Topical Reports Green Construction

Case Studies

This section of our document will be periodically updated with relevant new case studies. Case studies are categorized under the following headings, and projects completed in the Pacific Northwest are designated by the swimming salmon icon:

    Commercial and Institutional
    Residential
    Energy
    Resort/Hospitality
    Cities
    Brownfield Development

  BetterBricks.com - Are You in a Good Space?
Specializes in quality of workspace issues, including enhancement through green construction methods. Twelve case studies are presented. Technical advisors available.
http://www.betterbricks.com/main.asp
(Go to "Discover" and to "Field Studies")

 Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 Office - Building Renovations, Seattle, Washington
http://www.epa.gov/r10earth/innovation.htm

 King County's Case Study Topics - Washington
Links to various case studies, including commercial and institutional building projects and construction site recycling.
http://dnr.metrokc.gov/swd/bizprog/sus_build/how_others.htm

 King Street Center - Seattle, Washington
This building incorporates a range of recycled products such as plastic lumber for outside furniture, compost for the building landscaping, recycled-content partitions, and refurbished carpet.
http://dnr.metrokc.gov/market/map/kingst.htm

  Millennium Elementary School - Kent, Washington
Wind, solar and geothermal sources provide heat and power; waterless urinals and stormwater storage save water. This school site includes a five-acre wetland.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/news/education/html98/kent30s_20000830.html

 Sustainable Building Policy - City of Seattle
Case studies on green building, indoor air quality and associated productivity improvements, for various commercial and institutional buildings.
http://www.cityofseattle.net/light/conserve/sustainability/default.asp#cases

Montana State University's EPICenter
This national center sponsors or initiates research, testing, simulation, demonstration and evaluation studies dealing with green and sustainable design and construction. The building itself incorporated Ecologically Sensitive Building Systems, of which the following are detailed on the site.

Air and Ventilation Strategies

Chemical Strategies

Electricity Generation

Heating & Cooling

Light Strategies

Solid Waste Strategies

http://eetd.lbl.gov/news/NL3/epicenter.html

Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies - Oberlin, OH
hhttp://www.oberlin.edu/newserv/esc/MainMenuPages/MediaStories.html

Businesses for an Environmentally Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) - Austin, Texas
BEST recognizes Austin companies that have made outstanding achievements in sustainable building and operation of their businesses. Awards are given in the areas of water conservation, water quality, energy conservation, waste management and land use.
Contact: 512-505-3700

Four Times Square - New York, New York
A 49-story tower in Manhattan designed by Fox & Fowle Architects, incorporated energy conservation measures, ensured high indoor air quality, addressed waste minimization, and used "green" building materials.
http://greendesign.net/gbrc/index.html

Counterpoint Article: Four Times Square: How Green Is It?
Architectural Record, Mar 00, p 91, by Suzanne Stephens.
Discusses the inherent conflict in trying to have a green, urbanistic, architecturally striking, and comfortably functioning building in New York City. With its flashing signs gobbling up power, the question is whether the building is truly environmentally sensitive.
Go to Projects at http://www.architecturalrecord.com

Gap Inc. - California
This 191,000 square foot office building was completed in 1998 by McDonough and Partners, and has won awards for energy efficiency and environmental intelligence. It features a grass-covered, undulating roof, and maximal use of natural daylighting. Each building design decisions was considered in a thorough cost-benefit analysis.
http://www.businessandclimate.org (Click on "Case Studies" and scroll down to "Sustainable Design: 901 Cherry, Offices for Gap Inc.")

Green Demonstration Project - Bettendorf, Iowa
Recognizing the waste reducing character of green building, The Iowa Department of Natural Resources ,Waste Management Division, subsidized the construction of the Family Museum of Arts and Science. The project emphasized use of durable, recycled-content or sustainably grown materials.
Contact: Jeff Geerts, jbulman@max.state.ia.us

Green on the Grand - Canada
This building meets the requirements of Canada’s C-2000 program, consisting of four major criteria for building design: energy efficiency, minimal environmental impact, occupant health and comfort, and functional performance. Green on the Grand is recognized as a leading example of sustainable design in Canada. Features discussed.
http://www.advancedbuildings.org/_frames/fr_cs_gog.htm

Greening of the White House - Washington DC
http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp/techassist/gotwh.html

International Netherlands Group Bank - Amsterdam
Mostly daylit, highly energy efficient, and architecturally innovative building, with such features as curvilinear form, local materials, plants, artwork, and flowing water incorporated into the building in a highly integrated fashion.
http://www.rmi.org/sitepages/pid208.asp

Research Triangle Park Campus - Environmental Protection Agency
Case study in demolition and new construction of a major federal facility with office and laboratory space.
http://www.epa.gov/rtp/new-bldg/environmental/environmental.htm

Ridgehaven Green Building Demonstration Project - San Diego, California
http://www.usgbc.org/resource/index.htm

