Green Buildings
GREEN BUILDING
Community and Economic Development: Thriving and Prosperous Urban Environments
The City of Denver aims to cultivate a thriving local environment that stimulates balanced growth through job creation, business assistance, development of a skilled workforce, neighborhood redevelopment and housing options.
This growth cannot come at the expense of the needs of future residents, however. Being a sustainable city means that members of our community are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential today without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same
A city that does not consider how its actions will affect future residents is one that will certainly perish, but a city that adopts sustainable practices builds a foundation for a stronger economy today and retains a long-term advantage.
Creating new jobs in new markets is a key economic factor to being a competitive city. New technologies are now making integrated approaches to sustainable development economically viable. Investing in green industries will lead to economic growth while at the same time reducing pressures on the environment and introducing new employment and training opportunities.
Through Greenprint Denver, a growing network of businesses, universities, nonprofits and government agencies is forming to assist one another with strategies to pursue a regional interest in sustainable development, to explore increased opportunities within the community, and to identify opportunities in national and international markets where green businesses are emerging as the new standard.
Constructing green-built facilities and housing is an ideal way to realize lasting economic benefits. Green details can produce savings for property owners and tenants alike. By emphasizing cleaner air, natural light and other amenities, green buildings can cut tenant or employee turnover and absenteeism, and reduce overhead costs for heating, cooling, electricity and lighting.
Green buildings can command the highest market sale and rent prices, although this means that they are often out of reach of low income residents. Therefore, the city is developing energy efficiency standards and incentives for new affordable housing, and, through a partnership with Xcel Energy, including permanent efficiency upgrades as part of its LEAP program to assist low income residents with energy bills.
Facilitating the growth of green industry is a wise choice for our community, and Greenprint Denver is the roadmap to follow as we build a sustainable city that promises a healthy, culturally vibrant community with economic opportunity for everyone – now, and in the future.
City Buildings Going Green in Denver
The City of Denver’s Sustainability Committee meets twice a month to review projects for compliance with Greenprint Denver and X0123. Project managers continue to identify innovations and opportunities to incorporate sustainability. As the City leads by example, the list of milestones continue to grow. A few of them listed here:
New Construction
The Green Valley Ranch Library: The 26,000 sq. ft structure will use an under-floor air distribution system along with evaporative cooling and a “sensible energy recovery wheel” to condition outdoor airepresents 67% in energy use savings and 64% in energy cost savings over standard construction practices.
City Park East Restroom: Using on-site renewable energy and passive mechanical strategies, the City’s first net-zero building has been completed.r without mechanical refrideration. The projected annual energy savings is over $41,000 which
Renovations
Two City libraries have reopened after several months of renovations.
Cherry Creek Branch upgrades include: highly efficient condensing boilers, high efficiency lighting, improved building automation system, on-demand water heaters, low-flow fixtures.
Montbello Branch upgrades include: Seven Coolerado units, new insulated skylights, high efficiency lighting, low-flow fixtures, new building automation system.
Green Roofs
What is a Green Roof?
Green roofs are defined as contained, living system on a structure with growing media and plants taking the place of bare membrane, gravel ballast, shingles or tiles. Green roofs have been used in Europe for decades. Thanks to research underway by the Denver Botanic Gardens, Colorado State University, and other dedicated professional and trade groups, a range of plant species have been tested that can thrive in our semi-arid climate.
In addition to the beauty and psychological benefits that living systems create, green roofs have the ability to reduce our urban heat island effect, through evapotranspiration and simply by covering a roof with a less absorptive surface. But that’s not all. Green roofs also: capture and clean storm runoff, increase ecological biodiversity, improve air quality, increase roof insulation, moderate roof temperatures and prolong roof life, and create green jobs.
A few examples of green roofs, many which are easily viewable, can be found at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency building, Denver Botanic Gardens, REI Flagship store downtown (look on top of the parking structure), Denver Central Library and the Museum of Modern Art.
For more information visit http://www.greenroofs.org/
Denver Justice Center:
The Denver Justice Center, in the heart of downtown Denver, was constructed on a previously developed site that revitalizes these blocks and anchors the entrance to Civic Center under the vision of the Civic Center District Plan and the Master Urban Design Framework Plan for the Justice Center Campus. This vision for a vibrant urban setting was the foundation for sustainable design.
Each of the three buildings, Courthouse, Detention Center, Post Office and Parking Garage, as well as the site, meet the requirements to be LEED Certified by the US Green Building Council. LEED demonstrates the elements of Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and additional Innovation and Design features. The Post Office has already earned a LEED Silver rating, while the other two are pursuing their certification.
Denver Justice Center – Detention Center is designed to serve pre-sentenced inmates taken into custody by the courts. Built on a brownfield site, the Detention Center incorporates features of sustainability and is pursuing a Silver certification. The Denver Justice Center – Courthouse integrates the sustainable features into its design and building systems thereby conveying the essence of green building to those whose experience the building. The Courthouse is pursuing a LEED Gold rating.
