creating sustainable communities

Applying lessons from success stories

Center For Community DesignLunch Forum SeriesWed. February 9 2011

Perry Spring, CEMS, LEED APEcologist, Energy Management Specialist

Clallam County Shared Resource Conservation Manager

Highlights of today’s forum� Regenerative Urban development

� Community Energy as an organizing technology

� Civic Engagement tools & processes

Community-scale planning & design� Community-scale planning & design

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A bit about myself� Sense of Place

� My 4 Grandparents instill passion for Pacific NW� 4 great grandparents, 4 grandparents, & dad buried in Seattle

� 21 years as a citizen activist on the Olympic Peninsula� Underlying motivations

� Re-create the human – nature connection� Establish balance ecology, economy, and social equity

� Transformative moments� Transformative moments� 1970 Earth Day – cleanup Kelsey Creek in So. Bellevue

� 1979 Ecology research study - Nutrient cycles of Quinault Rain Forest

� 1984 Passive Solar Building Design Startup of Energy Service Dept.

� 1988 Thanksgiving on Olympic Peninsula my home as of 1990

� 1991 Employee-Owner of energy services producer co-op

� 2005 Stewardship Mgr. of estuary & riparian lands in Grays Harbor co

� 2009 LEED AP 10 week course through Rushing – Blackbird Company

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Clallam Co. Shared Resource Conservation Management program:

Focusing on facility utilities 0 f 5 Partner Agencies

Olympic Medical Ctr * City of Sequim * Clallam Co * City of PA* Clallam Transit

RCM is a tool to control operating costs of our facilities

1. Generate Utility $avings through efficiency1. Generate Utility $avings through efficiency

2. Improve the workplace for building occupants

3. Enhance operational environmental stewardship

“I help teams of great people create long-term solutions”

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-Perry Spring, Shared RCM

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FRAMEWORKS � Design Process - Biomimicry

� Materials & Products – Cradle to Cradle

� Built Environment –� 203o Challenge

� Integrative Design Process – Regenerative Systems

� LEED – Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design� LEED – Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design

� LEED for Neighborhood Development

� The Living Building Challenge

� Organizations – The Natural Step

� Civic Engagement – Civic Ecology

� Biophilic Communities

� Eco-Districts – Integration & Innovations for cities


�DEFINITION: (bios = life + mimesis = imitate) a new discipline that studies nature's


�DEFINITION: (bios = life + mimesis = imitate) a new discipline that studies nature's best ideas & then imitates these designs & processes to solve human problems.

�1997 book by Scientist & Author Janine Benyus “Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by nature”

� 2005 The Biomimicry Institute established as a not-for-profit to:oDeveloping educational programs for: students, professionals, internationally.

oCreate public policies that use biomimicry as a solution to sustainability challenges.

oEncourage companies profiting from biomimicry to financial support biodiversity

Creating Sustainable Communities Feb 9 '11 C4CD Forum

www.biomimicryinstitute.org

Biomimicry success story

Portland EcoDistrict Initiative

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Erin Leitch of Brightworks leads design challenge:using Fungi to Reimagine Sustainable Neighborhoods

Creating Sustainable Communities Feb 8 '11 C4CD ForumCreating Sustainable Communities Feb 9 '11 C4CD Forum

Cradle-to-Cradle� Establish nutrient pathways for ingredients, materials &

products

� Rematerialize biological nutrients

� Establish Preference Lists for chemicals & materials

� Design for assembly and disassembly

� Establish new supply chain partnerships


Cradle to Cradle� “Biomimetric” approach to the design of systems

� 1970 term coined by Walter R Stahel, Swiss Architect influential in field of sustainability. His work directly contributed to “Regenerative Systems Design”

� 2002 “Cradle to Cradle: remaking the Way We Make” book by US Architect William McDonough & German book by US Architect William McDonough & German Chemist Michael Braugart – now consulting firm MBDC

� A manifesto which postulates that reduce-reuse-recycle perpetuates the cradle-to-grave strategy – downcycling

� Upcycling is the new manufacturing paradym by which to evaluate materials

� C-t-C is goal driven, while Life Cycle Assessment is tool-driven

� MBDC has tranferred to C-t-C Certification to a non-profit -GBII


www.gpinnovation.org http://epea-hamburg.org/index.php?id=69http://epea-hamburg.org/index.php?id=69

Cradle-to-Cradle Success Story:Terry Thomas Building & Kawneer Aluminum

This innovative commercial building in So Lake Union area of Seattle was constructed featured Kawneer Aluminum storefronts and entrances & was constructed without an HVAC system!

� Terry Thomas building designed and occupied by Weber � Terry Thomas building designed and occupied by Weber Thompson received a 2009 American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Winner

� “95% of aluminum in buildings is recycled today, and aluminum building products can be repeatedly recycled into similar products with no loss of quality” – Alcoa


www.weberthompson.com/terry-thomas-commercial.html


2030 Challenge

� 1979 – US Architect Ed Mazria wrote The Passive Solar Energy Book – a primer used worldwide to this day

� 2003 began work to publicize the “Building Sector” as the leading Greenhouse Gas emitter in US and globallyleading Greenhouse Gas emitter in US and globally

� Through articles and speaking events, helped reshaped the national & international dialogue on climate change to incorporate buildings and building design

� Able to get both Architect Institute of America, and the US Conference of Mayors to adopt the 2030 Challenge


Building # 1 Sector for Energy Use


2030 Challenge� Agreement between building design professionals to

create greater numbers of buildings that use:

� substantially less energy,

� reduce greenhouse gas emissions,

� and create spaces that are healthy and comfortable.

