evelyn pease tyner interpretive center designed by wight ... · evelyn pease tyner interpretive...

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Evelyn Pease Tyner Interpretive CenterSet amidst 32.5 acres of pristine prairie, the Evelyn Pease Tyner Interpretive Center, which opened on April 14, 2007, serves as both gateway and guide to the Air Station Prairie. It’s also an example of how man made structures can harmonize with the environment.

The 3,000 square-foot Tyner Center educates visitors about the history and ecology of the local Illinois prairie ecosystem, while also serving as a showcase for the cutting edge of green building technology and techniques.

The first thing you may notice about the center as you walk up the front stairs is that many of the exhibits are on the outside of the building. This not only showcases the surrounding prairie, but also provides a smaller interior footprint to heat and cool. What you may not notice right away is the reason for the front stairs: the building is perched atop a set of stilts. This allows rainwater to flow beneath the building, which helps maintain the natural drainage patterns of the area.

But perhaps the most noticeable feature of the Tyner Center is what you might call the “ultimate” green roof. The natural prairie grasses that surround the building cover two-thirds of its roof as well. This intensive green roof and the over six inches of soil below it soak up rainwater and insulate the building’s interior from the elements. Because of the green roof and the use of Rhino Linings® spray polyurethane foam to seal and insulate the building envelope, on many hot summer days, the only cooling system needed is a few open windows. When additional heating and cooling are necessary, the Tyner Center utilizes a geothermal system that circulates water through 200 feet of pipes underground, where the temperature stays a constant 50 degrees year-round.

The other third of the roof contains 490 photovoltaic tiles which provide the building with up to 1800 kilowatt-hours of electricity every month.Taking into account the sensor-controlled high-efficiency lighting system, natural light from the large windows, and the geothermal temperature system, that’s often more power than the building consumes.

In May 2007, it became the first new building in the Chicago area to achieve LEED® Platinum certification.

Designed by Wight & Company, Darien, IL

www.rhinolinings.com/spf | 877.358.1320

Spray Polyurethane Insulation, Roofing and Sealant Products

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Heifer InternationalHeifer International is a unique organization based in Little Rock, Arkansas, with the mission of ending hunger around the world and caring for the Earth. With a mission statement like that, you’d expect a world headquarters building that is beyond ordinary and that’s exactly what they created.

Heifer International’s four-story, semi-circular, office building, is part of a four-phase master plan. The architecture was designed to expand environmental stewardship into the public realm while serving as a beacon of hope. Constructed on one the largest Brownfield recoveries in Arkansas, it is located next to the Clinton Presidential Library and is within walking distance of busses, a new light-rail system and a pedestrian entertainment district.

A restored wetland that wraps around three sides of the building collects stormwater for reuse as irrigation water. Rainwater collected from the roof is stored in a five-story water tower wrapped with a fire stair. Graywater collected from sinks and drinking fountains, condensation from outside air units, and rainwater from the water tower are reused in the toilets and cooling tower. Moisture removed from the building as condensation is reused to cool the building. Waterless urinals and low-flow toilets and lavatories further reduce potable water use.

The narrow, semicircular floor plan provides daylight and views for all employees. The majority of open offices in the building offer river views and northern light, and all major gathering spaces access the exterior: five balconies on each floor, designed as outdoor conference rooms, hang over the wetland and act as sunscreens.

The building was designed to use up to 55% less energy than a conventional office building and to last for at least 100 years. Materials for the building, including Rhino Linings® spray polyurethane foam, were selected for their durability, maintainability, low toxicity, recycled or renewable content and regional availability.

This project earned U.S. Green Building Council LEED-NC, v.2/v.2.1--Level: Platinum (52 points) certification. It was chosen as an AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Green Project for 2007. In 2008, the Heifer International Headquarters building was named a National AIA Honor Award Winner.

“It’s important that what we profess and what we do are in agreement,” said Gerald Cound, facilities director for Heifer International. “(With this building), we are assured that we can tell our story with integrity, and that we are taking a leadership role in this important movement to decrease our footprint on the earth.”



