BUILDING ON GREEN FOUNDATIONS

Corporate Report Wisconsin, May 2008 by Welch, Jamie

Kenneth F. Sullivan Construction, a design-build construction firm that has been working in Madison for 70 years, provided its service to Smart with plans and methods of being a more ecofriendly dealership.

"This project reflects both our commitment to our customers and the growing demand for Toyota products," said J.R. Smart, president and CEO of Smart Motors. "A significant improvement is the buildings new heating system. We'll actually recycle old oil from the service center to heat the facility."

The lighting for the entire inside of the building is green. High-performance T8 lights, which use 25% less energy, ceramic metal halide display lighting, which uses 67% less power, and compact fluorescents that burn 60% less electricity were installed.

"The estimated energy savings for the service department alone is over 20,000 kW hours per year," said Rob Rudolf, engineer with Electric Construction Inc., which was heavily involved with the project. "To put this into perspective, this is enough energy to supply power to four average homes for an entire year."

Other eco-friendly amenities include bio-retention devices, including a storm-water infiltration system and rainwater infiltration strips in the parking lot. South facing windows with tinted glass, and high-efficiency furnaces and ductwork save energy in winter while reducing solar heat gain in the summer.

Northland Pines High School, Eagle River

Environmental science teachers at Northland Pines High School in Eagle River don't have far to go for field trips. Their new 253,000-sq.-ft. building is the first LEED Gold Certified public high school in America.

Northland Pines District Administrator Mike Ritchie noted that morale has improved for both staff and all 600 students, who take pride in the building built by Hoffman LLC, a Wisconsin planning, design and construction firm that's been a pioneer in green building design.

"The LEED Gold Certification exceeds our expectations because all along our goal was for a silver certification," Ritchie said. "It's nice to be a front-runner when it comes to having an environmental school."

According to Mark Hanson, director of sustainable services for Hoffman, 83% of all the building wastes were recycled, including those from demolition of the 27-year-old structure the new school replaced. In fact, a crew of Amish workmen helped salvage large laminated beams and removed and re-milled wood flooring. More than half of the materials used were manufactured within 500 miles of the construction site to reduce fuel consumption and pollution associated with transportation.

Daylight harvesting is achieved with high ceilings and strategic placement of gray Low-E windows that add daylight to classrooms without unwanted glare or heat gains and losses. Water-reducing bathroom fixtures, waterless urinals and the use of climate-appropriate plants to eliminate permanent irrigation systems will create annual water savings of 35%.

Northland's sustainable site design goes hand in hand with its water efficiency. Two large detention basins retain all storm water on site, landscaping employs native species, priority parking encourages carpooling or bicycling, and a portion of the land will be protected from future development.