11.

09

INSPIRING THE BUILDING TEAM

Greening
Data Centers
Taming IT Energy Hogs

30

2009 WHITE PAPER

Green Buildings +
Water Performance
WP1

PERIODICAL

www.BDCnetwork.com

Citi Data Centre

Am Martinszehnten, Germany

ON RECYCLING
Moore

CHANGES What you have to keep in mind is that

getting rid of waste material is a big expense. The
demolition industry is a lot more sophisticated than
it used to be. Theres new equipment. Government
regulations are tighter...and harder to comply with.
Weve become more involved in recycling than
ever before.

Bill Moore, Vice President, Brandenburg Industrial Service Co., Chicago,

one of the largest demolition companies in the U.S. President, National
Demolition Association. Degree in Safety, Indiana State University. Spent
a decade in insurance and safety specializing in the construction of
high-rise buildings, another in demolition safety, and another in marketing for
Brandenburg.

PROCESS First thing we do is gut the interior of a

building as much as possible and do whatever
handwork is needed. We remove all the hazardous
materials mercury bulbs, asbestos, that sort of
thing. And if theres office furniture or architectural
artifacts, et cetera, left in the building, well pull
them out and re-sell that too. Then well tear out the
drywall, glass and wood basically strip the building
down to its structure. Once were ready to wreck, we
use a crane to drop a big machine on the roof to
hammer out the concrete floor by floor, crushing it,
until were at ground level.
REALITY We dont necessarily recycle for good
green press its economics pure and simple.
Anything we can salvage out of a building, well do it
because theres a market for it. The more we recycle,
the more we salvage and less we landfill, the more
competitive we can be for our customers.
DELICATE Brandenburg does much more than
complete demolition. One job we did the Rookery
building at the corner of Adams and LaSalle is the
oldest high-rise building in downtown Chicago. Its a
landmark, more than 100 years old. So the owner
decided that rather than tearing the building down, it
should be completely gutted to make way for a
modern interior. So we do work like that too.
COSTS If we go to a landfill with a load of concrete,
its going to cost three or four hundred dollars here in
Chicago and probably double that on the East
Coast. Landfilling concrete is expensive, so were
always trying to find different things to do with it.
Well crush it, use it to fill basements, try to find other
jobs that need fill we even have portable crushers to
make it into CA6-type material for road beds and
parking lot bases. Anything to get rid of it.

WORTH Concrete, basically, has no value. Even when

we recycle it, we still have the expense of crushing it,
which is about 10 to 50 dollars a truckload. While
that saves us from having to go to the dump with it,
it doesnt have a positive value. Youll never break
even. Steel, on the other hand, has always been
valuable. And like other commodities, the price varies
quite a bit right now, were in a very good position
when we sell steel.
SHIPPING Let me explain something about the
transportation of material. You have a tractor trailer
and it weighs about 40,000 pounds. Well, the legal
load limit on most highways is 80,000 pounds. So
youre going to put 40,000 pounds of material into
the back of the truck. It really doesnt matter whether
it is filled with steel or concrete because youre not
going to load that trailer to water level and still be
legal. But because steel is so much lighter and less
bulky, you get rid of a greater percentage of material
each time you load a truck with steel. To ship
material is expensive you want to do it in the least
amount of trips.
PLANNING Building owners and developers need to
think about demolition someday whats going to
happen to the material when the building isnt useful
anymore? Theres a movement by the Green Building
Council pushing owners to think about their building
when it has to be torn down. If you make a building
out of steel, it will always be recyclable. Steel will
always have value.
MIXING Try to picture a pot of molten steel, its kind
of like a big pot of stew or soup. When youre cooking
and you want to make it spicier, you just put an
additive in. But instead of pepper, you might put in
more manganese or chrome. Thats whats called
altering the chemistry of the batch. Basically, if youre
making structural steel, the mill will put in a base of
reclaimed structural steel like a recipe. Now if we
were making re-bar, the chemistry for that is
completely different than structural steel.
STEEL We always factor the scrap price into a
project. In fact, there are jobs valuable enough that
we will actually pay to do the work just for the scrap
material. Were even going back to bids from a year
and a half ago where we said wed wreck the building
for a quarter of a million dollars. Now, were calling
them up asking to do the job for free. We might even
give them 50 grand or something like that. Thats the
great thing about steel it always has value.

www.aisc.org
866.ASK.AISC
Structural Steel: The Material of Choice

Input #1 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

NOVEMBER 2009

Cause: Providing essential solutions that

inspire Building Teams to design and construct
great places for people.

INSPIRING THE BUILDING TEAM

FEATURES

COVER STORY
7TH ANNUAL WHITE PAPER

WP1 I Green Buildings +

Water Performance
Our annual sustainability White Paper
focuses on water performance, efficiency,
and conservation.

119

VOLUME 50, NO. 11

119 I Precast All the Way

Penn States new Applied Research
Laboratory uses total precast to deliver
value, aesthetics, speed, and sustainability.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Greening Data
30
Centers
How Building Teams in the U.S. and
Europe Are Taming ITs Energy Hogs.

123 I Award-Winning
Brick Structures
123

A recap of the Best in Class winners of the

2009 Brick in Architecture Awards.
Plus: 6 tips on brick & masonry construction.

AIA CONTINUING EDUCATION

111 I Integrating Lighting

and Daylighting
111

Earn 1.0 AIA/CES continuing learning units

by studying this article and completing the
online exam.

DEPARTMENTS
5 I Editorial

26 I Information Technology

Water issues arent going to

evaporate.

ArchiCAD 13: First server-based

BIM utility.

9 I News

128 I Products At Work

U.S. architecture firms book $44B

in billings in 08, pursue green and
BIM; hotel sector to improve in 10.

135 I Advertisers Index

17 I On the Drawing Board

Herzog & de Meurons Miami Art
Museum; health spa in Canada;
Baltimores youth detention center;
Wayne State chemistry building.

23 I New Project Portfolio

L.A.s redesigned voting center;
Seattles mixed-use LEED Gold
high-rise; Virginia community
colleges hillside learning center.

www.BDCnetwork.com

136 I Thought Leaders

Joan Racki, policy and operations
officer with the Iowa Board of
Regents and president-elect of the
Society for College and University
Planning, on how universities are
dealing with the impact of the
current economic situation on their
facilities.

COVER: Water storage tanks for the cooling system

at Citi Data Centre in Am Martinszehnten, Germany, near Frankfurt. The facilitys reverse osmosis
water treatment feature in the cooling plant is
projected to save 9.5 million gallons of water a
year. The building is the first LEED Platinum data
center in the world. PHOTO: CHRISTIAN RICHTERS

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

Converting Waste
into Performance
Sika Sarnal has diverted
more than 20 million pounds
of vinyl membrane from the
landll, recycling it back into
roong and waterproong
membrane products.

Performance that Pays.

Sustainability thats Smart.
Waste reduction starts with durable products that stand the test of time. Sika Sarnal membranes continue to
perform after decades of use in a wide range of climates. When a roof must be replaced, our post-consumer
recycling program recycles millions of square feet of used membrane yearly. We also reduce waste at every step
of the product life cycle, converting more than 98% of vinyl raw materials in the manufacturing process into new
roong membranes. Unparalleled performancedesigned to meet your sustainability goals of energy efciency,
environmentally preferable products, greenhouse gas reduction and waste minimizationmake Sika Sarnal the
smart choice for roong consultants, contractors, architects and facility managers alike. To learn more about how
our products can help you achieve your sustainability goals, visit SustainabilityThatPays.com.

VISIT US AT
GREENBUILD 2009

BOOTH # 1758
NOVEMBER 11-13, 2009 PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Input #2 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse
Sika Sarnafil, A Division of Sika Corporation
Tel. 1-800-451-2504, Fax: 781-828-5365, www.sikacorp.com

>kdj[hFWd[bi
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NOVEMBER 2009
To subscribe online to BD+C,
go to: www.BDCnetwork.com/MagSub

e-Contents
BD+C Webcast

Greening Healthcare Webcast: Learn from

three LEED Gold hospitals
Learn about sustainable design in three major San Francisco hospitals,
all tracking LEED-NC Gold: California Pacific Medical Center Hospital, UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay, and San Francisco General
Hospital and Trauma Center. Expert panelists for this Thurs., Nov.
19 webcast (2 pm Eastern): Rus Perry (SmithGroup), Tyler Krehlik
(Anshen+Allen), Melanie Bonn (Fong & Chan Architects), Alisdair
McGregor (Arup), and Mark Palmer (City and County of San Francisco).
Note: Registrants will be eligible to earn 1.5 AIA/CES learning units
(HSW). Register at: http://bit.ly/2ClKbP

Video interview: Dr. Jim Gill on water solutions

in drought-torn Australia
BD+C Editor-in-Chief Robert Cassidy (aka ClimateGrouch) interviewed
Dr. Jim Gill, past CEO of the Water Corporation of Western Australia,
on how Australians are conserving water in the face of a decade-long
drought. View the exclusive video at:
www.BDCnetwork.com/article/ca6701376.html

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WOODPRODUCTSAVAILABLE

BuildingTeam360 wins
2009 Blog Award from CWA
BD+Cs BuildingTeam360 blog has won the Construction Writers Associations 2009 Blog Award,
representing the best of the best in constructionrelated blogging. Launched in April 2009, BuildingTeam360 features commentary from BD+Cs editorial team, including Robert Cassidy, Editor-in-Chief
(aka ClimateGrouch); Jeff Yoders, Senior Associate
Editor (aka BIMBoy); Jay Schneider, Senior Editor;
and Dave Barista, Managing Editor.
In addition, BD+Cs Weekly E-Newsletter is a finalist in the Digital Azbees competition (E-Newsletter - News category), hosted by the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE).
Visit BuildingTeam360 at www.BDCnetwork.com/blog/1340000734.html
Subscribe to BD+Cs Weekly E-Newsletter at http://reg.BDCnetwork.

s-EMBERS53'"#

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Input #3 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse
www.BDCnetwork.com

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

Were always working

to understand your
business. Thats why
were changing ours.

Stephanie A. Burns, Ph.D.

Chairman, President and CEO
Dow Corning Corporation

A spirit of innovation and passion for solving

customer problems has always set Dow Corning
apart. So as we enhance our global Dow Corning
brand, keep counting on us for smart solutions
to your biggest challenges. Through our
collaborative, proven process, we can deliver
custom silicon-based solutions like no one else.
And its this kind of working partnership that
were focusing on now more than ever with
Dow Corning branded products and services.

Your needs for more options and convenience

led us to develop the XIAMETER brand, a more
efficient way to buy standard silicones directly.
Through this innovative online model, you still get
Dow Corning quality and reliability at market-based
prices. Now weve expanded the XIAMETER
brand to offer you more standard silicones,
volume alternatives, and the option to order
through your distributor. Its another way were
changing to give you more options and value.

