Download the LEED fact sheet (pdf) - Amherst H. Wilder Foundation

AMHERST H. WILDER
FOUNDATION
ST. PAUL, MN
100% Improvement in employee
recycling
92% Occupied spaces have an
exterior view
42% Less water use than
comparable sites
LEED ®
Wilder Center
St. Paul, MN
Facts
LEED for New Construction v2.1 & v2.2
Certification awarded July 2009
Gold 47*
Sustainable Sites 9/14
Water Efficiency 3/5
Energy & Atmosphere 11/17
Materials & Resources 7/13
Indoor Environmental
Quality 12/15
Innovation & Design 5/5
*Out of a possible 69 points
The information provided is based on that stated in the LEED® project
certification submittals. USGBC and Chapters do not warrant or represent
the accuracy of this information. Each building’s actual performance is
based on its unique design, construction, operation, and maintenance.
Energy efficiency and sustainable results will vary.
CHAPTER PROJECT PROFILE

AMHERST H. WILDER FOUNDATION
Building Families and Communities
Connecting social services with a sustainable environment
PROJECT BACKGROUND
For more than 100 years, the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation has operated health and
human service programs that help build sustainable families and communities.
People of color, older adults, children and people living below the poverty line are all
disproportionately affected by the adverse effects of pollution and other
environmental factors. Almost all of the people Wilder serves fall into these
categories. Wilder Center is designed to meet the needs of people today while
protecting tomorrow’s environment through sustainable design.
STRATEGIES AND RESULTS
Wilder Center is a 100,000 square foot building for 300 employees serving 20,000
clients and visitors per year. Through achieving LEED Gold certification, Wilder has
created a healthier work environment for employees and visitors, and reduced
operating costs through energy efficiency and by implementing other practical
innovations.
There was a focus on improving indoor air quality throughout the project. Wilder
Center utilizes an innovative displacement ventilation heating and cooling system,
where air rises from a raised access floor through a series of diffusers, instead of
being forced down from the ceiling, as in a conventional system. This reduces the
mixing of air and improves indoor air quality. The selection of low emitting materials
for furniture, paint, carpet, sealants and adhesives reduced toxins in the air. Prior to
occupancy, the building’s HVAC system was completely flushed to reduce airborne
toxins and construction dust. 83 percent of punch list items were completed prior to
move-in.
Some of the additional green building highlights include:
• 40% energy efficiency – primarily achieved through daylight harvesting and
displacement ventilation
• 42% water efficiency through the use of dual-flush toilets, faucet aerators, native
plantings, and an irrigation system that monitors weather patterns through
satellite imagery
• 100% improvement in employee recycling (25.5 tons per year)
• 86% construction waste recycled and diverted from landfills (924 tons)
• 92% occupied spaces have a view to the outside
• 70% of wood Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified
• 66% of construction materials manufactured locally
• 22% of construction materials made from recycled products
The perception has long been held that sustainable design is out of reach for many
small to medium businesses and non-profit organizations. Wilder Center exemplifies
that sustainable design is affordable, practical, replicable and can generate a
significant return on investment. A $1.2 million investment in sustainable design
features returned the following benefits:
• $1,700 recycling savings per year
• $6,200 water savings per year
• $40,000 energy savings per year
• $60,000 reduction in remodeling costs per year, due to an open office
environment
• $1 million benefit to the Wilder Center capital campaign from pursuing
sustainable design
• $2.5 million reduced construction costs and $200,000 annual operating savings
from building a 10,000 square foot smaller building with an open office
environment
© 2010 Minnesota Chapter. The Chapter is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.
CHAPTER PROJECT PROFILE
“Building a green building
was a priority for the Wilder
Foundation, in terms of longterm
operating efficiencies and
cost savings, as well as being a
leader in protecting tomorrow’s
environment through
sustainable design.”
- Tom Kingston, President
Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
(retired)
Owner: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
Architect: Perkins+Will
Developer: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation &
Duke Construction
Contractor: Duke Construction
LEED Consultant: Perkins+Will & Duke
Construction
Commissioning Agent: Architectural Energy
Corporation
Civil Engineer: RLK
Landscape Architect: Damon Farber Associates
Interior Designer: Perkins+Will
Structural Engineer: Cantilever Design and
Palanisami & Associates
MEP Consulting Engineer: Dunham Associates
Energy Modeling: The Weidt Group
Electrical Engineer: Hunt Electric
Lighting Designer: Hunt Electric
HVAC Design Builder: General Sheet Metal
Plumbing Design Builder: Horwitz/NSI
Ramp Design Builder: Knutson Construction
Services
Photographs Courtesy of: Don Wong Photo Inc
The Minnesota Chapter is an active and thriving
organization intent on transforming the State’s
built environment. The Chapter has grown
to become a leading regional catalyst for the
acceptance and adoption of green building
practices, technologies, policies and standards.
www.usgbcmn.org