
HV system
• Domestic hot water system designed to prevent Legionella
• Low-VOC emitting, non-toxic and chemically inert materials include
vinyl flooring, carpet, paints, adhesives, sealants, coatings,
cabinets, counters and doors
Daylighting
• Direct ambient daylight to 80% of primary spaces through use of south facing clerestory lights
• Ambient natural lighting achieves a daylight factor of 0.2 for work
places and/or living/dining areas requiring moderate daylighting, and
0.5 for well day-lit work areas
• Solar shading devices and Kalwall panels enable occupants to control brightness, glare and direct solar lighting
Lighting Design
• Lighting levels meet IESNA Lighting Handbook, 2000 recommendations for anticipated tasks
• Measures to ensure that spaces are free of excessive direct or
reflected glare, as defined in IESNA RP-5, 1999, Recommended Practice
of Daylighting
• Local lighting controls related to room occupancy, circulation space,
daylighting and the number of workstations in office areas
• Solar shading devices enable occupants to control brightness and glare from direct daylighting
Thermal Comfort
• Office area conforms to ASHRAE 55-2004 for thermal comfort
Acoustic Comfort
• Construction documents specify sound level transmission through the building envelope
• Despite a generally noisy work area, design provides acoustic controls to meet acoustic privacy requirements
• Measures to mitigate acoustic problems associated with mechanical equipment noise and vibration, and plumbing systems
Green Globes Rating
The Summit County Materials Recovery Facility achieved an overall rating of 60%.
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2x green
Not only is it a recycling center but it was built green, that's fantastic. Can you tell me more about Green Globes and how it compares to LEED, and is that only for commercial or governmental buildings? Also, I live in Colorado so am wondering who drove the green attributes of this project. Was it the developer or Summit County? thanks.
Thanks for your inquiry and
Thanks for your inquiry and for your interest in the Green Building Initiative (GBI). Green Globes is an interactive and online environmental and assessment rating system for new and existing commercial buildings marketed by the GBI (www.thegbi.org). A revolutionary green management tool that includes an assessment protocol, rating system and guide for integrating environmentally-friendly design into new and existing commercial buildings (private or government), Green Globes is also the first system to undergo a true consensus-based process established by the American National Standards Institute and will be ratified as a commercial green building standard early next year.
A recent study conducted by the University of Minnesota compared Green Globes and LEED and found that both systems contribute to reducing the environmental impact of buildings. The study concluded that nearly 80 percent of the categories available for points in Green Globes are also addressed in LEED 2.2 and that over 85 percent of the categories specified in LEED 2.2 are addressed in Green Globes.
However, the study also concluded, while comparing the two systems is extremely difficult, there are a number of trends “worth noting.” Included in this summary were the following three points:
That Green Globes “appears to be doing a fairly good job in improving upon the delivery mechanisms employed by LEED which are so often criticized,” by providing an online approach to assessment that improves efficiency and reduces costs;
That Green Globes better integrates life-cycle thinking into its rating system;
And that the GBI, as an accredited standards developer under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) “will undoubtedly enhance Green Globes presence in the marketplace” by undergoing the consensus-based process associated with creating an official ANSI standard for green building practices.
In terms of the MRF project, the effort and its green attributes were driven jointly by the Summit County, CO government and the area's High Country Conservation Center, a non-profit organization which was started in 1976 by Tim McClure.
To achieve a verified rating, the design team from Matthew Stais Architects, The High Country Conservation Center and the Summit County government used the Green Globes tool to assess and rate the building, which was then verified by a third-party building science expert who reviewed the construction documents and conducted an on-site inspection.
Thanks again!
- The GBI