See how were changing to better meet your needs at dowcorning.com/transform

Dow Corning is a registered trademark of Dow Corning Corporation. We help you invent the future is a trademark of Dow Corning Corporation.
XIAMETER is a registered trademark of Dow Corning Corporation. 2009 Dow Corning Corporation. All rights reserved.

Input #4 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

editorial

EDITORIAL STAFF
Robert Cassidy

Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
630-288-8153

Dave Barista

Managing Editor
[email protected]
630-288-8082

Jay W. Schneider

Senior Editor
[email protected]
630-288-8088

Jeff Yoders

Senior Associate Editor

[email protected]
630-288-8021

Jim Haughey

BD+C Economist

Larry Nigh

Senior Art Director

EDITORIAL ADVISERS
Peter Davoren

CEO, Turner Construction Company

M. Arthur Gensler, Jr., FAIA, FIIDA, RIBA

Chairman, Gensler

Raj Gupta, PE, LEED AP

President, Environmental Systems Design

Laurin McCracken, AIA

Chief Marketing Officer, Carter & Burgess

Thomas R. Samuels, FAIA, AICP

Executive Vice President,
Higgins Development Partners

Philip Tobey, FAIA, FACHA

Senior Vice President, SmithGroup

Alan Traugott, LEED AP

Principal, CJL Engineering

Randolph Tucker, PE

Senior Vice President, RJA Group

BUSINESS STAFF
Dean Horowitz

General Manager, Construction Media

[email protected]
630-288-8180

Daniel Colunio

Director
[email protected]
781-734-8360

Joyce Simon

Production Manager
[email protected]
630-288-8424

Melinda Werner

Advertising Service Manager

[email protected]
630-288-8065

Angela Tanner

Director, Audience Marketing

[email protected]

Mary Nasiri

Director of E-Media
[email protected]

MAIN OFFICE
2000 Clearwater Drive
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Subscription inquires:
[email protected]
Reprints: The YGS Group
Jeanine Pranses, (717) 505-9701 x136
[email protected]

John Poulin

CEO/CFO, RBI-US

Jeff DeBalko

President, RBI-US

Karthik Krishnan

Vice President Interactive Media &

Sales Management

www.BDCnetwork.com

Water issues
arent going
to evaporate
The editors are pleased to present our seventh annual
White Paper on green buildings; this one focuses on water
performance. We call your attention to the Action Plan,
which offers specific steps Building Teams and others can
take to address water-related issues.
Regrettably, we were not able to
discuss a number of truly important
water-related concerns; to name just
one, the presence of pharmaceutical
waste in our water supplies. A 2002
study by the U.S. Geological Survey of
139 streams in 30 states found human and veterinary drugs, hormones,
and other substances in 80% of the
streams (http://toxics.usgs.gov/pubs/FS027-02/). How these waste drugs are
distorting the genetic makeup of fish
and other wildlife in and around the
nations waterways is a subject that is
almost too creepy to think about.
Nor, we regret, did we cover water
in the Third World, where more than a
billion people lack access to the minimal water standard set by the World
Health Organization: 20 liters (about
five gallons) of water per person a day,
within a half-mile or so of their homes.
We didnt get into the fact that the
hundreds of millions of women in
Africa, Asia, and Latin America have
to carry as much as 20 kg (44 pounds)
of water each day, often trekking
long distances in the heat to do so.
Of course, many of these women are
really just girls, and theyre probably carrying the equivalent of half
their weight. So, try this: If youre a
160-pound male, rig up 80 pounds of
water (about 10 gallon jugs) on your

back and carry that load a half mile or

so. See if that keeps you in shape.
Nor did we mention that children
who live in parts of the world with
unconscionably below-standard water
and sanitation service die at 20 times
the rate of those who live in countries
with merely adequate water and sewer
services.
We left out any discussion of waterborne diseases like onchocerciasis
(river blindness), which afflicts 18
million in Africa (and can be treated
with a couple of pills a year); or
schistosomiasis, in which parasitic
worms bore under the victims skin.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention say this dreadful condition can be treated with a few pills.
Why, then, are 200 million people in
Africa, Asia, and South America still
suffering from it?
Seven years ago, the United Nations
Economic and Social Council explicitly
recognized access to clean water as a
fundamental human right and established the WHO standard (20 liters a
day per person within one kilometer)
as the baseline. But with the impact of
climate change and world population
growth, 2.7 billion could face severe
water shortages by 2025. How can we
in good conscience allow this to happen?Robert Cassidy

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

T HE P ERFORMANCE L EADER IN T ODAY S

C OMMERCIAL R ESTROOM P RESENTS
Sloan offers the most extensive line
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Input #5 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

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Input #6 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

news

U.S. architecture firms book $44B in

billings in 2008, more green, BIM
Gross billings at U.S. architecture firms
totaled $44.3 billion in 2008, an annual
growth of about 16% over the previous
three years, according to the American
Institute of Architects (AIA) Business
of Architecture: AIA Survey Report on
Firm Characteristics. The study also
showed sizable gains in the number
of firms doing green design projects,
as well as using building information
modeling (BIM) software.
While architecture firms are struggling considerably as the current economic slump continues unabated, there
were extensive increases in revenue for
the profession during the period this
survey covered, said AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA.
Fifty percent of architecture firms
report green design practices, up from
31% of firms in 2005. Firms with 10-49
employees had the biggest gains in
green design work, which increased
from 48% to 72% in the last three

years. The use of BIM software has also

doubled in the last three years.
There was a sharp rise in the number
of minority licensed architects moving
from 11% to 18%, with a 3% increase
in the number of minority partners/
principles, and minorities now compose
19% of all architecture staff. The gains
have been smaller for women over the
same period, with only 1% increases in
the number of principals/partners and
for all architectural staff. The number
of licensed female architects remains
20%, but there were increases in the
number of female non-licensed architects (3%) and interns (5%).
Other highlights from the survey:
Share of firms that have obtained
BIM software has increased from 34%
in 2005 to 69% in 2008
Nearly two-thirds of construction
projects begun in 2008 had sustainable
design features
New construction accounts for

Top 10 sectors served

by architects in 2008
Healthcare
Office space:
Education (K-12)
Education (college/university)
Retail, food services
Government/civic
Hospitality
Industrial
Transportation
Recreational

8.2%
1.3%
9.0%
9.0%
8.4%
5.9%
4.8%
3.6%
2.9%
2.3%

Source: American Institute of Architects Business of Architecture:

AIA Survey Report on Firm Characteristics

nearly two-thirds of design projects

The traditional design-bid-build
delivery method is the most widely used
by architecture firms
International projects accounted for
7% of billings and totaled slightly more
than $3 billion in revenue in 2008. BD+C

NEWS BRIEFS
n Restrictions on water use biggest water-related problem for
AEC firms. BD+Cs exclusive survey of water-related issues among
AEC firms shows that respondents who reported water problems said
their firms experienced one or two water-related events over the last
three years (mean: 1.77). Problems cited included low pressure for
fire sprinkler systems, leaks, inadequate detention capacity,
clogged filters, storm control, old utility piping, and containment. For more survey results, go to page WP10 in this issue.
n ASHRAE starts up new building energy modeling certification. ASHRAE is launching a Building Energy Modeling
Professional certification to ensure that professionals modeling
a buildings energy use have the necessary skills to produce an
accurate model. The first exam will be given in January at the
ASHRAE Winter Conference in Orlando.
n Recession has pushed climate change to the back burner in
real estate. The downturn in commercial real estate has downgraded climate change and alternative energy as a factor in real
estate investment decisions, says a survey of U.S. financial inwww.BDCnetwork.com

dustry leaders by the Urban Land Institute. The ULI survey found
that investors are more apt to reshape their business strategies
around cutting energy costs than cutting greenhouse gases.
n BIM Forum drops AGC from title, expands BIM meeting
schedule. The Associated General Contractors of America BIM
Forum will continue to be owned and operated by the AGC, but
a new organization, BIM Forum LLC, has been created to bring
more architects, designers, owners, attorneys, academic leaders,
and other BIM pioneers into the group. Members will be charged
$150 a year, but the group will expand its meetings beyond the
three BIM conferences a year it currently holds.
n RCD sues McGraw-Hill Construction Dodge over trade secrets. Reed Construction Data has filed suit in federal court against
McGraw-Hill Construction Dodge, a unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. The lawsuit alleges that Dodge has unlawfully accessed
confidential and trade secret information from RCD since 2002 by
using a series of fake companies to pose as RCD customers.
More at www.BDCnetwork.com
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

November 2009

NEWS

RSMeans cost comparisons: Hospitals, nursing homes, and apartments

09

Atlanta
Baltimore
Boston
Chicago
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Detroit
Houston
Kansas City, Mo.
Los Angeles
Miami
Minneapolis
New Orleans
New York City
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Pittsburgh
Portland, Ore.
St. Louis
San Diego
San Francisco
Seattle
Washington, D.C.
Winston-Salem, N.C.

Hospital, 2-3 story

08
% chg.

261.95
269.30
337.51
332.81
289.30
247.84
274.01
299.29
256.37
295.76
313.40
263.13
323.69
257.84
382.20
333.98
256.96
289.59
292.53
298.12
305.47
358.39
300.17
289.00
227.26

243.70
251.06
312.24
310.46
269.08
230.50
256.64
278.98
238.11
276.44
292.69
243.70
297.00
239.89
354.37
305.89
240.14
264.00
272.89
278.22
283.80
335.08
281.01
269.33
211.96

7.5
7.3
8.1
7.2
7.5
7.5
6.8
7.3
7.7
7.0
7.1
8.0
9.0
7.5
7.9
9.2
7.0
9.7
7.2
7.2
7.6
7.0
6.8
7.3
7.2

09

Hospital, 4-8 story

08
% chg.

238.21
244.89
306.92
302.64
263.07
225.38
249.17
272.16
233.13
268.95
285.00
239.28
294.35
234.47
347.56
303.71
233.66
263.34
266.01
271.09
277.78
325.90
272.96
262.81
206.66

224.35
231.13
287.45
285.82
247.72
212.20
236.27
256.84
219.21
254.50
269.46
224.35
273.43
220.85
326.25
281.61
221.08
243.05
251.23
256.14
261.28
308.48
258.71
247.96
195.14

6.2
6.0
6.8
5.9
6.2
6.2
5.5
6.0
6.3
5.7
5.8
6.7
7.7
6.2
6.5
7.8
5.7
8.3
5.9
5.8
6.3
5.6
5.5
6.0
5.9

Costs in dollars per square foot

09

Nursing home
08
% chg.

