Sustainable Building Technical Manual - Etn-presco.net

➤The Environmental and Conservation Services Department in Austin, Texas, producedthe Sustainable Design Guidelines Manual for the new Austin Airport. The chapter onchemical use emphasizes reduction in the use of potentially dangerous chemicals forpest control and cleaning. While all chemicals cannot be completely eliminated, theuse of termite shields and sand barriers, caulking of windows and screens, and kitchendesigns that facilitate cleaning, can decrease the need for chemical extermination. Themanual recommends that cleaning products be carefully screened for toxic chemicalcontent and that they be biodegradable, if possible. It also encourages education ofcleaning staff about the products they use.➤The Pennsylvania-based Slippery Rock Foundation has produced Guidelines forSustainable Development to explain and promote green building practices to buildingowners and renters. The O&M section of the manual provides suggestions regardingenergy systems, lighting, appliances, water conservation, recycling, indoor air quality,and the purchase of environmentally sound products.➤Effective operations and management of facilities enables Denver International Airportto reduce the generation of waste, instead of merely dealing with waste that hasalready been produced. The airport’s source-reduction program includes low-flow toilets,drought-resistant grass, energy-efficient lighting, recycling of ethylene glycol fromcentralized de-icing facilities, and employee “flex” time and telecommuting to reducevehicle miles traveled.➤The 1990 Energy Policy adopted by Portland, Oregon, calls for a 10 percent increase inenergy efficiency in city-owned facilities by the year 2000. The city is working toachieve this goal by retrofitting existing facilities and changing the way they are operatedand managed. Portland also offers cash rebates and tax credits as incentives forapartment owners to weatherize. In 1990, Portland began offering O&M training tothe operators of boiler heating systems in 10 low-income apartment complexes. Simplemaintenance and training at the sites focused on adjustments that could be made atan average cost of $850 per unit. Apartments involved in the project showed an average10 percent savings compared to operations before the O&M training. This successled to the expansion of the program to other buildings with oil-burner heating systems.➤In 1988, the Municipal Council of Newark, New Jersey, approved an ordinance requiringthat proposals for development of 50 or more new single family units, 25 or morenew multi-family units, or 1000 square feet or more of commercial/industrial spacemust incorporate provisions for the separation, collection, and disposal of recyclablematerial. The city also adopted legislation requiring the purchase of recycled productsand launched a business development program, called Planet-Newark, for companiesin the recycling business.➤Albuquerque, New Mexico, recycles latex paint and uses it for graffiti removal frombuildings. Albuquerque projects an annual savings in excess of $12,000 in disposal costseven after the reprocessing of the paint, and saves an additional $15,000 in new paintcosts. This project diverts potential groundwater contaminants from the landfill, providesa less costly disposal method, makes use of an otherwise unusable product andresults in a less costly product being available for an important community project.L O CAL OPTIONS.■ Set up an advisory team to evaluate the capital and operating costs of effectively maintainingexisting public buildings and provide annual reports on building O&M to documentpractices and costs.■ Incorporate O&M costs and procedures into the overall cost projections for any newbuilding development.■ Require O&M plans for all municipal or governmental buildings.