Sustainable Strategies

Sustainable Strategies

What we have learned

Sustainable Strategies Reduce Reuse Reclaim and Recycle Appropriate use of land Use water and energy efficiently Enhance human health Strengthen local economies Conserve plants and animals Protect agricultural, cultural and archeological

resources Build and maintain economically Nice to live/work in Build it Beautiful

Reduce Reuse Reclaim and Recycle

Life Cycle Costing VS LC Assessment

Life Cycle Costing – Cost at time of purchase is amortized over the life of the building.

Example: A chair that costs $100.00 and lasts 50 years is better than a chair that costs $50.00 and lasts 10 years.

Swedish Finish vs. Water Based floor finish

Life Cycle Assessment – “Cradle to Grave “ cost. How much environmental damage is done creating and transporting an What is the environmental impact during its life? What happens to it when is becomes unusable, is it recyclable?

Cradle to Grave – A one way street. Billions of dollars and huge quantities of natural resources are used to make things that are discarded in our landfills and incinerators.

We are called consumers but very little of what we purchase is actually consumed. Everything not for consumption is designed for you to throw away.

Construction Waste

124 million tons of construction debris is buried in landfills every year. That is enough debris to build a wall about 30 feet high and 30 feet thick around the entire coast of the continental United States (4,993 miles). *

Each year the United States buries about 33 million tons of wood related construction and demolition debris in our landfills. As anaerobic microorganisms decompose this wood, it will release about 5 million tons of carbon equivalent in the form of methane gas.This is equivalent to the yearly emissions of 3,736,000 passenger cars. *

50 percent of consumed materials (globally) are used in construction and remodeling. **

Re-using the lumber from just one house (2,000 square feet) saves 33 mature trees? *

For every ton of wood that is reused, we avoid creating 60 pounds of greenhouse gasses.*

*Statistics are used with permission from the great folks at Deconstruction Institute

**Statistics are used from Sierra Magazine - Jan/Feb 2005

How Can We Help?

Reuse, reclaim, reduce and recycle Deconstruct rather than demolish

Metro Recycling Toolkit

Green Development Resource Center

Deconstruction Services

The Rebuilding Center

Habitat For Humanity Restore

Appropriate use of land Pringle Creek

Greyfield – Lands pre-developed i.e. Abandoned shopping centers

Brownfield – Land with contaminated soil

Urban Growth Boundary

Density

Use water and energy efficientlyWater Efficiency 8% of the electrical energy produced in this country

goes into the production of potable water (16% in Calif.)

Strategies Xeriscaping Water saving appliances and fixtures Reusing Greywater Storm water collection for watering plants and flushing

toilets

Use water and energy efficientlyEnergy Efficiency

Third Party Evaluators – LEED, Earth Advantage, Living Building Challenge

Advanced Framing Strategies Better insulation The importance of sealing the building envelope Radiation Conduction and Convection Mean Radiant Temperature Low E windows Roof overhang strategies Heat Exchangers Solar - Passive & Active (hot water photovoltaic) Wind generated energy

Air leaks are largest cause of ice dams

…and pipe freezing problems

Knee Wall

Air Infiltration

Blocking

Wind baffle

Permeable materialto prevent wind washing

Knee Wall Solution

Insulation Types

Batts Blown-in blanket Spider Spray foam Hybrid Rigid exterior

Staggered Studs

2 Rows: 2x4 16” OC

offset Blown-in blanket Better total wall R-value No thermal bridging

BLOWN IN CELLULOSE

DAMP SPRAY CELLULOSE

Damp spray cellulose

Foam + battsFoam + batts

Some Alternative Wall Systems SIPS – Structural Insulated Panels

ICF – Insulated Concrete Forms

Composite blocks systems

Structural Insulated Panels

Insulated Concrete Forms – Alternative Materials

Rastra blockRastra block

Durisol blockDurisol block

Enhance human healthImproving building ecology

Strategies Operable windows, adequate ventilation Elimination of products that contain VOC’s Adequate daylighting Sick Building Syndrome

Strengthen local economies Buy building products made locally Mixed use housing promotes new businesses Green culture supports local businesses by making a

community more desirable to live in Green culture promotes new businesses that support

the green building movement. Solar industries as an example Ecoroofs Everywhere Ecohaus Bureau of Planning and Sustainability Yolo Paints Zena Forest Products

Conserve plants and animals Strategies

FSC lumber – Zena

Eco-roofs

Sustainable site development

Developing grey and brownfields to support habitat

Building within the urban growth boundary

Xeriscaping

Protect agricultural, cultural and archeological resources Responsible Development