135.61
139.42
174.73
172.29
149.76
128.30
141.85
154.94
132.72
153.11
162.25
136.22
167.57
133.48
197.86
172.90
133.02
149.92
151.44
154.33
158.14
185.53
155.40
149.61
117.65

135.60
139.70
173.74
172.75
149.72
128.26
142.80
155.23
132.49
153.82
162.86
135.60
165.26
133.48
197.19
170.21
133.62
146.90
151.84
154.81
157.92
186.45
156.36
149.87
117.94

0.0
-0.2
0.6
-0.3
0.0
0.0
-0.7
-0.2
0.2
-0.5
-0.4
0.5
1.4
-0.0
0.3
1.6
-0.4
2.1
-0.3
-0.3
0.1
-0.5
-0.6
-0.2
-0.2

09

Apartment, 8-24 story

08
% chg.

187.29
192.54
241.31
237.95
206.84
177.20
195.91
213.98
183.29
211.46
224.07
188.13
231.43
184.35
273.26
238.79
183.71
207.05
209.15
213.14
218.40
256.23
214.61
206.63
162.48

178.27
183.66
228.41
227.11
196.84
168.62
187.74
204.08
174.19
202.23
214.11
178.27
217.27
175.49
259.24
223.77
175.67
193.13
199.63
203.53
207.61
245.12
205.57
197.03
155.06

5.1
4.8
5.6
4.8
5.1
5.1
4.3
4.9
5.2
4.6
4.7
5.5
6.5
5.0
5.4
6.7
4.6
7.2
4.8
4.7
5.2
4.5
4.4
4.9
4.8

For more data, visit RSMeans at www.rsmeans.com, or call (800) 448-8182.

Dont let your plans

go sideways.

Whether youre designing a custom home

or a light-frame multi-story building,
Simpson Strong-Tie has the lateral-force
resisting system to t your project and
help hold it together during a wind or
seismic event. Our code-listed Wood and
Steel Strong-Wall shearwalls allow for narrow
wall sections while providing high loads.
Our Anchor Tiedown Systems are restrained
(tied off) at each oor level to provide the
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time and create larger wall openings.
Learn how our entire line of Lateral Systems
can keep your projects standing tall and strong.
Visit www.strongtie.com/lateralsystems or
call (800) 999-5099.
Input #7 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

Strong Frame ordinary moment frames

Wood and Steel Strong-Wall shearwalls

Anchor Tiedown System

2009 Simpson Strong-Tie Company Inc. LATSYTM09-S

DONT JUST
SPEC IT.

MASTERSPEC IT.

The first and most complete

master specifications that address
sustainability requirements.

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www.arcomnet.com/bdcn

www.aia.org

ARCOM is the publisher of MasterSpec . MasterSpec is a product of the AIA.

11

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

of more than $5 billion reported greater

average losses (up to $25.8 million from
$23.3 million in 2008).
For more: www.kroll.com/fraud. BD+C
rose substantially; theft of physical assets, corruption, and vendor fraud were
lower than any other region.
Larger companies with annual sales

MasterSpec addresses green building

considerations by featuring:

Hundreds of sections with LEED text

Six Division 01 sustainability sections
LEED 2009 (v3)
Online & reference book:
Specifying LEED Requirements 3rd Edition

Sustainability Leadership: One more reason

why 75 percent of the top architects, engineers,
and specifiers trust their construction documents
and their specifications to MasterSpec.

Visit ARCOMs booth #1657

at Greenbuild 2009

The global construction, engineering,

and infrastructure industry saw a signicant decline in fraud activity, with companies losing an average of $6.4 million
over the last three years, according to
the Kroll Annual Global Fraud Report.
The new gure represents less than half
of last years amount of $14.2 million.
Construction, engineering, and
infrastructure companies registered a
below average loss compared to other
sectors, with the nancial services industry being hit hardest by fraud over
the past 12 months. The ndings are
the result of a survey Kroll commissioned from the Economist Intelligence Unit of more than 700 senior
executives worldwide.
Although fraud losses are down in
this years survey for construction companies, the prevalence of the problem
is not declining at nearly the same rate.
More than nine out of ten (91%) companies reported being hit by some form
of fraud over the past three years, down
slightly from last years gure (95%) but
still well above the survey average (85%).
Interestingly, the types of fraud incidences are changing, with more than
a third of companies suffering from
corruption and bribery (38%), up from
last years survey (28%). Other areas
of frequent loss are: theft of physical
assets or stock (36%); nancial mismanagement (29%); vendor, supplier, or
procurement fraud (25%); information
theft, loss, or attack (23%); regulatory
or compliance breach (23%); and management conict of interest (21%).
Other key ndings include:
The Middle East and Africa experienced the worst fraud levels of all the
regions, with companies losing an average $11.5 million.
North America was no longer the
low fraud leader, with seven out of 10
fraud incidences up from 2008 gures.
Companies experiencing internal nancial fraud and nancial mismanagement

> > > >

Fraud down for construction firms, but average loss still $6.4M

Input #8 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

news

Hotels sector to
improve in
mid-2010

Over the past 14 months, hotel construction spending fell 38%. Starts fell
even moredown 57% year-to-date
through September. September starts
are more than 75% below levels seen
during the hotel building boom of
fall 2005 to summer 2008, and spending will decline an additional 7% into
next summer. These figures will make
the 2008 to 2010 decline around 25%
deeper than the last recession.
Hotel occupancy has dropped below
60% and is headed to around 55% in
the year ahead. As a result, revenue per
available room is already down nearly
20% and will fall further. The improvement in the economy will balance
changes in room supply, however, with
increased room demand late in 2010.
Hotel construction spending will begin rising slowly next summer as project
costs increase in a stronger construction
environment. Also, renovation work will
pick up, much of it the result of hotel
ownership changes forced by an inability
to rollover existing hotel financing. The
building bust is worse for luxury and
resort properties than for business- and
budget-oriented properties. BD+C
Jim Haughey, BD+C Economist and
Chief Economist, Reed Construction Data

NEWS BRIEFS
n NYC study shows little added cost for
green projects. A study of 107 construc-

tion projects in New York City shows green

does not always cost significantly more than
traditional construction. The Urban Green
Council found that the average construction
cost for a high-rise residential building without LEED certification was $436 per square
foot compared with $440 per square foot
with certification. Some LEED projects with
a Platinum or Gold rating were completed
for less than lower-rated Silver projects.

12

Input #9 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse
November 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

C RED IBILIT Y. CRED E N TI AL S . CS I DE S I GN ATI ON S .

Building to be

LEED Certied?
Earn your CDT Certicate or advanced CSI Certication to ensure
your construction documentation meets the project requirements.

CSI CERTIFICATE AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS:

CDT

CCS

CCCA

CCPR

The Construction
Specications Institute
www.csinet.org/certication

Are you prepared?

Are you prepared to clearly dene and
effectively manage the complexities of a
LEED project?
Site development, water efciency, energy use,
building materials, interior building systems,
construction wastes and increased recycling
you must clearly establish requirements and
manage implementation when you are building
to achieve LEEDTM certication.
Whether you and your rm specialize in
specications, contract administration, or
product representation, LEED is a real issue.
CSIs CDT certicate and advanced certication
programs give you the ability to manage
complex sustainability building issues in a
highly competitive market.

CSIs Certicate and Certication

Programs For All Construction
Industry Professionals
Only CSIs CDT certicate and certication
programs benet all disciplines in the
commercial and industrial building design and
construction industry. That is because CSI is the
only organization that represents all members
of the construction team.

On projects seeking
LEED Certication, having
a team member who has their
CDT certicate or advanced CSI
certication offers denite benets.
The CSI certied professional
possesses the unique skills
necessary to develop the technical
documents that permit the seamless integration
of LEEDs specic requirements into a project.
Whether it is the requirements for a construction
waste management plan or low VOC content for
paints, coatings or adhesives, the CSI certied

Quite possibly the

most important service
a design professional (A/E)
can render his client (an
Owner) is to have their CDT
certicate and advanced CSI
certicationto be able to
provide properly prepared
construction documents
that will produce the
greatest value for the clients
investment in the project.
Larry Grifths, CSI, CCS

professional intuitively knows how and where these

requirements t into the contract documents. In
addition, because the CSI certied professional
prepares and works with the documentation process
every day, they are well-suited to orchestrate the
process necessary to submit for LEED Certication
at the completion of the projects construction.
Ross Spiegel, FCSI, CCS, CCCA, AIA, LEED AP
Former President, CSI
CSI Liaison to the U.S. Green Building Council

Credibility.
CSI Designations.
Sustainability and green building issues are
an everyday realitya part of the design
and operation of our built environment. But
that does not mean LEED certication for
projects is easy to achieve. LEED continues
to evolve, bringing with it new complexities
and challenges. Not reaching the ultimate
green goal could lead to disputes, professional
liability claims, and signicant nancial losses.
Through effective documentation development
and management,you can improve your
ability to deliver LEED projects on time and on
budget, which will protect your bottom line.
The CSI CDT certicate and advanced
certications prove that you uphold the
highest industry standards for developing
and managing all aspects of the complex
information requirements of todays
construction projects.

Credentials.
CSI Designations.
Start by earning your Construction
Documents Technologist (CDT) Certicate.
With CDT after your name, you will
belong to a select and highly respected
group of construction professionals known
for their comprehensive knowledge of
the preparation and management of
construction documents.
Then, go on to demonstrate your expertise
in specications, contract administration,
or product representation with one of CSIs
advanced certications.
In todays increasingly competitive
environment, you need to demonstrate your
commitment to your profession and stand
apart from your competition. Advance to
the next levelearn a CSI designation.

The CDT certicate and advanced

CSI certications go hand-in-hand
with LEED. Projects striving for LEED Certication
are truly high performance and need high
performance professionals. People who take
the initiative to earn their CDT certicate and
advanced CSI certication dene the phrase
high performance. They understand how
the construction industry works and how the
construction process is communicated. There is
a lot at stake with a LEED project. A project that
does not use a CDT or CSI certied professional
risks failing to attain certication due to a technical
error. What a shame it would be to work so hard on

a LEED project and have it miss

the mark because some entity did
not understand the construction
process! Everyone on the team
needs to have the knowledge
base that only the CDT and CSI
certications can demonstrate. Can
you imagine being the one to tell
a Building Owner that a project was not LEED
Certiable because of a communication error?
That is the stuff lawsuits are made of.
Robert H. Mallory, CSI, CCS, CCPR,
CCCA, LEED AP

Registration Information
SPRING 2010 CSI CERTIFICATE/CERTIFICATION APPLICATION FEES:
The application fee includes registration, study guide, and
examination. It does not include source materials on which the
exams are based. Visit www.csinet.org/certication for information
on fees, source materials, recommended educational programs,
study groups, policies, and FAQs!
COMPUTER-BASED TESTING FOR CDT, CCS, CCCA AND CCPR
The CDT and advanced certication exams are computer-based
tests administered at Prometric test centers throughout the US and
Canada.

Candidates for the exams have two windows of opportunity for

test-taking annually on a national basis, in the Spring and Fall.
Visit www.csinet.org/certication for specic dates and details.

