Hannah Solar has completed the largest solar array on any office building in Atlanta’s history. Partnering with Atlanta Property Group’s ten-story Peachtree 25th Building located at 1720 Peachtree Street, the two companies have equipped the first multi-tenant building in the city with a solar plant. The array consists of 684 Solar Panels covering the entire roof and is able to generate 225,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually.

The project is a joint venture that also includes the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), the U.S. Department of Energy, Georgia Power, the Public Service Commission and solar panel manufacturer, Schüco-USA.

“This was one of the most complex solar arrays to build due to the interconnection with the utility company and the custom engineered rooftop mounting system that was required,” said Hannah Solar CEO Pete Marte.

“We are committed both to reducing operating costs for our tenants and to being leaders in resource-saving innovations,” said Jonathan Rodbell, Partner with Atlanta Property Group. In addition, advised by Perkins + Will, the Peachtree 25th Building is in the process of obtaining LEED-EB certification, and anticipates receiving the designation from the US Green Building Council in 2011.

A commissioning ceremony will be held on the roof of the building at noon on Tuesday, December 21st to coincide with the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. Expected to attend, are public officials as well as executives from Georgia Power, Schüco. Georgia Public Service Commissioner Chuck Eaton will pull the power switch at noon and many school children will witness this generation’s commitment to the next generation’s energy needs.

Jay Richardson, vice president of Hannah Solar said, “holding the event on the winter solstice is a symbolic way to dispel longstanding myths regarding the commercial viability of solar power. Even on the shortest ‘solar’ day of the year, solar energy works in Georgia. Not only does the equipment work, but renewable energy creates good jobs – solar ‘works’ in Georgia.”

The solar array consists of 684 Schüco 225-watt solar modules, two ‘PV Power’ inverters and a custom engineered mounting system for securing the arrays to the roof, according to a recent energy survey. The system is considered a 150-kilowatt DC solar array and will have an output of 225,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, equivalent to the consumption of nearly 50 homes.

“This array is projected to generate more than 6.75 million kilowatt hours during its 30 year life with very little operating or maintenance expenses and without any harm to the environment,” said Pat O’Donnell, VP of Operations for Hannah Solar.

CEO Marte added, “The long-term delivery cost will be far lower than current electric rates and are essentially fixed for the life of the system, giving the Peachtree 25th Building a distinct advantage over the next 30 years. This project will also help to save up to 225,000 gallons of water annually that would normally be required to cool traditional electricity production plants.”

The Peachtree 25th Building is a 365,000-square foot office building and a notable midtown landmark in the Brookwood section of Peactree Street. “It is fitting that such a well known and highly visible building is leading the way in commercial solar application,” said Marte, who also applauded Ted Turner’s recently announced ground mounted solar array in downtown Atlanta.

As an active member of the Georgia Solar Energy Association, Pete Marte also said, “we would like to see more solar tax incentives tied to jobs, like the movie production tax credits which require no funding until after the job is complete and people have been employed.”

Atlanta Property Group was formed in 2003 to invest in multi-tenant office and industrial properties in the Atlanta area and currently controls assets totaling 1.6 million square feet.

The plan is to “Amend Atlanta’s building code so that it responds to advances in building technology to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Atlantans and to safeguard Atlanta’s long term comprehensive competitiveness.”

Chris is a licensed architect and energy efficiency professional who leads Energy Vanguard’s Design and Technical Services.

Follow Chris on Twitter: @claumergiddens

When my wife and I moved from Tampa to Atlanta in 2008, we decided to try high rise living. We were living in a 1916 bungalow, which we loved dearly, and looked forward to something fresh and new. Something that would not leak like a sieve, and that wouldn’t use so much energy. The sales team for the Midtown condo development we now live in told us what we wanted to hear, “average electric bills will be around $50 – $80 for your 900 square foot unit.” Great! Sign us up!

Bubble Burst – Last winter, we had an electric bill pushing $300…for 900 square feet!

Let me qualify one thing before I go in to what I have discovered over the last two years about this “energy hog” we call our home; My wife and I have always been conscious about the amount of energy we use, and we’re constantly reminding each other to turn the light off when we’re not using it, and I’ve tried to sell my wife the idea, “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.” (Not happening!). We also layer up in the winter to keep the thermostat down, etc. The list goes on.

It turns out, even when we set the thermostat to 78 in winter, which is already much higher than we should have to keep it, we are still layering up. It was our first winter here that we realized that there is something strange, if not wrong, about the design of this “fancy-shmancy” brand new condo, with it’s post-tensioned slabs, floor-to-ceiling double-paned windows, and a ‘state-of-the-art’ fitness room. In fact, the summer months proved to be just as bad. We topped out this past August at $167! Have I mentioned it’s only 900 square feet?

So, what’s the problem? When we asked the developer, they offered little, other than, ‘Georgia Power this and that’ and ‘The building across the street blocks the sun.’ Seriously?

