Book 1 - City of St. Petersburg

BASIS OF DESIGN BOOK 1
3 GENERAL PLANNING CRITERIA
ARCHITECTURAL CRITERIA
(continued)
Sustainable Planning and Design
The principal goal of sustainable design is that new
developments only use the amount of energy absolutely
necessary in an effort to reduce the depletion of natural
resources. Sustainable design, performed correctly, should pay
equal weight to the people, the environment, and cost, in order
to create the optimum building for the present and the future.
The basic goals of sustainable design are:
• To design energy efficient buildings and systems to
reduce energy use
• To use recycled materials and reduce energy
consumption to minimize one’s impact on the
environment
• To improve the indoor quality of life for the better health
and well-being of occupants
Achieving these goals can provide the following benefits:
• Reduce energy and operating costs
• Reduce the impact on the environment
• Promote good health and increase productivity
• Create a positive public image
A sustainable ethos permeates the new Pier. While the project
is not currently seeking LEED Certification, its goals are based
on LEED Silver standards, and are encompassed by five major
categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and
Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental
Quality.
Beyond the simple use of sustainable materials, the project
seeks to minimize environmental impact throughout the building
process from initial project mobilization to the reuse and
recycling of demolished components. Sourcing as much material
locally as possible will be an elemental part of the building
process. In order to create a successful project for the City of St.
Petersburg, these strategies will not be considered as “add-ons”
or “special features,” but rather as integrated components of
the overall design process. Durable, environmentally preferable
products will be specified including certified wood, post
industrial and post consumer recycled materials, concrete with fly
ash and low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials.
In addition, the Lens Canopy is designed to potentially
accommodate an array of photovoltaic panels on its north side
and wind turbines on its south side, as described in Figure 3.33.
These renewable technologies would be capable of generating
energy for the project from the wind and sun. The tilt of the
Canopy can improve the efficiency of the solar panels while the
turbines can benefit from the windy environment of the Bay.
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THE NEW ST. PETERSBURG PIER