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Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature CenterShangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is closer to nature than you can imagine. The facility, which includes 250 acres of pre- served wetlands and prairielands in Orange, Texas, just outside of Austin, is not only an oasis for wildlife but also an example of green building. Shangri La was completed in February 2008 and received the first LEED-NC Platinum certification in Texas. The center includes 12 buildings on lush acreage that boasts more than 300 species of plants and a variety of birds. The garden facilities include an orientation center, lab and exhibit buildings, outdoor classrooms and boat dock to accommodate its visitors. The mission of Shangri La is to mentor children of all ages to be kind to their world.The project designers worked to include products and building practices that kept that mission in mind. Rhino Linings® spray foam was chosen to be part of Shangri La, because the insulation supported the vision of the facility and helped bring the “green” aspects of the garden inside. As one of the most earth-friendly projects in the world, Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center offers a glimpse of how people can live in harmony with nature. The combination of gardens and nature at Shangri La presents a serene oasis for retreat and renewal, as well as the opportunity to explore, discover and learn.Shangri La’s grounds and structures utilize many green design strategies. The overall buildings’ architecture and the efficiency of its equipment and lighting reduce energy cost by 70%. The proper orientation of the buildings for passive solar heating and cooling, optimized overhangs, spray foam insulation in the walls and ceilings, and window placement all contribute to the energy savings. In addition, the facilities have a closed-loop, geothermal heating and cooling system which pumps water from an 800-foot-deep well, allowing Shangri La to take advantage of the consistent temperatures deep within the earth.The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) have selected Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center as one of the world’s top 10 projects exhibiting sustainable architecture and green design solutions.



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Southern California Gas Company Advanced Homes Case StudyVision Development built a two-story home in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles as part of the Advanced Homes Case Study Program with the Southern California Gas Company.

The program provides incentives for houses that exceed California’s Title 24 by at least 15%. Under the program, recommendations that are implemented qualify for monetary rewards up to a $10,000 cap. In exchange, the gas company uses the projects as educational case studies with written materials and home tours.

Project managers of the Studio City home went the extra mile to select sustainable products and measures that further improve the durability, energy efficiency, air quality and thermal comfort of this home, and Rhino Linings® spray polyurethane foam contributes in each of these areas.

“This home is 64% above compliance levels for California’s Title 24 in large part due to the higher R-value and lower infiltration rate from using the spray foam insulation products,” said Marty Meisler, project manager.

The 2,400 square foot, four-bedroom home is only 20 feet wide, and it is LEED Platinum certified. The house was designed and oriented to maximize passive solar gain, cross ventilation, stack cooling and natural daylighting and features sustainable products that contribute to the overall comfort as well as efficiencies throughout. With all the passive measures, it was critical to the designer to use a quality insulation that properly seals the building envelope as tightly as possible.

The combination of energy-efficient design and product choices also allowed the builders to reduce the size of the HVAC system from 5 tons to 2.5 tons. Rhino Linings spray foam insulation products contributed to the following LEED credits for this project: • EA 1.2 Expectional Energy Performance - In this case the structure is 65% over Title 24 requirements. • MR 2.2 Environmentally Preferable Materials - Products integrate renewable ingredients and closed cell insulation used is GREENGUARD certified. • IEQ 10 Garage Pollutant Protection - Rhino Linings spray polyurethane foam insulation was used to minimize pollutants from the garage by sealing connecting floor and ceiling joist bays.

Also, the Rhino Linings spray foam insulation contributed to the project’s overall Title 24 performance score through the Low Infiltration credit, exceeding code for insulation R-value in the wall and roof, helping get HVAC ducts into conditioned space and providing additional insulation for the hot and cold water pipes.



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Power HausBuilt by Florida-based builder, Josh Wynne Construction, Power Haus is located in Sarasota, Florida. The house achieved a minus 22 HERS rating - the lowest HERS rating in the U.S. at the time. The negative score means the Power Haus produces more energy than it consumes on a net basis.