The three buildings, along with the surrounding Plaza, facilitate easy public access to the services they house. This provides numerous opportunities for public transportation and bike riding for staff and visitors, and also connects the surrounding community and the Golden Triangle. The very concept of the Justice Center three-building complex reduced the land required and heat island effect by incorporating a parking structure, and parking under the Courthouse. The roof materials further reduce the heat island effect with the use of a light color and two vegetated “green” roof areas on the Courthouse roof. Storm water is treated to a high quality before it is released into the storm sewer system.
Water Efficiency
One of the design concepts for the landscape was to primarily use native and/or adapted plant species and plant material with low to very low water requirements. Native and adapted plants require less fertilizer and pesticides, and reduce water quality degradation and other environmental impacts. There are also at least 50% reduced water costs associated with the project due to the overall reduction in potable water usage for landscaping. The Detention Center saves more than 20% and the Courthouse saves more than 40 in water use by selecting water efficient fixtures for sinks, water closets, and showers.
Construction Waste Recycling
Both Courthouse and Detention Center projects divert at least 50% of the construction waste from the landfill. This includes construction, demolition, and land-clearing debris such as concrete, glass, gypsum wall-board and also packaging of new materials such as cardboard.
Energy Efficiency
The Detention Center saves 14.5% on energy bills by using: • efficient lighting systems and lighting control • variable speed systems • pre-heating domestic hot water with steam condensate • high thermal mass • destratification fans in day rooms to reduce heating energy
Indoor Environmental Quality
The following sustainable IEQ strategies were utilized:
• Many VOCs that are highly toxic and contribute to poor indoor air quality are eliminated in the buildings with the use of low-emitting products. The buildings use low-VOC paints, coatings, adhesives, sealants, and carpet systems, as well as urea-formaldehyde free composite wood and agrifiber products, in order to reduce off-gassing and overall VOC levels in the air. • The construction team implemented a Construction IAQ Management Plan to minimize potential problems resulting from contamination during construction. • The construction team also carried out a building flush-out to clean the air from any remaining contaminants. In addition, the acoustic performance of the Courtrooms was fine tuned. • Lighting and thermal controls are provided to provide controllability to the occupants of the building. • Both the buildings create and intend to maintain high thermal comfort conditions for the employees, visitors, judges and detainees making it comfortable to be inside the building. Their comfort will be verified by a survey and fine-tuning process during the first year of occupancy.
Operations
The sustainable education program aims to educate employees and occupants on the benefits of green building, and also provides designers and contractors with a role model for green buildings. This is accomplished by documenting the sustainable features in a case study and website for access to the general public as a model for future sustainable buildings. Additionally, the City and County of Denver implements a wide range of Sustainable Operations and Maintenance policies to verify that both the buildings maintain the sustainability elements and reduces exposure of building occupants to contaminants that adversely impact the indoor environment. For example,, both of the buildings minimize the contribution to landfills through the occupant recycling of paper, metals, cardboard, plastic, and glass.
Community and Economic Development: Thriving and Prosperous Urban Environments
The City of Denver aims to cultivate a thriving local environment that stimulates balanced growth through job creation, business assistance, development of a skilled workforce, neighborhood redevelopment and housing options.
This growth cannot come at the expense of the needs of future residents, however. Being a sustainable city means that members of our community are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential today without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same.
A city that does not consider how its actions will affect future residents is one that will certainly perish, but a city that adopts sustainable practices builds a foundation for a stronger economy today and retains a long-term advantage.
Creating new jobs in new markets is a key economic factor to being a competitive city. New technologies are now making integrated approaches to sustainable development economically viable. Investing in green industries will lead to economic growth while at the same time reducing pressures on the environment and introducing new employment and training opportunities.
Through Greenprint Denver, a growing network of businesses, universities, nonprofits and government agencies is forming to assist one another with strategies to pursue a regional interest in sustainable development, to explore increased opportunities within the community, and to identify opportunities in national and international markets where green businesses are emerging as the new standard.
Constructing green-built facilities and housing is an ideal way to realize lasting economic benefits. Green details can produce savings for property owners and tenants alike. By emphasizing cleaner air, natural light and other amenities, green buildings can cut tenant or employee turnover and absenteeism, and reduce overhead costs for heating, cooling, electricity and lighting.
Green buildings can command the highest market sale and rent prices, although this means that they are often out of reach of low income residents. Therefore, the city is developing energy efficiency standards and incentives for new affordable housing, and, through a partnership with Xcel Energy, including permanent efficiency upgrades as part of its LEAP program to assist low income residents with energy bills.
Facilitating the growth of green industry is a wise choice for our community, and Greenprint Denver is the roadmap to follow as we build a sustainable city that promises a healthy, culturally vibrant community with economic opportunity for everyone – now, and in the future.
