GreenClips.159 01.17.01 DAYCARE CENTER AT FOX STUDIOS: SUSTAINABLE APPROACH A new, on-site daycare center at Fox Studios in Los Angeles makes extensive use of daylighting, high-performance glazing, natural ventilation and thermal-mass passive heating. In recognition of the facility's impressive design, engineers from Syska & Hennessy's Los Angeles office have received one of Consulting-Specifying Engineer's 2000 Integrator Awards. The 10,0000-square-foot facility, which accommodates more than 100 children, has large glass-pane roll-up doors that let natural daylight pour into the space. Photocells sense daylight levels, and dimming controls adjust the artificial lights to maintain a uniform lighting level. When the weather is pleasant, the doors roll up, the air-conditioning system shuts off, and the room is naturally conditioned. Exposed concrete masonry on the side of the building acts as thermal mass to passively modulate the indoor-air temperature. "The thermal mass absorbs solar energy during the day and re-radiates it at night," says Rob Bolin of Syska & Hennessy. At the facility's southern entrance, where the building owner wanted as much glass as possible despite the hot sun shining in, the designers optimized the depth of an external overhang and the performance of the windows, thereby avoiding having to install a major piece of air-conditioning equipment in this area. - Consulting-Specifying Engineer, Dec 00, p 41, by Barbara Horwitz. GREEN PERMITS LIGHTEN REGULATORY BURDEN Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality has issued the nation's first "green permits" to Louisiana-Pacific Corp. and LSI Logic Corp. for exceeding regulatory standards. The green permit program, which is being followed by 14 states, entitles businesses to receive special treatment from state regulators. For instance, they may not be subjected to as many inspections and may be able to file status reports in a more flexible manner. States, meanwhile, won't have to commit as many resources to policing companies that already adhere to pollution laws. At the national level, the Environmental Protection Agency is implementing a similar rewards plan. At Louisiana-Pacific's wood-products plant in Hines, Oregon, an environmental program has cut toxic-air emissions to only 10 percent of the total annual levels allowed by Oregon law. In addition, Louisiana-Pacific officials say they now make about $100,000 annually selling wood shavings to recyclers; previously it cost the company about $100,000 a year to dispose of them. With the green permits, which in Oregon are renewable every 10 years, the companies also can save money by not having to spend so much time on regulatory matters. - The Wall Street Journal, 8 Dec 00, p A4, by Jim Carlton, and The Green Business Letter, Jan 01, p 1. GREEN ROOFS HELP MITIGATE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS Green roofs are an innovative stormwater management solution that can improve the energy performance of buildings, air quality and the urban ecology. There are two types of green roofs: intensive and extensive. Intensive green roofs, which are designed as accessible parks or building amenities, require at least one foot of soil depth to create a garden with manicured landscapes and elaborate irrigation and drainage systems. Intensive green roofs add from 80 to 150 pounds per square foot (lbs/sf) of load to a structure. Extensive green roofs are built primarily for their environmental benefits. Soil depth ranges from 1 to 5 inches, and loads can vary from 15 lbs/sf to 50 lbs/sf. A green roof is constructed of waterproofing, soil and plants. Waterproofing materials include PVC single-ply roof systems, rubber membrane (EPDM) or hypolan (CSPE). A building's structural loading capacity often determines the type of substrate used. An extensive green roof should have a minimal critical weight of approximately 15 lbs/sf to withstand wind loads. Plants must be adaptable to alpine conditions with little soil, no water, high winds and high sun exposure. Costs for extensive green roofs in the US range from $15 to $20 per square foot, including everything from waterproofing to plants. Funding can be obtained through EPA's Clean Water Act Section 319 grant program; local funds may be also available. - Environmental Design + Construction, Jan-Feb 01, by Katrin Scholz-Barth. [Full text: http://www.edcmag.com/archives/01-01-4.htm] GREEN ROOF SPECIFICATION TIPS If a green building feature isn't covered by a standard specification section, a specification writer can develop a new section. For example, although the Construction Specifications Institute's MasterFormat doesn't include green roofs, a specification writer could create a new section titled "Green Roofing System," with MasterFormat's unused section number "07599," which falls under "Membrane Roofing." For bidding and warranty purposes, it's better to include a green roof's individual components-- waterproofing membrane, biobarrier, growing material and plants--in one section as a system rather than specifying them in separate sections. In Part 1: General, include an article entitled "Performance Requirements" that identifies standard criteria such as structural, thermal and life safety properties, plus green roofing requirements related to roof load limits and plant materials. Also include a Part 1 article that addresses environmental requirements such as recycled content, toxicity, energy efficiency, urban heat island effect, stormwater management and air quality. In Part 2: Products, include the waterproofing membrane, biobarrier, growing material and plant materials, preferably specified by manufacturer and product name. In Part 3: Execution, incorporate installation requirements that are specifically applicable to green roofing systems, such as the installation of the biobarrier, growing material and plant materials. While this example addresses green roofs, this same process could be used for specifying other green building features. - Environmental Design + Construction, Jan-Feb 01, by Ross Spiegel. [Full text: http://www.edcmag.com/archives/01-01-4.htm] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GreenClips is free of charge thanks to individual members and these sponsors: ENVIRONDESIGN5 www.environdesign.com. EnvironDesign5, set for April 25 to 27 in Atlanta, GA, is the premier conference showcasing all that is revolutionary about placing environmental stewardship front and center into mainstream America. It has grown from a small, intimate gathering of the passionate and the curious into an event where you need to be if you're a player in the sustainability movement. Scheduled are keynote speakers, workshops, site tours and a Product Learning Center featuring 75 suppliers. Faculty includes pioneers who are changing the environmental landscape in the 21st century. Keynoters include: John Elkington, Janine Benyus, William McDonough, Michael Braungart, David Orr and Michael Ray. A Business Leaders Forum will feature top level executives from U.S. corporations sharing their hopes for the future. In addition, McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry will hold a pre-conference training session prior to the opening night keynote, and the U.S. Green Building Council will launch its LEED™ Commercial Interiors Training Workshop on the Saturday after the conference concludes. ED5 is sponsored by Interiors & Sources and green@work magazines. For information, call 561-627-3393; www.environdesign.com. 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