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Tips for Greening Your Next Project
"Sustainable design does not have to cost more, but it does involve a bit of planning to ensure it adds value," states Mark A. Butler, General Manager Engineering, IPS www.ipsdb.com.
The following is a list of sustainable considerations for your next capital construction project from Mark Butler.
1. Plan early to establish green goals for your project.
The earlier you decide to build green, the more opportunities there are to incorporate cost efficient sustainable solutions into the design. Having a plan will guide the project team in making decisions and provide an easy way to achieve the company's environmental goals and budget.
2. Utilize the LEED® Score Card as a guide.
Whether you choose to certify your project or not, utilize the USGBC LEED Score Card to help establish baseline sustainability goals. The LEED guidelines are a great brainstorming tool and will stimulate the innovation process.
3. Utilize life-cycle-costing to establish "Go/No Go" hurdle rates for sustainable options.
For many projects first cost is very important, but being sustainable is not about the short term. It is about taking a longer term of a life cycle view.
4. Site building for optimum energy performance.
Utilize the site orientation to take advantage of passive solar energy savings and natural day-lighting.
5. Consider an energy star roof.
Utilize a ligth color (white) roof to reduce heat gain to the built environment. Dark roofs can be 60% hotter than lighter color roofs and impact the selection of HVAC equipment required to cool the structure.
6. Utilize low E-glazed windows.
Utilize low-E (emissivity) glass. Many manufactures offer high-performance glazing systems. This higher efficiency glazing reflects more heat and at the same time allows more light to enter the structre. This improves opportunities for natural lighting and ultimtely reduces the solar heat gain.
7. Optimize lighting.
Utilize compact fluorescent and LED lighting to reduce the heat out put and improved efficiency. Take advantage of daylight harvesting. Consider occupancy sensors and dimming ballasts.
8. Utilize high efficiency motors and variable frequency drivers (VFD's).
EPA studies have shown that VFD's can save as much as 50% when compare to systems without them.
9. Utilize waterless urinals and low-flow plumbing fixtures.
On average, an employee uses approximately 10 gallons of water a day. Green plumbing systems can reduce this to 2.5 gallons a day.
10. Specify recycled content.
Many manufacturers utilize recycled materials to reduce overall cost of raw material. There are a wide variety of products available. Incorporate a minimum percent product specifications.
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