Anyway, the answers were over my head and beneath me…literally! But, that’s not all. The following is what we’ve discovered, so far:

Answer A

One of the great design features of this building is all of the exposed concrete columns and ceilings. And, one of the greatest amenities is the cantilevered balcony in every unit. But, they are also both among the leading contributors to our problem. All that wonderful heat being forced in to our condo in the winter from our electric furnace (I’ll talk about that next), is being sucked right out through those concrete slabs and columns that surround us in every room (and, vice versa in the summer). Due to the nature of post tension slabs and cantilevering, thermal breaks were not an option.

Answer B

Our heating and cooling (split) system is oversized, and improperly designed, causing short-cycling and unbalanced air distribution.

• The air conditioner is a 13 seer, 3-ton system (remember, 900 s.f.), which is even too big using the ‘rule of thumb’ of 400-500 s.f./ton. Based on the load calculation and rating I’ve done, it’s over-sized by at least 1.5-tons. (REM/Rate calculated a required cooling load of 11,700 btu/h.)
• The heat is entirely supplied by an 8kw strip heater! Yes, it’s 100% efficient, but that’s not very good for electric heat.
• The static pressure levels and inadequate duct layout cause some rooms to feel as much as 5-8 degrees cooler or warmer than the room with the thermostat.

Answer C

The “wall of glass” on the west side of the condo is an aluminum storefront system with reflective, double-pane glazing. Despite its reflective properties, the glazing allows an unusual amount of heat than expected during the summer months. I’d like to say that this helps in the winter, being west facing, but nope! Like with many things during the construction of the building, the developer cut corners. The glazing has a poor U-Value and SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient), and the storefront system they chose came without thermal breaks in the metal frames. This is most apparent in the winter, when the mullions are literally too cold to touch. (I dare you to stick your tongue to it! I triple-dog dare you!)

Solutions?

1. Concrete Slab. Apply a few band-aids to the thermal bridging problem by adding rigid foam insulation to the floor, ceiling, and columns. Although we would lose the ‘exposed’ design feature, we might gain a little more efficiency and comfort.
2. Concrete Slab. Cut the balconies off (impossible) and add a thermal break before reattaching the balconies with concrete or metal columns running the full height of the building. (That’s attractive!). To be completely effective with this logic, though, we would need to insulate the rest of the slab edge (where there isn’t a balcony), which is covered with a continuous aluminum trim to hide the exposed edge. (Piece of cake, right?).
3. Storefront. Replace all storefront windows in the building with a system that has a thermal break (typically neoprene) within the frame, and better performing glazing. (Yeah, cheap fix.)
4. Heating and Cooling. Replace the existing split A/C system with a right-sized, somewhat higher efficiency (14 or 15 SEER) air source heat pump system (with variable speed), along with right-sized ductwork and new layout. Now we’re talking.
5. OR…the developer’s design team could have designed the building with energy efficiency in mind. Even the slightest bit of effort could have saved a lot!

The case for energy efficient design

The payback for the upgrade of our HVAC system would be approximately 3-5 years, and we will most likely end up doing this. But, fixing the problems is not the point of this article. How to avoid inefficiencies and sucking energy is.

The fundamental flaws are in the design and construction approach of the building.

As many of us do, I fully appreciate beautiful buildings, and that sacrifices are sometimes made to achieve beauty over performance. But, there are a great number of high performance buildings that are just as amazing as any other structure out there. In fact, some of the more notable high performance buildings (homes included) have used energy efficient features successfully as design features.

In addition to energy efficiency, property owners may also need to boost their fire safety protocols by hiring Fire Watch Guards in San Francisco.

It takes thought. That’s all.

Cincinnati Schools’ Pleasant Ridge Elementary School will be the first LEED School in Cincinnati Schools upon its completion. The LEED Green Building Rating System was devised by the U.S. Green Building Council which has helped Cincinnati Schools write its new building plans and codes. The article refers to the work of Ginny Frazier as one of the major influences on the Pleasant Ridge Elementary School project. A private citizen who lives in the area, Frazier is the head of a local group that advocates environmentally friendly building. She went to the Cincinnati Schools authorities and administrators with proposals on how the school in her neighborhood could be rebuilt using green materials and environmentally friendly tactics. Some of the ideas she proposed included according to the article, geothermal heating so the new building uses the earth’s temperature for cooling and heating, using natural building materials, noxious-free cleaning products and art supplies, as well as natural water filtration systems.”

The article discusses the five key areas in which the Cincinnati Schools Pleasant Ridge Elementary School project uses innovative techniques or old-fashioned common sense to improve the building design. The Cincinnati Schools Pleasant Ridge Elementary School project will improve the lighting of the schools in several ways. The lights will feature sensors that will automatically turn off lights in unoccupied rooms. Currently Cincinnati’s City Hall is using a similar system that has greatly reduced energy costs. The Cincinnati Schools Pleasant Ridge Elementary School will also have photovoltaic panels, which convert solar energy into electricity. Saving energy with heating and cooling systems is also a concern. All the new and renovated Cincinnati Schools will have central air systems. The article states that, Air conditioned classrooms prevent pollution from outside, and in the end, help asthmatic children breathe easier, he says. And moisture from hot, humid days can also cause ceiling pads to buckle or gym floors to sag.

