Holden Public Safety Facility June, 2008
Sustainable Design Strategies
Sustainable design is more important consideration for a Public Safety Facilities than for many other facilities. Consideration of these strategies should be an integral part of the design process. Holden has chosen to focus on practical and efficient strategies that can produce tangible positive impact on the quality and durability of the project and an effective return on investment. The project team will evaluate and incorporate design ideas to reach this goal. We have used the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED checklist as a guide for consideration of these ideas, and have evaluated individual items based on their appropriateness and cost-effectiveness for this facility. Some of these ideas include the following:
· Reducing and slowing storm runoff through the use of pervious pavement and water recharge.
· Using a light colored roofing to reflect sunlight and reduce heat gain.
· Reducing light pollution and energy use by using low-impact LED fixtures for lighting the site.
· Planning landscaping with native species that require little or no artificial irrigation.
· Designing a building envelope (walls, roof) that exceeds the performance requirements of the MA Energy Code.
· Providing airlock vestibules at major entrances.
· Reducing projected water use for the facility by 20% below normal.
· Reducing the amount of foreign material tracked into the facility through the strategic placement of walk-off mats that allow easy trapping and removal of debris.
· Optimizing energy efficiency - surpassing MA Energy Code requirements by more than 20%.
· Reducing construction waste through separation (and potential reuse) of materials.
· Specifying materials with some recycled content.
· Monitoring outdoor air delivery.
· Developing an Indoor Air Quality management program for the construction period and beyond.
· Using variable frequency drives and condensing boilers for HVAC equipment where practical.
· Monitoring CO2 in assembly spaces to control HVAC system.
· Specifying adhesives, paints, carpets and wood byproducts with low volatile organic compound (VOC) content.
· Providing localized control of lighting, heating and cooling.
· Maximizing day lighting of habitable spaces (workspaces)
These design strategies represent a considerable portion of the opportunities for green design identified on the LEED checklist. Additional strategies currently being considered are:
· Developing the design of the apparatus bay to facilitate natural ventilation of this large volume space. Provide skylights with shading for natural daylight illumination.
· Developing a Geothermal heating and cooling source. There is proven potential for this kind of system in the area.
· Providing a roof-mounted photovoltaic array capable of producing some of the electrical power required to operate the facility. Normally grants are available for this work, however the Town of Holden does not contribute the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative which funds the grants.
· Providing energy-efficient mechanical hand dryers instead of paper towels for public toilets
Some of these strategies may require additional investment and further design or analysis would be required to determine exact payback periods.
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