Candidates will register for the exam through CSI and will be
able to choose from approximately 400 Prometric test sites in
cities throughout the US and Canada.

Scores will be reported within minutes of completing the exam.

Exams are offered in conjunction with region conferences and

CONSTRUCT and the CSI Annual Convention.

For more information on computer-based testing, visit www.

csinet.org/certication.
To download a registration form or register for an exam go to
www.csinet.org/certication.

Questions?

The CDT certicate and

advanced CSI certication
is taken seriously in the
construction industry. To
pass a certication exam,
candidates must study The
Project Resource ManualCSI
Manual of Practice and other
exam source materials, and
demonstrate background in
the eld. With certication,
they become experts who
can properly manage the
paperwork associated
with construction and
communicate effectively
with architects, speciers,
owners, contractors, and
product representatives.
In a society as litigious as
ours, thats important.

Robert Saumur, FCSI, CCPR

Former Chairman, CSI Institute
See www.csinet.org/certication or contact CSI Member Services at
[email protected] or (800) 689-2900 (M-F 8:30 AM 6 PM ET) Certication Committee

Do you need help preparing for the CDT? Consider the CDT Prep Course
The CDT was developed for architects/engineers (A/Es), owners and contractors whose work is
directly affected by construction documentation, and for product representatives who, although not
named in the contract, provide all the material necessary for creating the built environment. Knowing
your role in the construction process, the agreements that establish the relationships among the
parties, and the formal and informal lines of communication, is as important as knowing your tenant,
your craft, your product, or your design.
The CDT Prep Course lays the groundwork for understanding the development of facilities and the ins
and outs of the process and, most important, prepares you for taking the CDT exam a respected
credential in the construction industry.
About the CDT prep course:
Learn at your own pace with on-demand classes
Live multi-week study session
Registration fee: $150 (does not include purchase of the PRM)
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.CSINET.ORG/CERTIFICATION.

on the drawing board

MOB added to new hospital project

Spa resort in harmony with mountain setting

The Sparkling Hill Resort and Wellness Hotel in Vernon, B.C., looks as if it was
chiseled out of bedrock and jutting from the mountainside. Designed by the Victoria, B.C., office of Cannon Design, the 240,000-sf resort has 152 guest rooms
with floor-to-ceiling windows and spa-like bathrooms, as well as a signature
20,000-sf whole-body wellness spa with treatment rooms designed to feel like
theyre carved out of the resorts surrounding rocky landscape. The project sits
on a geo-exchange field thats projected to provide 100% of the facilitys heating
and cooing energy. Completion is expected in 2010.

Design for Miami Art Museum triples gallery space

Herzog & de Meuron has completed design development for the Miami Art
Museums new complex, which will anchor the citys 29-acre Museum Park,
overlooking Biscayne Bay.
At 120,000 sf with 32,000 sf of gallery space, the three-story museum will be
three times larger than the current facility. The museum will also have multiple
400-sf anchor galleries scattered throughout the building to house commissioned, site-specific installations. Galleries on the second floor will have windows
allowing filtered daylight into the building. The $220 million museum is targeting LEED Silver and is expected to be completed in 2012.
www.BDCnetwork.com

A late-2009 ground breaking is

planned for a $20 million medical
office building on the grounds of the
$211 million, 106-bed Loma Linda
University Medical Center in Murrieta, Calif., which itself is under
construction. Minneapolis-based
Frauenshuh HealthCare Real Estate
Solutions is developing the fivestory, 160,000-sf MOB, which will
accommodate 60 physician offices.
Completion expected in early 2011.

Firm goes for Gold with

office design
DLR Group is designing its new
Omaha, Neb., headquarters to achieve
LEED Gold. Sustainable features being incorporated into the three-story,
39,000-sf building, which is part of
the citys new Aksarben Village mixeduse development, include daylighting,
outdoor workspaces, native landscaping, a green roof, and the pursuit of
renewable energy credits. Ground
breaking on the project took place in
August with completion expected in
November 2011.

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

November 2009

17

on the drawing board

Baltimore gets new youth detention center

PSA-Dewberry is designing Baltimores $80 million downtown youth detention center. The five-story, 200,000-sf center will house youths who have
been criminally charged as adults, and is the first phase of Marylands
seven-phase plan to completely reconstruct the citys downtown correctional
campus. The center will house up to 180 youths in single-bed rooms in six
housing units. Each unit will have activity space, a multipurpose room, a
counseling room, and an officers station. A gymnasium, booking and intake
center, and administrative and service spaces are also part of the center,
which is targeting LEED Silver.

Triangular tower targets travelers

New building focuses on public safety

The $40 million public safety building for the city of El Cajon, Calif., is under
construction and slated for completion in June 2011. The five-story, 119,400sf building will house the citys administrative offices, a joint police and fire
emergency operations center, central data center, indoor firing range, crime lab,
and short-term custody facility. KMA Architects & Engineers, in partnership
with McClaren, Wilson & Lawrie, designed the complex; the Building Team also
includes program manager Gafcon Inc., Ledcor Construction (GC), and Burkett &
Wong Engineers.

18

November 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

Chicago-based Goettsch Partners is

designing a new mixed-use high-rise
for the Chinese city of Dalian, located
on the Yellow Sea coast. Developed
by Hong Kong-based China Resources
Land Limited, the tower will have
almost 1.1 million sf, which includes
a 377-room Grand Hyatt hotel,
84 apartments, three restaurants,
banquet space, and a spa and fitness
center. The towers triangular form
with rounded corners serves three purposes: it helps minimize the structural
impact of the high-force winds common to the Dalian coastline; it accelerates wind speed to better propel the
buildings vertical-axis wind turbines;
and it orients all rooms toward water
and mountain views. Completion is
expected in 2011.
www.BDCnetwork.com

1968 Social environmental

movements take hold.

WHO SHAPES THE FUTURE

OF GREEN DESIGN?
You do.

1978 Earth Day brings

awareness to Earths
need for continual care.

What was once a quiet evolution has

become a revolutionary force. Your desire
for sustainable design has helped redefine
the meaning of green. Since we began
making nora rubber flooring over
50 years ago, weve evolved with you.

1988 1,000 communities

in America initiate
curbside recycling.

Your concern for the environment continues

to create new standards for designing
in harmony with nature. It is why we
continually explore ways to blend the
best of technology with greener thinking.

1998 EPA launches voluntary

programs for energy,
water, indoor air
quality, waste and
smart growth.

It starts with you.

You and your challenges.
You and your world.
You and nora.

2008 U.S. Green

Building Council
member organizations
grow to 15,000.

800-332-NORA
www.nora.com/us/green11

Input #10 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

You can say it.

on the drawing board

70% more energy efficient

100% VOC-free
Expansion of chemistry facility no experiment

40% recycled content

We can prove it.

A September ground breaking at Wayne State University

in Detroit puts the schools A. Paul Schaap Chemistry
Building and Lecture Hall on track for a December 2010
completion. The $37 million, 96,000-sf facility is the
second phase of a two-phase project to expand and renovate the existing chemistry building. The project includes
a new four-story glass atrium entrance, a 150-seat
auditorium, a lecture hall, additional research stations
and collaborative work areas, administrative offices, and
a sloped green roof. Designed by Harley Ellis Devereaux
with DeMaria Building Co. as GC, the project is targeting
LEED Silver.

Introducing UL Environment.
Building upon ULs century of product testing
leadership, UL Environment now offers you
independent, definitive confirmation of claims.
Learn what our comprehensive testing,
validation, and certification services can mean
for your business at ULenvironment.com.
Rehabilitation center helps patients transition

Copyright 2009 UL Environment Inc. ULAB-01520-01 7/09

Construction is under way on the Polytrauma Transitional

Rehabilitation Center on the VA Medical Center campus in
Richmond, Va. The $8 million, 22,000-sf facility will provide physical therapy, housing, and education to veterans
as part of their transition back into their communities. The
center was designed by HDR, Alexandria, Va., to achieve
LEED Silver certification.

Input #11 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

20

November, 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

Kullman Bathroom PODS eliminate the hassles of construction

and endless sequencing of trades. Complete with fixtures and
finishes, Kullman Bathroom PODS are factory-built and installed
Plug and Play at your site. To simplify your next construction
project, visit us on the web at www.kullman.com or call

1-888-567-KPOD (5763). Bathrooms. Simplified.

We build it.

We deliver it.

We install it.

BATHROOM PODS
Input #12 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

BUILDER

2009 Kawneer Company, Inc.

GUARDIAN
Its our goal to make sure you can be both. Our sustainable
solutions and products allow you to do your job while living up
to your responsibilities to the planet.

Architectural Aluminum Systems

Entrances + Framing
Curtain Walls
Windows

EVERY DAY YOU MAKE A CHOICE. MAKE A CHOICE THAT COUNTS.

kawneergreen.com

Input #13 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

See us at booth #1354.

New Projects Portfolio

Voting center redesigned where it counts

A series of large-scale photographic banners by artist Rebeca Mendez soars
above the newly redesigned Los Angeles County Elections Operations Center.
L.A.-based Lehrer Architects completely reworked the 110,000-sf concrete
warehouse, adding a new floor plan that improves work flow, bold colors, 12foot-high dividing walls, and original artwork to create a vibrant and peoplefriendly environment. The expansive space includes 18,000 sf of office space,
an employee caf, and storage capacity for 1,200 pallets of voting material and
5,000 ballot reading and voter accessibility devices.

BU students move
into high-rise dorm
Boston Universitys newest residential
building rises 26 stories above the
Charles River. Part of the schools 10acre John Hancock Student Village,
the 396,000-sf tower houses 962
students and has three apartments
for faculty use. The tower also has a
large multipurpose room on the top
floor. Architects at the Boston office of
Cannon Design specified a terra cotta
and metal panel cladding system for
the building.

Mixed-use Seattle high-rise earns

LEED Gold
Seattles 2201 Westlake development
became the citys first mixed-use
and high-rise residential project to
earn LEED Gold. Located in Seattles
South Lake Union neighborhood, the
newly completed 450,000-sf complex includes 300,000 sf of Class A
office space, 135 luxury condominiums (known as Enso), and 25,000
sf of retail space. The projects green
features include underfloor HVAC
delivery, high-performance central energy plant, water-efficient fixtures and
fittings, drought-tolerant landscaping,
and extensive material/construction
waste recycling and salvaging. The
project was developed by Vulcan Real
Estate, designed by Callison, and
constructed by Sellen Construction
with Glumac as MEP.