Eco Trust

Build and maintain economically

Think in terms of durability when choosing materials

Incorporate more passive systems to eliminate the need for maintenance

Smaller HVAC Systems Operable windows/skylights Low-E Glass Smaller HVAC systems Light shelves and eves Better insulation Advanced framing

Durable Materials

Nice to live/work inPringle Creek

Mixed use Shopping, schools, within walking distance Community centered activities Close to bus line Trees and nature

Eco Trust Raised platforms for offices in the center of the room Operable windows Close to mass transportation Support bicycle rising Beautiful Common gathering areas Organic food

Build it BeautifulEco Trust

Saved a beautiful building

Challenged the architects

Left historical evidence

More on Eco Roofs

The concept of greening a

rooftop is centuries old.Church in Vidimyri, Iceland, 1834

Houses in Iceland, circa 1800’s

Photo: Greenroofs.com

Photo: Greenroofs.com

Houses in Iceland, circa 1800’s

It was early recognized that green roofs could improve a building’sdurability, regulation of temperature, and overall aesthetic value. Residential building in Germany

Photo: Greenroofs.com

The use of green roofs has increased significantly throughout Scandinavia.

Ford dealership in Sweden

Photo: Greenroofs.com

Major corporations are beginning to see the benefits of green roof technology.

GAP Inc. Headquarters, San Bruno, CA

Photo: Greenroofs.com

Photo Courtesy Tom Liptan

In Portland, as in most areas, stormwater is now recognized as the number one cause of degraded urban stream health. This is an especially serious issue for our Rainy City because our waterways once supported wild populations of salmon.

Benefits

Degraded Runoff

• Plants absorb rainwater

• Evapotranspiration

• The soil acts like a sponge

• These processes remove 30% to 50% of rainwater that falls on ecoroofs in Portland

• Positive effect on storm sewer systems

• This effects temperature, peak flow, and quality of the remaining runoff

• There is Five Times more residential rooftop than Commercial Rooftop area

The Rainwater Sponge

A 1,500 sq. ft. roof will shed 34,000 gallons of rainwater a year.

Sound Reduction:

• Absorbs both ambient and penetrating sound waves• Sound insulation improved by up to 8 dB• Reflected sound reduced by up to 3 dB• Vegetation absorbs high frequencies• Soil absorbs lower frequencies

Graphic Courtesy ZincoflorPhoto courtesy of American Hydrotech

Building in the flight path of an Airport

Thermal Behaviors:• Surface temp reduction of 14 – 22 deg.F ( 4” of soil)

• Significant wind chill reduction, reducing heat demand by 5% to 25%

• HVAC air conditioning units on greenroofs take in cooled air instead of superheated air

• Urban Heat Island Effect Mitigation

Graphic courtesy of Zincoflor

Cold

HotPhoto Courtesy Tom

Liptan

Other Benefits:•Air Quality –Absorbs CO2 and Some Pollutants. Traps Dust, Releases Oxygen

•Wildlife Habitat and Greenspace Created up to 100% of Building Footprint

•Livability: Buffers Noise, Eliminates Glare, Aesthetic Value, Psychological Advantages

•Protection of Roof Surface Results in 2 to 3 Times Longer Life of Membrane

Beekeeper’s Roof Provides Nectar for His Native Honeybees

Ecoroof Atop Local Food Coop Includes Edible Herbs

•We Share Our Knowledgebase of Lower-Cost, Locally-Available Materials and Designs•EE Project Managers Can Help with Procurement and Delivery of Materials

An Example of Low Cost Materials, Used in an Ecoroof Costing $7.00/ ft2. Shown Here is Pond Liner, Filter Fabric, and Common Corrugated Drain Pipe.

Graphic Courtesy of Steve Cowden, The Oregonian

Advancing the Industry by Reducing the Costs of Portland Area Ecoroofs:

PCC Rock Creek Strawbale EcoroofInstallation

Protection Board Installed

Perimeter Strips Screwed In Place The Membrane will be Heat Welded to

these, to hold it down

Roof Drain Holes Drilled The Roof Drain is made of Heat Weldable

Membrane. A watertight connection is very important.

Roof Drain Hardware Being Installed from Underside of Roof

Simple Low Cost Parts Easy to Source at Most

Hardware Stores Not Complicated

Closeup of Installed Drain This will be

waterproofed in the next steps

Membrane Being Placed On Roof

Roof Drain Welded to Membrane and “Dogear” being Formed for Corner Detail

Close up of “Dog-ear”

“Dog-ear” Being Welded with Heat Gun

Perimeter Strips Welded to Membrane to hold it down

Close up of Drain, Showing “Sleeve”