Earning 118 LEED points, the home is just shy of being the highest scoring LEED home in the country by 1.5 points. Power Haus is also at the top of the FGBC standard and NAHB’s National Green Building Standard. Josh Wynne Construction was recognized for their achievement with an AURORA award from the Southeastern Building Council.

“Power Haus was designed to exceed every standard in green construction today while maintaining the clients’ desired aesthetic and comfort requirements,” said Josh Wynne. “It is a shining example of the level of performance and sustainability that can be achieved while maintaining a high standard of quality and comfort.”

The home has a 14.2 kW solar array to bring it into so-called climate positive territory. Even without the solar, Power Haus would still achieve a 42 HERS index which is noteworthy. They were able to achieve this level of energy savings through a variety of passive and technological applications.

The house is equipped with ceiling fans and large expanses of operable windows and doors. An independent dehumidification was installed to counter the Florida humidity and increase the number of natural ventilation days.

The building envelope is a standard CMU construction wall type with Rhino Linings® open cell foam insulation, filling the open cells of the CMU block (R-15) and permeable radiant barrier (R-7.2) to fight against thermal bridging. Closed cell spray foam from Rhino Linings was applied exterior of the moisture barrier to allow for the elegant interior tongue and groove ceiling and glulam beams.



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With durability in mind, impact resistant, low-e, argon filled windows with a 0.3 SHGC and 0.19 U-value were used. Technological applications include a 21 SEER HVAC system, gas tankless hybrid water heater, ENERGY STAR appliances and LED lighting. Power Haus is fully automated with real-time energy production and lighting controls available on an iPad or iPhone. The home also shows a commitment to sustainability with polished concrete floors, clay wall finish, and reclaimed cypress or FSC wood throughout the house.

Josh Wynne has a great history of producing sustainable homes, previously designing and constructing another award-winning home, Codding Cottage, which also used Rhino Linings insulation products in its construction.



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Wind Tunnel ProjectWhen researchers with the University of Texas at Austin needed to build a high-performance wind tunnel for rocket, aircraft and rotocraft engine sound testing, they turned to a local spray foam insulation contractor for help.

Dr. Charles E. Tinney, a research professor with the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics was building an open-jet wind tunnel with an anechoic chamber for aeroacoustics and experimental fluid dynamics testing.

“The wind tunnel and anechoic chamber are designed with special walls that trap the sound so that it does not reflect back and contaminate our measurements,” Tinney said. He collaborates with organizations such as NASA and AFOSR to better understand the noise generated by high-performance engines and the impact that the sound vibrations have on people and critical systems.

As Tinney researched the insulation options for the project, he became interested in spray polyurethane foam which is typically used in residential, commercial or industrial structures to air seal and insulate.

“We wanted something that would fill the wall space and completely seal it off,” says Dr. Tinney in reference to the wind tunnel. “The foam seals in all the cracks, so it gives a full coverage of the area I’m insulating. For a wind tunnel, an airtight seal is critical. Cotton fiber doesn’t give you the seal you get with spray foam. [The foam is] lightweight as well and provides us with sufficient sound absorption qualities.”

When Dan Amon, owner of BioTex Foam Insulation and an approved Rhino Linings® contractor, was approached by Tinney, he was excited about the opportunity to use spray foam insulation in the unusual project.

“The wind tunnel is made of 2 x 12 studs with 3-quarter plywood screwed and glued together,” Amon said. “This thing was a giant cube. You could roll it down a hill, and it wouldn’t lose its shape. The forces of wind that were going to be exerted on it would be tremendous, so it needed to be built strong.”

The final structure includes a layer of acoustical wedges, preforated sheet metal, cotton batts and 11 inches of open cell spray foam insulation in the wind tunnel’s sidewalls and roof.

Tinney could not be more satisfied with the outcome of the SPF application. “Spray foam allows us to achieve an acoustically treated environment in which we can conduct our tests.”



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evelyn pease tyner interpretive center designed by wight ... · evelyn pease tyner interpretive...

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