Theater offers spectacular views inside and out

A 500-seat proscenium theater sits at the heart of the 35,000-sf Performing
Arts Pavilion at the Jackson Hole Center for the Arts. The entertainment and
cultural facility, designed by Stephen Dynia Architects, Jackson Hole, Wyo., also
houses glass-walled rehearsal rooms that offer passersby views of the activity
going on inside and multifunction lobby with views of Snow King Mountain. An
outdoor amphitheatre further connects the building to its natural setting.
www.BDCnetwork.com

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

November 2009

23

New Projects Portfolio

Community colleges hillside learning center

The Earl E. and Dorothy J. Dellinger Learning Resource Center at Southwest Virginia Community College in Richlands,
Va., is the centerpiece of this mountainside school. Designed by Arlington, Va.-based The Lukmire Partnership, the
50,000-sf, two-story building connects the upper and lower
campuses, which are separated by a 70-foot vertical grade
change. The complex houses a 15,000-sf library, a fireside
student activity area, the distance learning department, and
the schools television and radio studios. The centers extensive windows capture views of the surrounding landscape,
and an interior waterfall that adds to the indoor-outdoor feel.

Corporate campus gets LEED stamp of Gold

The new 100,000-sf corporate headquarters for The
Thornburg Companies in Santa Fe, N.M., earned LEED
Gold. Designed in the new-old Santa Fe style by Legorreta + Legorreta, with local firms Dekker/Perich/Sabatini
and Klinger Constructors on the Building Team, the green
building sits on seven acres and features three distinct but
interconnected office spaces with two courtyards and three
rooftop gardens. The projects eco-friendly features include
daylighting and operative windows, evaporative cooling,
rainwater capture for irrigation, and pervious paving. The
building is expected to use 47% less energy and 43% less
water than a typical office building.

Courtyard connects new and remodeled schools

Good Fulton & Farrell Architects of Dallas designed a major
expansion and renovation at the Dallas Academy in Texas.
The 22,900-sf addition serves as the schools new front door
and includes a library, student assembly area, cafeteria, seven
classrooms, and administrative offices. The schools existing
14,560-sf building was renovated to accommodate a lower
school component, and its gymnasium also was expanded as
part of the project. A landscaped courtyard is nestled between
the remodeled school building and the new construction.

24

Input #14 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

November 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

CEILING&WALL

SYSTEMS
Between us, ideas become reality

REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS

GREAT PERFORMERS

armstrong.com/greenstock 1 877 ARMSTRONG

Input #15 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

GREENBUILD BOOTH 2157

information technology
By Jeff Yoders, Senior Associate Editor

ArchiCAD 13: First server-based BIM utility

ArchiCAD 13, the latest release of
Graphisofts flagship building information modeling application, includes the
first client server-based BIM collaboration utility of any of the major BIM
programs (ArchiCAD, Bentley Microstation, or Autodesk Revit). An internal
culture of collaboration is vital for a
company to effectively adopt BIM, but
how can many architects and designerseven within one officework on
a project in one model without erasing
or changing each others updates and
causing a slowdown in design time?
Both Revit and ArchiCAD, the applications that rely on one large file
for one model, previously used fixes
based on borrowing certain parts of
the model and locking the model while
one team member used it, but these
solutions were less than ideal. Enter
ArchiCAD BIM Server technology, part
of a complete revamp of Teamwork in
ArchiCAD.

Delta Server enables

BIM sharing
The new Graphisoft BIM Server
maintains the complete and up-to-date
model of a project. Building Team
members can use their individual
ArchiCAD licenses to work on the
model on their own computers, so
there is still only one main model
housed on the BIM Server and copies
of the model on workstations. What
makes the new interface different from
the old Teamwork, though, is that
instead of the whole model with all
its parametric information needing to
be copied back and forth between the
BIM Server and individual machines,
only new and modified elements are
copied onto the BIM Server from an
individual workstation. This allows
synchronization of the master model
and local copies to take much less time
to update. BIM files can now be updated almost instantly, no matter how

26

NOVEMBER 2009

The new Teamwork concept in ArchiCAD 13 uses a model server and a technology that detects
and transmits only modified elements rather than the whole model.

big your model is.

This change was made possible by
a new Graphisoft technology called
Delta Server that can detect and
transmit only model changes over an
Internet connection or LAN. Graphisoft has applied for a patent for Delta
server. Graphisofts software engineers
have also made individual model elements and project data much easier
to share and use in the new version of
Teamwork. Project attributes and views
can be reserved and released on the
fly, so theres no need to plan ahead,
reserve areas to work on, and restrict
other team members from using them.
With ArchiCAD 13 you can reserve
only the elements you need and release
them to the rest of the Building Team
immediately after youre done working
on them.
The setup of BIM Server is intuitive

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

and simple. Two included applications,

BIM Server Control Center and BIM
Server Manager, need to be installed.
The control center lets you set up your
server or servers (you can make multiple
virtual servers, if necessary) and define
how it will be used. The Manager function is used to create and define project
models, users, roles, and responsibilities.
Both are quick and easy to install
and use with Teamwork, ArchiCADs
project information sharing utility for
local or Internet-connected computers. All users can log in from their
local machines using Teamwork. I
created a fake project on my home
computer, shared it on a BIM server
located in my office, and invited a
friend to work with me from his home.
We were able to collaborate quite
efficiently without seeing or talking
to each other. The two of us used the
www.BDCnetwork.com

Teamwork palette to share, reserve,

and release elements very fast using
BIM Server. When one of us had an
element the other wanted to use, we
would simply use the Request command to ask for it, and the other
person would be prompted to Grant
Request. Sending only changed elements to the server made the whole
process fast and easy, resulting in very
few inconsistencies in our final, albeit
quite simple, model.

Rotate Orientation and

other enhancements
While vastly expanded BIM collaboration is the big news about ArchiCAD 13,
Graphisoft has improved the modeling,
annotation, interoperability, and speed of
the program, too. A new rotate orientation option allows any project view
floor plans, worksheets, or detailsto be

Input #16 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

rotated while keeping project orientation

the same. This makes it much easier to
work with models with odd angles since
the dimensions automatically adjust
based on the orientation. Annotations
such as text, labels, markers, and zone
stamps have a fixed angle option that
can make them automatically adjust to a
new view, too.
The ability to apply an image to any
roof, slab, mesh, or zone with a cover
fill is the best of the new fill enhancements. The modeling enhancements
for version 13 include the ability to
direct edit reference lines and other
parameters of a curtain wall in plan,
section/elevation, or 3D windows.
You can also slant edges and slabs of
roofs to match slope angles of connecting structures and assign building
materials to them. ArchiCAD 13 has
improved its OpenGL display of 3D

views, with sharper contours and better color shading.

Although ArchiCAD 13 is still very
much an architecture and design-only
BIM program, interoperability with
structural engineering software has
been improved by including thousands
of standard steel profiles from an industry standard profile database that can be
used for creating columns and beams.
Most impressive of all these
enhancements is that ArchiCAD
supports both multiprocessors and
64-bit computing with version 13
(ArchiCAD 12 supported multicore
processing, but not 64-bit). I used
an HP workstation with four processor cores to test ArchiCAD 13, and
the improvements in speed thanks to
multicore processing were dramatic.
Soon all BIM programs will need to
support multiprocessing, and dont

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Input #17 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

information technology

be surprised if other software vendors

start rewriting their code to enable
the kind of collaboration as Graphisofts BIM Server does.

Autodesk launches Cooper

Autodesk recently launched Project
Cooper, a new design technology
that gives designers of all levelsfrom
interior designers to landscape architects and DIY remodelers to furniture
designers 2D software for creating
quick, polished drawings, layouts, and
plans. A free download is available at
www.autodesk.com/projectcooper.

Bentley, Pointools partner

Bentley recently announced that it
has entered into a technology agreement with Pointools Ltd., a manufacturer of software to exploit point
clouds captured by 3D laser scanning

Input #18 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

of infrastructure assets. Through

the agreement, Bentley has licensed
Pointools Vortex API engine (and its
ongoing upgrades) for incorporation
in MicroStation and all other software
products that leverage Bentleys platform technology.

Nemetschek expands Scia

structural tool to US market
Nemetschek Scia has expanded operations into North America. The company produces software products such as
Scia Engineer, one of the leading BIM
structural engineering design, analysis,
and optimization tools in Europe. In
partnership with Nemetschek North
America (a division of Nemetschek
AG, headquartered in Munich, Germany, which also owns Graphisoft)
Nemetschek Scia has opened a new
office in Columbia, Md.

Vico, Newforma announce

product integration plans
Vico Software and Newforma, Inc.
recently announced a partnership to
jointly develop product integration
between their 4D/5D construction and
project information management solutions using the agcXML file format.
The partnership will utilize, as its
strategic basis, the Newforma Project
Center and Vico Office programs.

Vectorworks SP1 released

Nemetschek NA recently released its
first Service Pack for the Vectorworks
2010 product line, which came out in
September. While addressing issues
with wall joining and the snap loupe
in particular, Nemetschek NA says
service pack 1 has also improved the
overall stability and performance of the
package. BD+C

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

How Building Teams in the U.S. and

Europe Are Taming ITs Energy Hogs
By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor

PHOTO: COURTESY NEUMANN MONSON ARCHITECTS

Tucked in a back corner of an ofce park on the outskirts of Iowa

City, Iowa, stands a 10,000 sf-bunker-like structure that is mostly
unremarkable to the eye. Aesthetics notwithstanding, this building is a rst-of-its-kind in the U.S.a LEED Platinum data
center. Designed to withstand a direct hit from a tornado packing 250-mph winds, the relatively small, nondescript concrete
structure contains critical infrastructure for the owner, ACT, the
organization formerly known as American College Testing.

30

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

While many businesses house their data centers within a

modied standard-issue ofce or warehouse building, some
such as ACT (and, as we shall see, Citigroup) opt for singlepurpose, secure, standalone structures. Regardless of the setting, if the data center goes down, operations at just about any
organization grind to a halt, causing lost productivity, angry
customersand for somemassive revenue losses.
All data centers are power-hungry, with rows of computer
server stacks emitting huge quantities of heat. The computer
equipment requires large, robust environmental control
systems to ensure uninterrupted 24/7 functioning. As missioncritical sites, data centers must have backup power and redundant HVAC systems and be able to survive natural calamities
that would damage or destroy other buildings.
ACT located its new $3.5 million data center at a satellite
location, retaining its original data center at its main campus
for backup, thereby adding redundancy against power or telecom outages and natural disasters. If, say, a ood or tornado
were to put one site out of commission, there is a good chance
that the other site could remain operational.
The unique functional requirements of data centers make
their design and construction a specialized AEC segment, one
with robust growth prospects. AEC rms with the know-how to
design and build data centers for maximum energy efciency will
have an even greater advantage over competitors in this sector.
The innards of the ACTs LEED Platinum data center in Iowa City (left).
A 40-foot-high biowall (right) helps cool the LEED Platinum Citi Data
Centre near Frankfurt, Germany.

www.BDCnetwork.com

PHOTO: CHRISTIAN RICHTERS

Data
Centers

www.BDCnetwork.com

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

31

PHOTO: COURTESY NEUMANN MONSON ARCHITECTS

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Equipment at the Iowa City facility is cooled via a geothermal system.