� Ultimate Goal: Net Zero Energy & Net Zero Water


http://www.architecture2030.org/2030_challenge/the_2030_challenge

Reducing Energy Load Demand


2030 Challenge success story:

Zero Energy Idea House in Bellevue


www.zeroenergyideahouse.com


Distributed Energy -

catalyst for community sustainability


Snohomish County, WA


Distributed Energy success story:

Snohomish Basin Biogas Partnership

� April 2nd, 2003 – 5 partners establish entity

� Tulalip Tribes

� WA State Dairy Federation

� NW Chinook Recovery� NW Chinook Recovery

� Lower Skykomish River Habit Conservation Group

23Qualco Bio-energy: green power through partnership

GENERAL LAYOUT OF DIGESTER-TYPE BIOFUEL FACILITY

Qualco Bio-energy: green power through partnership 24

25Qualco Bio-energy: green power through partnership

Bedding

Agriculture & GardeningElectricity Customers

www.qualcoenergy.com

� District energy systems distribute heat generated in a centralized location for

commercial / residential space heating, adsorption cooling & hot water

� Heat energy from a district energy system is distributed through underground

insulated pipes that connect to buildings.

� District energy systems eliminate the need for a boiler or furnace in each

individual building and can provide higher efficiencies and better pollution control

District Energy Systems & Community Sustainability

individual building and can provide higher efficiencies and better pollution control

than localized equipment.

� Beyond fossil fuels traditionally used for heat production, district energy

systems are adaptable to a wide variety of clean energy sources including geo-

exchange, solar, waste heat recovery, and biogas.

Source: Millennium Water: Southeast False Creek Olympic Village, Vancouver BC (SEFC) 2009www.thechallengeseries.ca/chapter-05/neighbourhood-energy-utility/

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Victoria, BC15 Acres

Victoria, BC


District Energy at Dockside Green


http://www.docksidegreen.com/sustainability/overview/overview.html

District Net Zero Water

@ Dockside Green


LEED

Neighborhood

Development


www.usgbc.org/leed/nd/

31Living Grid Designs: MUD micro-grid in the SLU LEED ND frameworkCreating Sustainable Communities Feb 9 '11 C4CD Forum

www.usgbc.org/leed/nd/www.weberthompson.com/pressreleases/prsluleedndbrief.html\

Integrative Design Process


http://www.integrativedesign.net/integrative.htm

Regenerative Systems as Ideal


Bill Reed of the Seven Group


Whole Building Approach - synergy


Living Building Challenge� Underlying principle is that all development projects

should use nature as the ultimate measurement stick for performancefor performance

� Decisions steered by regenerative principles rather than code minimums or performance standards

� LBC is a framework for project and community design

� Complements rather than competes with LEED


Eight imperatives petals of LBC

v2.0


www.ILBI.org


Community Infrastructure

in EcoDistricts

Compost & High Value

Geo-exchange

BiomassGas & Electric

Renewables

District Cool / Heat System Waste to Energy

Biofuels


Disposal

Waste Water

Treatment Plant

Reservoir

Water & Waste Water System

Water Treatment

Plant

High Value Fertilizer

BiosolidsBiosolids

Boulevards ParksGolf

Courses

Reuse Water

Sewer Heat Recovery


Integrative Design @ District Scale


Olympic Peninsula success story:

Northwest Maritime Center� Civic Engagement: community-based planning process more 10 years

� two buildings compatible with historic structures in Port Townsend’s National Landmark Historic District,

� Renewable Materials: 2 buildings, constructed of over 60% of FSC certified wood, occupy a prime location at the end of Water Street, at the transition wood, occupy a prime location at the end of Water Street, at the transition between the old brick buildings of the late 18090′s and the adjacent Coast Guard clapboard buildings at the Point Hudson Marina, which were constructed in the 1930′s.”

� Brownfield Redevelopment: In the development of the site, a former bulk oil terminal for more than 80 years, more than 2,400 tons of contaminated soil were removed and properly disposed of.

� Site Sustainability: 8,000 shoots of new eel grass were planted on site thanks to students and other volunteers who assisted divers and scientists in this restorative process.


www.nwmaritime.org

Northwest Maritime Center


NEXT STEPS: Educational events� EcoDistrict Summit – Oct 25-27, 2010

� www.ecodistrictsummit.com

� Civic Ecology workshop @ Damascus OR Feb 12� http://www.oregonlive.com/happy-valley/index.ssf/2011/01/damascus_to_host_civic_ecology_workshop_feb_12.html� http://www.oregonlive.com/happy-valley/index.ssf/2011/01/damascus_to_host_civic_ecology_workshop_feb_12.html

� Living Futures 2011 –� Our Children’s Cities: Visualizing a Restorative Civilization

� April 27 - 29, 2011 Vancouver, British Columbia

� Cascadia Green Bldg Council’s

� Annual Un-conference for Deep Green Professionals

http://cascadiagbc.org/living-future/11

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Center for Community DesignCenter for Community DesignThe Landing Mall, Suite 213

115 E. Railroad Ave,

Port Angeles, WA 98362

www.CenterForCommunityDesign.org
