Low-Impact Building Exterior and

Hardscape Management

Really? Do you need to use gas to pick up leaves and trash?

Even polar bears can use CMA (Calcium Magnesium Acetate): less corrosive & toxic than conventional deicers

Integrated Pest Management,

Erosion Control & Landscape Management

Say YES to composting yard waste + food scraps to make organic fertilizer!

Say NO to chemical fertilizer for our living plants! Yikes!

Alternate Commuting Transportation

• Riding Bikes

• Taking public transportation

(we do RideShare)

• Driving Hybrid vehicles

• Telecommuting

76% reduction in conventional car commute by:

Heat Island Effect

Our roof with white TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin) membrane - SRI value of 98

Black roofs and impervious pavements - enough heat to fry an egg!

Indoor Plumbing Fixture and Fitting Efficiency

• Waterless urinal

• Dual flush and low-flow toilets

• Low-flow faucets

43% water reduction over standard plumbing fixtures:

WEEKLY water meter logging + analysis

Water Performance Measurement

TRUE STORY: 800%

increase one week due to

an unobservable toilet

leak. Good thing we didn’t

wait a whole month!!

Water Efficient Landscaping

We have native and adapted plants that live on rainfall. And we use a rain barrel

for our thirsty veggies.

We don’t Neeeeed to hose down our plants with potable water?!?!?

ASSESSED

Energy Efficiency Planning, Documentation, +

Opportunity Assessment

the operations/maintenance of energy using

systems + conducted an ASHRAE Level I Audit

• Understand energy use

• Align set-points with

occupancy of building

• Schedule regular

maintenance tasks

• Identify low-cost +

capital improvement measures

Helped us to:

FUNNY but TRUE

Energy Efficiency Planning, Documentation +

Opportunity Assessment

Our average EUI (energy use intensity)

compares to a vacant building!

Energy Efficiency Performance

41st

percentile ABOVE the

national median!

TRACKED building’s energy use in Energy Star

Portfolio Manager

Existing Building Commissioning

IMPLEMENT Low-cost ECMs

(energy conservation measures)

• Remove space heater from 1st floor hallway

• Updating/maintaining weatherstripping

• Caulking at windows

Also CREATED capital plan for major retrofits/upgrades

Some strategies included:

Performance Measurement –

System Level Metering

METER

a portion of our buildings energy using

sub-systems to:

• Identify patterns to recognize when energy

use is out-of-whack

• Identify deficiencies so equipment can be

repaired/adjusted as needed.

On-Site Renewable Energy

• Produces 52% of our annual

electricity consumption

• Offsets 17.8% of total annual

energy consumption

8.8kW photovoltaic array:

Emissions Reduction Reporting

TRACK

our greenhouse gas emissions in

Energy Star Portfolio Manager to:

• Set benchmarks for reducing

GHG emissions

• Understand the reductions

delivered by energy

efficiency measures

Sustainable Purchasing

• Office supplies with recycled content, FSC

certified paper

• Energy Star rated computers + monitors

• EPEAT certified computers

• Locally sourced and/or organic food

• Low-mercury lamps

IMPLEMENT sustainable purchasing

Solid Waste Management

• Food and paper products by composting

• Ongoing consumables via recycling

• Electronics by donating to local

charities or through recycling

We track our waste weekly through weight and visual inspection

DIVERTED: more than you think you can!

Waste Stream Audit

97% of our waste was diverted from the landfill!

Landfill items

Recyclable items

We conducted a waste

audit comprised of 2

weeks worth of waste

to assess disposal

procedures and look

for ways to further

reduce waste.

Indoor Air Quality Performance

NATURALLY ventilated through…

Operable windows +

supplement with fresh

air ventilation systems

where needed

Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control

NO SMOKING policy…

Inside the building and within

25’ of the outside of the building

Fortunately none of our

neighbors have egged the front

of the building since installing

the no smoking sign!!

• GreenSeal or Eco Logo cleaning products

and materials

• Cleaning equipment that protects

user/occupant health by emitting fewer

microscopic particulates, is more

ergonomic, and is less noisy

Jenn does windows……………………..

Green Cleaning

REDUCE

the exposure of building occupants +

cleaning crew to hazardous chemicals

Indoor Chemical + Pollutant Source Control

PERMANENT walk-off matts at entrances to:

Capture dirt and particulates brought indoors on

shoes (80% of all dust and dirt in buildings is

tracked in on shoes when people enter a building)

Weekly cleaning of walk-off mats!!

Reduce Particulates in Air Distribution

MERV 13 filters …

at all outdoor air intakes and indoor air

recirculation returns to reduce building occupants

exposure to contaminants…WHY???

because fresh air helps us to work better for you!

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Management Program

IAQ AUDIT audited building for:

• Cracks/leaks in the building envelope

• Sources of pollution near outdoor air intakes

• Clean filters and unobstructed dampers at mechanical ventilation

system

• Weather-stripping at windows and doors

• Drains clear of obstructions

• Leaks and pooling of water, signs of water damage

• Clean housekeeping standards

Occupant Comfort Survey

SURVEY to assess…

thermal comfort, acoustics, IAQ, lighting levels, and

building cleanliness issues as perceived by staff

members

Made corrections/improvements to key areas of

dissatisfaction. Like…installing air conditioning

downstairs.

Controllability of Lighting

Overhead ambient lighting combined with task lighting at individual desks

gives everyone the ability to control the light levels of their own workspace.

The one size fits all approach = office of doom

“And the dim fluorescent lighting is meant to

emphasize the general absence of hope.”

Integrated Pest Management

PLAN

1. Ensure impacted area is clean and structural elements

are repaired (e.g. holes in walls).

2. Next, if needed, use least-toxic pesticides.

3. Next, if needed, use non-least toxic pesticides with

notice to occupants.

to reduce the exposure of people +

the environment to hazardous chemicals:

Innovation in Operations –

Thermal Scan of Building

SCAN building envelope with infrared thermography to…

identify and mediate deficiencies within the

building envelope

plus…we had a little fun

Innovation in Operations –

Educational Building

TOUR our building and check out our signage

Bonus points if you can locate all 36!!!

LEED EBOM

TOTAL HOURS SPENT: 1,782

TOTAL POINTS EARNED: 89

LEED RATING RECEIVED: PLATINUM!!

AND ITS NOT OVER…

WE WILL DO IT AGAIN IN 5 YEARS!

Beyond EBOM

Beyond EBOM

Beyond EBOM