Cooling towers could not be used due to tornado risks. We could not
compromise functionality and resiliency, said the ACTs facility director.

Growing demand to go green

In todays digital age, demand for bits and bytes seems insatiable. Having faster broadband networks means businesses
and consumers can do more online, using larger graphics,
audio, and video les for instruction, entertainment, and
practical business usesin other words, more computer gear,
and lots of it. The total number of installed servers in the U.S.
is expected to grow to around 15.8 million by 2010, which is
nearly three times the number of installed servers in 2000, according to market research rm IDC.
As technology trends such as cloud computing (see page
38) and the explosion of multimedia use make servers work
harder and run hotter, electricity demand to power and cool
them increases. In 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency reported that energy consumption by data centers had
doubled between 2000 and 2006, reaching some 60 billion
kwh in 2006, roughly 1.5% of all U.S. energy use. The EPA
said this is expected to double again by 2010.
The EPA also estimates that for every dollar spent on IT,
companies spend 50 cents on related energy costs. Not surprisingly, companies that manage large data centers are increasingly
seeking out the latest in efciency technology and techniques to
cut energy consumption. In the background are worries about
possible enactment of cap-and-trade or carbon tax measures
aimed at reducing greenhouse gasesmeasures that they fear
could raise costs signicantly for large consumers of energy.

Achieving LEED Platinum

Designing an energy-efcient data center, let alone a LEED
Platinum one, is no small task. Rachel Atthis, Arup project
architect who designed a LEED platinum data center for

32

NOVEMER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

Citigroup near Frankfurt, Germany, says data centers are a

genre that could otherwise be an enormous oven, notoriously
lacking in green credentials.
Despite Atthiss characterization of data centers as energyglomming ovens, innovative Building Teams are nding ways
to build data centers with impressive sustainability credentials.
While achieving LEED Platinum level may be the ultimate
test of such design skills, applying well-proven systems, materials, and construction techniques on any data center project
will go far in boosting sustainability at a reasonable cost.
In the end, I dont know that we paid a premium for
LEED, says Kevin Monson, president of Neumann Monson
Architects, the local rm that designed the ACT data center.
System and equipment choices reected business criteria, and
many of those carried strong green credentials. It was more
about creating the best project that we could, rather than
building for LEED, Monson says.
When we were rst talking to the client about the project,
we never mentioned LEED, says Monson. As the design
process proceeded, the client talked about ACTs aim to be a
good corporate citizen, and LEED soon became a topic of discussion. ACTs board of directors requested that we aim for
the highest LEED certication possible, though they didnt
specify Platinum, says Monson.
Structural requirements for the ACT data center focused
rst and foremost on tornado resistance and reliability, but
those needs actually made highly sustainable features cost
effective. The Building Team conceived a sturdy building
with a structural steel frame supporting precast concrete wall
panels and a concrete roof. The stout tornado resistance specs
spawned partially from the fact that the Iowa City area had
been victimized by a couple of damaging twisters in recent
years. We couldnt have external cooling towers that could be
destroyed by a tornado, says Ryan Chapman, project manager
for KJWW Engineering, Rock Island, Ill., the projects mechanical/electrical design consultant.
With cooling towers out as an option, the team went
geothermal to provide a reliable cooling mechanism that also
met FEMA 361 standards for wind resistance. The geothermal
system was cheaper than another tornado-resistant option that
would have required burying a uid cooling system underground. External dry coolers provide a redundant cooling
system that can draw in cool air from the outsideanother
green, money-saving feature.
Bunker-like design requirements were essential to ensure
reliability for ACTs critical functions, such as online course
offerings and registrations for the ACT exam. We could not
compromise functionality and resiliency, says Tom Struve,
ACT assistant vice president in charge of facilities. The facility
www.BDCnetwork.com

Input #27 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

PHOTO: COURTESY NEUMANN MONSON ARCHITECTS

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

was built to the Uptime Institutes Tier 3 uptime standards for

99.982% availability.
Struve says perhaps the chief reason that ACT chose
KJWW for the project team was its extensive experience on
mission-critical data centers. Neumann-Monson, while lacking prior data center experience, brought an extensive track
record on LEED projects to the Building Team, which was
rounded out by local GC McComas-Lacina Construction.
With ACT in sight of maxing out its original data center
capacity, the project team, working under a design/build delivery plan, was asked to get the job done as fast as possible while
adhering to Tier 3 and LEED standards. We didnt have a
specic date for completion in mind, but we knew we needed
a streamlined process, Struve says. Design/build helped to
deliver the project in about 18 months from the initiation
of the design to construction completion. McComas-Lacina
Construction and its subcontractors moved the design process
along by offering materials suggestions for sustainability.
Though the buildings primary purpose is to house and safeguard electronic gear, the needs of its human crew were given
due consideration. The ACT Building Team racked up LEED
points in the small ofce area, located on the perimeter of one
wall outside the hardened data center core, which accom-

The ACT building was designed to meet FEMA 361 standards for wind
resistance and can withstand winds up to 250 mph from an Iowa tornado.

modates up to seven technical specialists. Large south-facing

windows provide abundant daylighting and allow workers who
spend a lot of time gazing at computer monitors to relax their
eyes by looking into the distance. The area also has enhanced
indoor air quality from robust air quality control systems and
ventilation rates 30% greater than code requirements. Each
workstation is equipped with individual HVAC controls for
maximum comfort.
Those are highly paid, critical employees, and their indoor
environment is very important, notes Bill Hoefer, project
architect for Neumann Monson. Keeping them happy and
retaining them is key for the client.
A number of green material choices helped boost the LEED
score and were cost-neutral or even provided a savings, Monson says. These included recycled raised ooring in the data

Keeping cool while keeping sustainable

Companies in the data center service
business are particularly sensitive to utility costs. With their value-add stemming
from economies of scale of IT, they must
cram hundreds of servers into a single
facility. Their profit margins depend
upon providing back-room hardware and
services more cheaply than their clients
could do for themselves. This includes
electricity consumption.
RagingWire, a fast-growing provider of
data center technology for Fortune 1000
companies, is constantly refining how it
cools its 216,000-sf facility, with about
110,000 sf of that space dedicated to its
data center. The data centers electrical
system provides about 100 watts/sf on
average, about 10 times the power of
a typical office building. Backup diesel
generators can provide 32 MW of power
for 72 hours on one fueling.
Cooling efficiency among the server

34

NOVEMBER 2009

stacks has improved considerably since

the firm was launched in 2000. When
facilities manager James Kennedy joined
the Sacramento, Calif., company, chillers were set to 44F. Why? You guessed
it: Because thats the way weve always
done it, he was told. Kennedy studied
the problem and decided to raise the
temperature to 50F; with some relatively
simple modificationsthe installation of
blanking panels and curtains at the end
of server rows to reduce air mixinghe
found it could be raised safely to 55F.
The higher temperature, of course,
leaves a smaller margin for error, so Kennedys staff must diligently monitor data
center cooling performance 24/7.
RagingWire uses sophisticated monitoring tools to track electric consumption and
indoor environmental conditions. One tool,
SynapSense, employs wireless sensors to
provide a visual display of thermal air mix-

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

ing, subfloor temperature and pressure

differential, humidity, and dew point, all
in real time. The impact of subtle adjustments, such as opening or closing a curtain, can be immediately assessed.
When the data center isnt just a critical part of the business, but is more or
less the entire business, you can never
be satisfied with your sustainability and
efficiency. Kennedy keeps up to date
on the latest green technology and is
constantly looking for new power sources
that generate the least amount of greenhouse gases.
He speaks admiringly of Sierra Nevada
Brewerys use of cow manure to power a
1.2 MW fuel cell plant. Such a seemingly
exotic technology may or may not have
a place in RagingWires future, but Kennedy says hell consider any reasonable
investment that can cut utility costs for
his data centers.

www.BDCnetwork.com

Competitive edge.
Or just another way to pay?

plumforbusiness.com
P03

PHOTO: CHRISTIAN RICHTERS

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

The south elevation of the Citi Data Centre features external louvers of white oak to shade the glazed faade. The building also has a green roof and is
landscaped with indigenous plants to provide a natural habitat for wildlife.

PHOTO: COURTESY NEUMANN MONSON ARCHITECTS

center core and wood ber ceiling panels made from rapidgrowth aspen trees. All are readily available, off-the-shelf
materials, Monson points out.
So, how does the ACT data center actually perform? We
are thrilled with the performance of the entire project, Struve
says. To earn LEED status, the design has to promise more
than 30% greater efciency than a standard design for a comparable facility. Operational since the rst quarter of this year,
HVAC and electrical efciency has met or exceeded expectations, Struve says.

Updating LEED for data centers

There are many other ways to boost a data centers LEED
rating. Citigroups new 100,000 net sf Citi Data Centre in Am
Martinszehnten, Germany, the worlds rst LEED Platinum
data center, includes a biodiverse green wall on the east face
that was designed to subtly camouage and aesthetically
reduce the mass of the main data center. The biowall extends
across the faade for 180 feet and stands nearly 40 feet high.
The wall and an extensive green roof enhance insulation and
make use of recycled rainwater for irrigation.
The facility will save a projected 9.5 million gallons of water
a year with a reverse osmosis water treatment feature in the
cooling plant. Power systems, central plant, building services,
and environmental management systems were designed for
optimal energy efciency. Arup says the facility will use 30%
of the power of a conventional data center and only 40% of
the heating energy.
In some respects, the LEED rating system does not
adequately weigh the environmental impact of data centers, especially their energy consumption and production of
greenhouse gas emissions. Compared to ofce buildingsthe
base building for LEEDdata centers are disproportionate
users of electricity (and also water, for facilities that use chilled
water for cooling), so most other LEED point categories pale

36

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

Although the ACT building houses only a small staff, the Building Team
made sure their workspace had plenty of sunlight.

in comparison to energy efciency when gauging environmental impact.

Plans are in the works, however, for a new LEED data
center category. USGBC intends to develop credits for data
centers, and we are currently in the process of developing a
working group thats envisioned to develop alternative compliance paths for data centers, says Ashley Katz, USGBCs communications manager.

Future-proofing for expansion

Data centers are huge capital investments. Thus, its extremely important that they are sized to accommodate future
capacity expansion. If you have to expand the facility structure afterwards, it gets outrageously expensive, Struve says.
In that light, building the ACT data center with plenty of
extra space for potential future server capacity was a cost-effective choice, he says.
The same principle applies to backup generating capacity.
We put in a generator that could handle a full build-out in
www.BDCnetwork.com

The Plum Card gives

us an advantage
the discount. I want
that money back
in my business.
Rich Murov
M&M Control Service
Specialty Valve Distributor
Member Since 1985

American Express OPEN asked business owners how they prefer to pay their bills. Cardmembers
like Rich Murov use the Plum Card from American Express OPEN for its flexible trade terms.
Each month, Cardmembers can choose the 1.5% Early Pay Discount or the Defer Pay Option.
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Is the Plum Card right for you?