Roy Lee Walker Sustainable Elementary School - Texas
During the school year, students at this newly constructed school will study wind and solar energy, water their greenhouse plants with harvested rainwater, and watch for storms at the school's weather station. Walker's design elements include geothermal heating and cooling, recycled building materials, rainwater collection for campus irrigation and toilet flushing, and a thirty-foot windmill for power. Daylight illuminates classrooms. More information in Natural Home, Jul-Aug 00, p 13.
Contact: srmilder@shwgroup.com

Pennsylvania's Governor's Green Government Council - Case Studies
http://www.gggc.state.pa.us/building/scrob.html

Southern California Gas Company's Energy Resource Center
http://www.usgbc.org/resource/index.htm (click on "Comprehensive Case Studies")

  Manufactured Home Built Entirely from Energy Efficient Foam Core Panels - Silverton, Oregon
http://www.earthvision.net/ColdFusion/News_Page1.cfm?NewsID=11038

  The NeXt House - Post Falls, Idaho
Features state-of-the-art technologies such as: automated heating, lights and appliances, super efficient, low-e windows, geothermal heat pump system, instant water heater, air-to-heat exchanger, efficient appliances, efficient lighting, structural insulated panels, pour-in-place foam concrete block, and low-water use landscaping with solar powered landscape features.
http://www.idatech.com/media/news.html?article=13

Building America Program - U.S. Department of Energy
Building America works with members of the home building industry to produce quality homes that use up to 50% less energy without costing more to build.
http://www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/building_america/projects.shtml

En-House (short for Environmental House)
This is a green building demonstration located in Ann Arbor, Michigan at Recycle Ann Arbor's ReUse Center. The project includes deconstruction information.
http://www.recycleannarbor.org/eh/enhouse.html

Green Building at the Metro Denver Parade of Homes
This technical assistance project used the Metro Denver Parade of Homes to showcase waste reduction strategies and recycled content building materials in home construction.
http://www.builtgreen.org/media/press/010814-04.htm

Village Homes - Davis, California
A group of 240 small homes, clustered in groups of eight, surrounded by common space and connected by walkways. The subdivision was laid out for good solar exposure, and located within walking distance to a major employer. The compact, pedestrian-oriented design encourages residents to walk to meet daily needs.
http://www.rmi.org/sitepages/pid209.asp

 Lighting Design Lab - Seattle, Washington
The Lab provides lighting design solutions applied to actual projects. More than 90 case studies are featured from lighting designers.
http://www.light-link.com/resources/projects/index.html

 Seattle Center's Key Arena - Solar Panels
Three solar panel trackers, installed and supported by both Sparling Electrical Engineering and the WSU Energy program, include a total of 24 solar modules. The trackers produce up to 2000 watts of clean, reliable energy during peak sun light hours. The DC energy produced by the solar trackers is inverted to AC power using a series inverter/charger from Trace Engineering. The AC power is then fed back to the system’s financier, Seattle City Light, during peak sun hours of the day.
http://www.tracegridtie.com/readingroom/systemsinaction/sia_6.asp

  Pacific Gas Transmission Headquarters - Portland, Oregon
Project includes a number of energy saving features: wall and roof insulation are double the levels required by energy codes; the building is oriented to reduce air conditioning requirements; high-performance windows selectively transmit light and heat; water for bathrooms is pre-heated by waste heat from computer rooms; and, ice for daytime cooling requirements is made at night.
http://www.energy.state.or.us/bus/tax/pgt.htm

  Compressed Air at Sawmill/Veneer Plant - Willamette Valley
The plant optimized its compressed air systems, with the help of the SAV-AIR project sponsored by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. Before the upgrade, the compressors were run to meet peak demand at all times, resulting in an annual power bill of $175,000. Monitoring and control systems were installed, enabling the system to efficiently produce air in needed quantities. The changes reduced energy consumption by 1.3 million kilowatt-hours annually, saving $55,000 per year.
http://coordination.nwalliance.org/coordination
(Go to Projects, then SAV-AIR Master Plan)

Centre for the Analysis and Dissemination of Demonstrated Energy Technologies (CADDET)
Case Studies in Energy Efficiency
http://www.caddet-ee.org/infostore/index.php

Power Boosters: Energy Efficiency Case Studies
Commercial, Industrial and Institutional
http://solstice.crest.org/efficiency/pboosters/ohio/html/case-studies.html

Inn of the Anasazi - Santa Fe, New Mexico
This building held to historical and cultural values and incorporated green building opportunities. Designers utilized the existing steel-frame, used local and low-toxic materials, ensured good indoor air quality, used water-saving fixtures, natural daylight, and energy-efficient lighting.
http://www.rmi.org/sitepages/pid207.asp

Redefining Resort Development - Virgin Islands
http://www.enn.com/enn-features-archive/1999/11/110399/mahobay_6765.asp

Heat Islands and Trees for Cooling in Arizona
http://www.eren.doe.gov/cities_counties/coolcit.htm

As part of a research project at Carnegie Mellon Unviersity entitled: "Brownfield Development: the Implications for Urban Infrastructure", many case studies were (or are being) conducted concerning specific brownfield sites. Links provided.
http://www.ce.cmu.edu/Brownfields/