WHAT IS GREEN DESIGN?
Green design focuses on minimizing the use of resources and improving
environmental quality.
In short – conservation, comfort and health.
There are five categories for improvement:
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Sustainable Sites: This includes protection or restoration of habitat, maximizing open space and storm water run-off management.
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Water efficiency: Water efficient landscaping, water use reduction adaptive re-use of waste water are goals.
- Energy and Atmosphere: Reduction of energy use, air pollution reduction, and the use of alternate energy sources are included.
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Materials and Resources: Use of renewable material sources, local material sources and recyclable materials.
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Indoor Environmental Quality: Limiting the use of materials that produce noxious fumes, reduction of dust and dirt entering buildings, maximizing the use of daylight, providing thermal comfort.
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Innovation in Design: Improvements that provide exceptional or innovative performance.
The following is a partial list of the green design actions for the proposed new Riverhill School building (shown at the left below) designed by Hill & Jangaard Architects, P.C. :
- Implement stormwater quantity management plan
- Treat 90% of storm water runoff to remove 80% of suspended solids
- 50% of hardscape to have a combination of shade, and paving materials with Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) of 29 or more
- A minimum 75% of the roof to have a minimum SRI of 78
- Reduce potable water use for irrigation by 50% using captured rain water or recycled grey water. or use landscaping that does not require irrigation
- Reduce potable water use for sewage conveyance by 30% using water-conserving plumbing fixtures
- Optimize energy performance to exceed the minimum level of energy efficiency per ASREA/IESNA Standard 90.1 by 30%
- Classroom daylighting of a minimum of 25 foot candles
- Gym daylighting of a minimum of 25 foot candles
- Daylighting of 75% of other rooms with a minimum of 25 foot candles
- Use construction waste management to divert 50% of materials from landfills
- Use 20% of building materials with recycled content
- Use 20% of building materials from the region
- Use 2.5% of rapidly renewable materials
- Improved indoor air quality performance
- Improved acoustical performance
- Use low-emitting materials including carpets, adhesives, paints & sealants
- Thermal comfort control for 50% of individuals or groups
- Individual lighting control for 90% of individuals or groups
- Views for 90% of regularly occupied spaces
- Tornado Shelter that doubles as a student gallery