Visit plumforbusiness.com and hear more from Rich and other established business owners.
Or call 1-866-993-PLUM and lets talk. Then decide for yourself.
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billing cycle without penalty. Visit plumcard.com for details. 2009 American Express Bank, FSB. All rights reserved. P02

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

square footage at the outset, Struve

says, even though its full capacity may
not be needed for many years. The

design also located the geothermal well

eld in a position that would allow it to
be cost-effectively expanded, if needed.

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For more information call 203-934-6363
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LEED is a registered trademark of the U.S. Green Building Council

Data center
forecast: Cloudy,
but bright
A new IT trend dubbed cloud computing could upend not only current software business models, but
also lead to a boom in the construction of high-security data centers.
The premise of cloud computing is
for organizations of all types and sizes
to use software and server/storage
hardware as a subscription service
rather than buying it. Companies,
government agencies, education
institutions, nonprofit entities, even
individuals could access software
such as Microsoft Office on their PCs
from servers housed in enormous offsite data centers via the Internet.
Service providers would feed customers server processing power and
store their data at enormous data
centers. This, cloud computing boosters say, would eliminate the need for
many organizations to have IT departmentsor they could get by with
greatly reduced IT staff. Savings in
staffing, hardware, and software costs
would be enormous, as much as
90%, some claim. Cloud computing
providers would maximize economies
of scale in capital investments and
be greatly motivated to green their
facilities to boost efficiency of electric
consumption and cooling.
On the downside, some subscribers would bemoan the loss of
control. Others fear allowing sensitive data to be housed in a remote
location owned by another company.
Worries like these put the future
of cloud computing in doubt, but
it is certainly a trend to watch. If
it takes off the way some expect it
will, scores of data centers, many
exceeding 200,000 sf in size, would
be needed.

Please see us at Booth # 4916 at GreenBuild 2009

Input #19 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

38

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

 2009 Masco Corporation of Indiana

GREEN HAS NEVER LOOKED THIS GOOD.

H2Okinetic Technology enables the Delta Water-Efficient

Showerhead to delight your guests while fulfilling your
water-efficiency requirements*. A Delta exclusive, H2Okinetic
Technology produces bigger water droplets for a warmer,
more luxurious spray that blankets the body while using
36% less water*. Indulge your guests without waste.
Another way that Delta is more than just a faucet.
Calculate potential water-savings at deltafaucet.com/green

Responsible by Nature

*Computation based on comparison of showerheads that have a

flow rate of 2.5 gpm under ASME A112.18.1.

Input #20 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

SM

PHOTO: COURTESY NEUMANN MONSON ARCHITECTS

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

The emergency generator for ACT Data Center sits in a protective building envelope to provide maximum security for backup in a power outage.

With the technology world changing quickly, divining future IT needs is nearly impossible. As silicon chip technology
advances, servers become denserable to do more in the same
package, but drawing more power at a higher temperature.
We designed mechanical and electrical systems on a modular basis so that we can gradually upgrade capacity as our IT
needs increase, Struve says.
No data center project can succeed by planning strictly
for the short termin square footage, systems capacity, or
sustainability. This adds complexity to planning and design,
but addressing the need for exibility will pay off for AEC
professional services rms and their clients.
Data centers, already key pieces of infrastructure, are
destined to become even more critical. Many clients are going
to expect new facility designs and construction to display innovations along the lines of their own IT applications. Building
Teams that produce scalable, sustainable, and secure facilities
and deliver operational cost efciencies will have a much better chance of attracting new clients in this crucial section of
design and construction. BD+C

No sense looking foolish.

The test results don't lie.

QT Sound Insulation has been tested in over 200 different laboratory and eld test assemblies. QT has been proven to repeatedly
perform as engineered to meet design requirements. The product and engineering support that is provided by QT Sound Insulation
guarantees that QT will work as specied, every time. QT can assist architects and engineers by potentially contributing toward
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QTRBM

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QT4006

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QT4002

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QT3010-5W +

Visit qtsoundcontrol.com
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Input #21 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

40

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

NOVEM BER 2 0 0 9

Green Buildings +
Water Performance
Seventh in a Series of Annual Reports on the Green Building Movement

What Building Teams and Home Builders Can Do

To Confront the Pending Crisis in Water Scarcity
People cant drink oil. That is what one respondent to our exclusive survey of AEC
professionals said, to highlight the absolute necessity of water to our everyday lives.
Our seventh White Paper on Green Buildings focuses on the role of water in sustainable design and construction. The context for this discussion is shaped by the
following:

Virtually every region of the U.S. and parts of most states likely will experience
water shortages in the next 10 years.

More water is consumed outside buildings and homesfor landscape irrigation

and cooling towersthan is used inside for toilets, faucets, and showers.
Up to 20% of our puried water is lost to leaks in the nations decaying infrastructure.

There have been signicant improvements in the efciency of plumbing products

in the last two decades, but saving too much water could lead to conditions that
might impact the health of building occupants.

Improving water performance can also help reduce energy use and greenhouse
gas emissions.

The reuse of water may be the next big thing in water conservation, efciency,
and performance.
The editors conclude with a set of 21 detailed recommendationsan Action
Planfor the consideration of Building Teams, home builders, developers, building
owners, government ofcials, industry membership associations, NGOs, and the
public with regard to water performance.

A Supplement to Building Design+Construction

DIRECTORY OF SPONSORS

Associations
Alliance for Sustainable Built Environments
The Construction Specifications Institute
International Association of Mechanical and
Plumbing Organizations

Certification Organizations
Underwriters Laboratories Inc.

Government
U.S. Department of Energy
Building Technologies Program
U.S. General Services Administration
Public Buildings Service

Manufacturers
Kohler Co.
Lafarge
Sloan Valve Company
Watertronics, Inc.

ADVERTISEMENT

Lafarge in North America is the largest diversified supplier of construction materials in the United States and
Canada. We produce and sell cement, ready mixed concrete, gypsum wallboard, aggregates, asphalt, and related
products and services. Our products are used in residential, commercial and public works construction projects
across North America.
Lafarge believes that sustainability can be a competitive advantage. This long-term perspective includes the need
for economic, social and environmental consideration in our daily business decisions. We believe this approach
will help us achieve our objectives to be the preferred supplier, community partner, employer and investment.
In 2009 and for the fifth year in a row, the Lafarge Group was listed in the Global 100 Most Sustainable
Corporations in the World. With the worlds leading building materials research facility, the Lafarge Group places
innovation at the heart of its priorities, working for sustainable construction and architectural creativity.
Lafarge, through its global partnership with Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), has supported Habitat
for years to provide decent, affordable housing. The partnership recognizes that - as a whole - our contributions
make us the largest supplier of cement, concrete, aggregates, and gypsum products to the world's premier building
materials charity.
As part of the Lafarge and WWF partnership, we are focusing our efforts to preserve biodiversity, restore the
eco-balance of quarries and forests, and mitigate global climate change. Lafarge in North America regularly teams
with the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), community groups, and individuals to conserve wildlife habitat.
Lafarge is exploring ways to contribute to sustainable building. Our memberships in the U.S. Green Building
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across the industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy
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Our products play a decisive role in sustainable architecture and construction. They are contributing a sustainable component to a growing number of LEED-rated projects across North America. Lafarge's employees
are also entering the USGBC's LEED Professional Accreditation Program, earning the designation of LEED
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Sylvain Garnaud
President, Cement North America

lafarge-na.com

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

Editorial Staff
Robert Cassidy
Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
630-288-8153

Contents

Dave Barista
Managing Editor
Jay W. Schneider
Senior Editor
Jeff Yoders
Senior Associate Editor

1. Water Performance: Getting the Most from Every Drop

Water conservation and water efficiency are important, but water performance is the key to
success in sustainability for commercial and residential design and construction.

2. AEC Professionals and Home Builders Voice Their Opinions

on Sustainability and Water Performance
Exclusive results from 748 Building Team respondents and 185 in the home building industry on their views and actions on water performance.

3. What Building Teams Are Doing To Conserve Water Inside

Buildings
High-efficiency plumbing fixtures are making great headway in conserving water, with the
reuse of graywater from sinks, showers, and washers as a growing dimension.

4. What Building Teams Are Doing To Conserve Water Outside

Buildings
Landscape irrigation and cooling towers account for more water use than what gets consumed indoors. Rainwater harvesting, high-efficiency irrigation systems, and cooling tower
water recovery are upgrading water performance in buildings and homes.

5. Water Efficiency Certification Programs

What LEED, Green Globes, NAHB Green Home Building Programs, Green Guide for Health
Care, CHPS, IAPMO Green Plumbing and Mechanical Code Supplement, EPA WaterSense,
and Environments for Living say about water.

6. The Water-Energy Nexus

It takes energy to move water from its source to its point of use or consumption, and more
energy to treat wastewaterand that energy contributes to climate change, too.

7. Water Performance Action Plan

Detailed recommendations on water performance for Building Teams, home builders, developers, building owners, government officials, industry membership associations, NGOs, and
the public to consider.

www.BDCnetwork.com

WP4
WP10

Larry Nigh
Senior Art Director
Bonnie James
Tom Rybarczyk
Curt Spannraft
Graphic Illustrators
Barbara Allelujka
Research Director
Reed Research Group

Business Staff

WP18

Dean Horowitz
General Manager,
Construction Media
[email protected]
630-288-8180
Dan Colunio
Director

WP26

Joyce Simon
Production Manager
Melinda Warner
Advertising Service Manager
Mary Nasiri
Director of E-Media

WP33

Main Office
2000 Clearwater Drive
Oak Brook, IL 60523
630-288-8000
www.BDCnetwork.com
John Poulin
CEO, RBU-US

WP38

Jeff DeBalko
President, RBI-US
Karthik Krishnan
Vice President,
Interactive Media &
Sales Management

WP43

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

WP3

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

1. Water Performance: Getting

the Most from Every Drop
ince 2003, Building Design+Construction
has produced a series of annual reports
on the green building movement.1 Our
rst two White Papers covered the early
days of green building. In subsequent reports,
we took on life cycle assessment of green building products (2005); analyzed the bottom line of
green buildings (2006); and conducted groundbreaking studies of owner and user perceptions
of green buildings (2007). Last year, we tackled
climate change in an effort to help our audience
of AEC professionals, building owners, and real
estate developers understand the impact of global
warming on their businesses.
Together, these White Papers encompass more
than 225,000 wordsenough for a decent-size
bookand provide arguably the most sustained,
objective analysis of the green building movement
available to the AEC community. Four have been
nalists for the Jesse H. Neal Award (called the
Pulitzer Prize of the Business Press); two have
won that award, along with national awards from
the Construction Writers Association and the
American Society of Business Publication Editors.
Now, in our seventh White Paper, we turn to
water. Why water?