Another area the article talks about is indoor air pollution. Cincinnati Schools’ Pleasant Ridge Elementary School project is using less carpet in the design in order to help reduce pollutants indoors. Plans for reducing the amount of water use in the Cincinnati Schools would also be based on sensors that detect movement around sinks and toilets. The article comments on the concerns that the Cincinnati Schools’ Pleasant Ridge Elementary School project has in this area. The main concern is in using faucets that have an automatic shut off system or a push button system.

“Green Building” is a broad term used to describe the design and construction of sustainable and environmentally conscious buildings.

The driving force behind this is to lower our negative impact on the environment and, at the same time, make the buildings we live and work in safer and healthier for us.

According to the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) statistics, buildings are responsible for all of the following:

39% of US carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
70% of US electricity consumption
15 trillion gallons of water consumption

Even though there is still some controversy over the effect of greenhouse gases on the environment, the last two statistics are very important for those of us living in urban areas experiencing continuous growth, especially the American Southwest. With our population expansion, aging water and electrical infrastructure, and shrinking landfills, designing and constructing green and sustainable buildings makes practical sense from a utilitarian perspective.

In fact, USGBC data shows that green buildings use 36% less energy, require fewer raw materials, and divert less waste to our landfills. Furthermore, the “increased” cost of green building is only one or two percent more expensive than a conventional building. This minute difference exemplifies the tangible and long-term benefits of sustainable design, primarily due to the fact that green buildings conserve water and electricity. Thus, while they are more expensive to build, green structures will save money by conserving more energy over time.

Another push towards the green build movement is by local governments. More and more municipalities are adopting the USGBC LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) guidelines for new and renovated buildings. In 2006, at the USGBC Greenbuild expo, the Mayor of Denver challenged other major cities to see who can have the most LEED® certified green buildings. They are accomplishing this by offering tax breaks to private corporations and mandating sustainable construction for city-financed projects.

This has led to a dramatic increase in the number of sustainable projects built by rel=nofollow [http://www.a-p.com/service/green-building/]LEED® Certified general contractors. However, this growth has not come without challenges. Currently, the following issues are restricting the number of green projects being built:

Increased demand for green products has lead to long lead times
New and unspecified materials are labeled “green” products which are not necessarily certified
Building officials are struggling with a steep learning curve on how to evaluate these new products and sustainable building techniques

Despite these difficulties, the USGBC, sustainability advocates, and rel=nofollow [http://www.a-p.com/]green building construction management firms are meeting to overcome these challenges.

The LEED® process is constantly under review and continues to adopt the latest codes and products. This includes Standard 189, a new minimum standard for green building. The USGBC is currently developing LEED® 3.0 and working with national code writers to include new products and techniques.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has even rolled out a new initiative called “Sustainability 2030,” which at its roots, is looking to design all buildings by the year 2030 as carbon neutral. The USGBC has even initiated the Green Advantage Builders Certification for contractors to certify their knowledge in green building techniques.

So what does green building mean at the end of the day? It’s simple yet profound: Do the right thing for you, the environment, and the next generation. While most companies are concerned with their bottom line, they ought to embrace the idea that energy and water conservation, green building, and the use of “green materials” in construction stands to increase their savings over time while positioning them as a leader in environmental stewardship.

According to the USGBC, we spend 90% of our time indoors. Due to this fact, scientists have identified an increase in allergies, asthma, absenteeism from school, and even work. There have been numerous studies done on post occupancy productivity levels, which have increased within “green” built facilities. Not only does green adaptation result in less sick days taken, but also shows an increase in productivity, job
satisfaction, and in the case of schools, better grades.

So, as we positively affect the environment around us with sustainable green construction, we eventually create better health for ourselves.

Interested in learning more about the green building trend? A good place to start is the [http://www.usgbc.org/]USGBC website or the Adolfson & Peterson library of [http://www.a-p.com/insights/]resources on green construction management.

Matthew Hancock is a LEED® accredited professional, a Green Advantage Certified Builder and a member of the Dallas chapter of the USGBC. He is a project manager for the Dallas office of Adolfson and Peterson Construction and a proponent of the sustainable and green building movements.

Adolfson & Peterson Construction is a 61-year-old company with offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Denver, Colorado; Phoenix, Arizona; and Dallas, Texas. A&P provides construction management, design/build, general contracting, LEED® construction capability, Green Advantage® certified personnel, facilities maintenance, and building information modeling for public and private clients.

Article Source: Trends in Green Building and Sustainable Construction