February/March 2009
LEED
C O N T E N T S
Executive Director's Corner: Crossing The Potomoc
LEED: Fort Carson Building Awarded First Army LEED Gold
Neighborhood Development: LEED Neighborhood Development in Colorado
Recyling News: Some Thoughts on Recycling Old Office Furnishings
Sustainable Development: Creating a Sustainable Future
Getting Green Done: Forgive Me Father, I Don't Have the Money
Sustainable Strategy: Creating Effective Collaboration and Leadership Tactics
Executive Director's Corner: Major Speaker Announced for May Conference
Metro Branch Update: Denver Metro Branch is Looking for Volunteers
VISION
Promote responsibility for Colorado's environmental legacy.
MISSION
Advance and promote sustainable planning, design, construction and operation of the built environment through education, improving industry guidelines, policy advocacy, and information and resource sharing.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dana Kose, Chair
Universal Development Company
Jim Bradburn, Vice Chair, Chair Elect
RMH Group
Megan Christensen, Secretary US LendLease Communities
Sebastian De Atucha, Treasurer
3BY
Clay Benson, Director at Large Mortenson Construction
Mike Lowell, Director, Advocacy US GSA
Bobby Molinary, Director, Membership
Julie Edwards, Director, Education
Oz Architecture
Matt Arabasz, Director, Northern Colorado Branch RB+B Architects, Inc.
Joshua Radoff, Director, Resource Development, and Communications
YRG Sustainability Consultants
Bethany Trumble, Director, Southern Colorado Branch Farnsworth Group, Inc.
Liz Sharrer, Director, Metro Branch
Holland & Hart
Mike Kolesar, Director, Emerging Green Builders
Facilities Engineering Associates
Deb Kleinman, Executive Director
USGBC Colorado Chapter
Colorado Building Green is the official newsletter of the U.S. Green Building Council – Colorado Chapter, and is published bi-monthly. If you are interested in submiting a story, ideas or other information for publication, please contact the editor at dgloffreda@msn.com
Fort Carson Building Awarded First Army LEED Gold
The 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division Brigade and Battalion Headquarters building is one of the environmentally sustainable Department of Defense buildings being built .
By Michael Fletcher, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Omaha District
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OMAHA, Neb. – One of the newest structures at Fort Carson, Colo., is the first in the U.S. Army to be awarded the U.S. Green Building Council’s Gold Certificate for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Certifications available are basic, silver, gold or platinum. All new military construction must meet or exceed the LEED Silver certification standard.
The 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division Brigade and Battalion Headquarters building is one of the environmentally sustainable Department of Defense buildings being built under U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contracts in response to realignments under the Base Realignment and Closure program, and the return of 70,000 soldiers by 2013, due to overseas base closures. The 4th Infantry Division is returning to familiar ground as the unit was at Fort Carson for 25 years before moving to Fort Hood, Texas in 1995, later deploying to Iraq.
“It’s one thing to say during the design that we got the LEED points, but certification means that you actually met the standard,” Turner said. “My hat is off to the design team and contractor. They had to make a very coordinated effort to exceed the requirements and achieve the superior Gold rating.” |
The Corps manages military construction on Army posts and U.S. Air Force bases from initial requests for proposal through customer acceptance of structures.
“The design by the architectural engineering team of Hensel Phelps Construction Company and RNL Design gave a best value solution and within budget,” said Vince Turner, chief of the Corps’ Omaha District Military Branch Planning Programs and Project Management Division. “They took the Army standardized design and added some unique steps to meet the requirements of the construction on Fort Carson and a brigade combat team with track vehicles. The design uses native plants, natural daylight, an interior court yard, and used reflective, energy efficient, blast-resistant windows to achieve a very livable, sustainable building.
“It’s one thing to say during the design that we got the LEED points, but certification means that you actually met the standard,” Turner said. “My hat is off to the design team and contractor. They had to make a very coordinated effort to exceed the requirements and achieve the superior Gold rating.”