1 To download copies of past

White Papers, go to: http://www.
bdcnetwork.com/university/community/934/White+Papers/47492.
html
2 Freshwater Supply: States Views
of How Federal Agencies Could
Help Them Meet the Challenges of
Expected Shortages, U.S. General
Accounting Ofce, GAO-03-514,
July 2003.

Principal Findings of the Water Performance

White Paper
1. Virtually every region of the U.S. and parts
of most states likely will experience water
shortages in the next 10 years. Some are
already feeling the effects of water scarcity.
2. More water is consumed outside buildings and homesfor landscape irrigation
and cooling towersthan is used inside for
toilets, faucets, showers, and the like.
3. Somewhere between 15% and 20% of
the nations water never makes it from the
filtration plant to the property line, thanks to
our decaying infrastructure.
4. Manufacturers have significantly
improved the efficiency of plumbing, irrigation, and water reuse technologies in recent

WP4

NOVEMBER 2009

years, but long-term conservation also

depends heavily on how people use these
products.
5. There may be limits to water efficiency.
In some cases, saving water can lead
to unintended consequences, such as
pipeline drainage problems, health and
safety concerns, and negative impacts on
the environment.
6. Improvements in water performance
can have a bonus: reducing energy use and
greenhouse gas emissions.
7. The reuse of water may be the next big
thing in water conservation, efficiency, and
performance.

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

The availability of water is becoming an increasingly serious public issue. A 2003 survey by
the General Accounting Ofce found that water
managers in 36 states foresaw water shortages
hitting their states to some extent over the next
10-year period under merely average water
conditions (Figure 1.1). Colorado and South
Carolina said their states would be entirely under drought; 16 states said one or more regions
would be affected, while another 18 states saw
localized water shortages.2
Two water-stressed states, California and New
Mexico, did not complete the survey (along with
Michigan). Georgia, which experienced a crippling
drought in 2007, said in 2003 it would only experience localized water shortages.
Water managers in 11 states told the GAO that
their states were likely to experience water shortages
under drought conditions in the following decade;
29 states said water shortages would be regional, and
another six said it would be localized. Again, California and New Mexico did not participate.
On top of this, the U.S. will be adding another
100 million to its population over the next three
decades, adding further to water stress.
Defining water performance. It is important
to draw a distinction between water efciency and
water conservation, according to John Watson,
water efciency director for Sloan Valve Co. (a
sponsor of this report). Water efciency is driven
by technologyhow well a plumbing device such
as a toilet or showerhead can operate effectively,
using the least amount of water. Water conservation refers to the actual consumption of water by
the end user. You have the efciency component
and the conservation part of the formula. Together, they yield water performancea measure
of how well the technology works and how well it
meets the needs of the end user, says Watson.
For example, Watson points to plumbing industry research which showed that 95% of consumers
were satised with a ow rate of 0.8 gallons per
minute for high-efciency lavatory faucets. For
high-efciency showerheads, the industry rst
modeled an optimal system, then built an apparatus to test the ideal model in the real world. We
www.BDCnetwork.com

Chart 1.1
PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL WATER CONSUMED IN
THE U.S., BY SECTOR

Figure 1.1
EXTENT OF WATER SHORTAGES LIKELY OVER NEXT DECADE (2003-2013)
(UNDER AVERAGE WATER CONDITIONS)

Industrial-mining
Domestic-commercial
Irrigation

WA

VT NH

MT

ND

ID
WY
8%

NV
4%

UT

CA

WI

SD

PA

IA

NE
CO

NY
MI

IL

KS

OH

IN

MO

AZ

3%

NM

OK

MA
RI
CT
NJ
DE
MD

NC

TN
AR

SC
MS

TX

WV VA

KY

3%
82%

ME

MN

OR

AL

GA

LA
FL

HI
AK
Thermoelectric
Livestock
Source: Robert Goldstein, "EPRI's Water/Energy Sustainability
Initiative," New York Regional Energy-Water Workshop, 20 April 2004.
Data from USGS, NOAA, USDA, U.S. Census Bureau, USDOE, and
USEPA (1995).

Although power plants withdraw large amounts of water, only a small

percentage is evaporated; as a result, power plants consume only about
3% of the water in the U.S. Agricultural irrigation accounts for the greatest amount of actual water consumption, 82%.

actually proved that the data we came up with

mathematicallya ow rate of 2.0 gpmwas a
good shower in most peoples view, says Watson.
Kate McMordie, of the U.S. Energy Departments Pacic Northwest National Lab, frames
performance another way. Its not about
everyone taking shorter showers to save water,
she says. Its doing the same function with less
waterwith no loss of end-user satisfaction.
How water is used. Buildings account for
somewhere around 12% of water use in the U.S.,
according to the U.S. Geological Survey (or 14%,
if you use the U.S. Green Building Councils
gure). The preponderance of the water that is
actually consumed in the U.S.82%is used for
irrigation (Chart 1.1). About two-thirds of water
use in urban areas goes to homes, apartment buildings, and condominiums (Chart 1.2). And nearly
two-thirds of the water for single-family homes
winds up on the lawn, or is lost to leaks (Chart 1.3).
This raises the question of how much water homeowners and building occupants can actually save.
One of the real disconnects we have is that
you know what you see, says Rob Zimmerman,
a senior staff engineer for water conservation
www.BDCnetwork.com

Category

Number
of states

Statewide........................2
Regional........................16
Local..............................18
None................................9
No response, uncertain....5

Source: Freshwater Supply: States Views of How Federal Agencies Could Help Them Meet the Challenges of
Expected Shortages, U.S. General Accounting Office, GAO-03-514, July 2003, p. 65.

In 2003 water managers in 36 states said they anticipated shortages

in local areas, regions of their states, or statewide in the next 10 years
under average water conditions. Forty-six of 47 water managers said
at least portions of their states were likely to experience water shortages
under drought conditions in the next 10 years; 11 said such conditions
would impact their entire state. California, New Mexico, and Michigan did
not respond to the GAO survey.

initiatives at Kohler Co. (a sponsor of this report).

People think the toilet wastes water, or the shower
wastes water. But only about 4-5% of water use in
U.S. goes through plumbing xtures. When we
talk about water shortages, theres only so much we
can do on the plumbing side. If people think were
going to solve this problem with low-ow showerheads and faucets, thats not going to happen.
This is not to say that we shouldnt seek what
Zimmerman calls denite and attainable goals:
an average 100 to 250 gallons per capita per day
(GPCD) for single-family homes, about 55-70
GPCD for indoor usepossibly as low as 40
GPCD for indoor use in new green homes. Bill
Gauley, a water engineering expert with Veritec
Consulting, Mississauga, Ont., thinks 32 GPCD
is feasible.
But indoor plumbing may not be the real
culprit. As we shall see (Chapter 4), landscape
irrigation uses a lot more water than is used inside
buildings or homes.3 Using potable water for irrigation is a sin, says Toto USAs Gunnar Baldwin,
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

3 There is the further problem

of water gluttony. A study of
residential water use in Dallas,
in 2005, found that the top 10%
of homeowners used 34% of the
citys residential demand. The most
gluttonous household used enough
water to supply the indoor needs of
425 people. Discussion: Are Water
Managers Becoming Lawn Irrigation Managers? Amy Vickers,
Journal AWWA, February 2007.
Even the age of homes may be a
factor. A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency WaterSense survey
of 18,000 homes, half of them built
before 2001 and half built in 2001
or later, found that new homes in
seven of nine cities under study used
40% more water than older homes.
Why? New homes had more bathrooms, and this seemed to encourage
use. Can water efcient technology
save us from ourselves? Doug
Bennett, Landscape Management,
9 September 2008. wwww.landscapemanagement.net/landscape/
Green%20Industry%20News/
Can-water-ef cient-technology-save-us-from-oursel/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/
548578?contextCategoryId=465

NOVEMBER 2009

WP5

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

Chart 1.2
URBAN WATER CONSUMPTION, BY SECTOR
Industrial

Chart 1.3
TOTAL U.S. DOMESTIC WATER CONSUMPTION
Baths

Faucets

Dishwashing
Clothes
washers

Commercial
Public

Other domestic
Outdoor
6.3% 0.9%

8.7%

10%

0.6%
0.7%
15%

6.8%

55%

58.7%
10.8%
10%
6.5%

Showers

10%

Toilets
Leaks/Unknown
Single-family

Multifamily

Source: Graywater Treatment and Reuse Systems,

John Koeller, Koeller & Associates, Linda Vista, Calif.

Residential uses account for nearly two-thirds of actual water consumption in the urban portions of the U.S.

*Boulder and Denver, Colo.;

Eugene, Ore.; Las Virgenes (Calif.)
Metropolitan Water District;
Lompoc, Calif.; Phoenix; San Diego;
Seattle; Tampa, Fla.; Tempe/Scottsdale, Ariz.; Walnut Valley (Calif.)
Water District; and Waterloo/Cambridge, Ont.
Aquacrafts Peter Mayer: The
outdoor use component is strongly
inuenced by the the geography and
climate of the cities that participated in the study. Outdoor use as
a percent of the total ranged from
22-67% in this study. While the
58.7% outdoor use was the average
for the participating agencies, these
agencies are not representative of the
entire U.S. It is an acknowledged
weakness of the study.
4 WaterView 2009 Report: Water
& Wastewater Markets, Environmental Business Journal (published
by ZweigWhite), Summer 2009.
5 Water and Sustainability (Volume 4): Use Water Consumption for
Water Supply and TreatmentThe
Next Half Century, Electric Power
Research Institute, Topical Report,
March 2002.

WP6

NOVEMBER 2009

a charter board member of the Alliance for Water

Efciency. Its totally unnecessary and should be
banned completely.
In commercial buildings, cooling towers can account for a major chunk of water use, especially in
hot, dry climates, says Texas-based water consultant
H.W. (Bill) Hoffman. In a typical ofce building
in downtown Austin, cooling tower use typically
would be 30-50% of total water use, he says. On a
hot, dry day, an ofce building with 800-1,000 tons
of A/C equipment can use 20,000-30,000 gallons a
day, even if the system is operating efciently.
The true cost of water. In the U.S., water,
like gasoline, is cheap. It is estimated that water
used for agricultural irrigation is priced at only
one-sixth of its true value. According to Jeff
Kishel, PE, SVP and leader of A/E rm Stantecs
environment business, agricultural users may pay
about $10 an acre-foot for water, while residential
users might pay hundreds of dollars for the same
amount, depending on location.
Becoming more efcient also drives up the
unit cost of water. Los Angeles is using the same
amount of water it used 20 or 30 years ago, but
the cost per gallon has gone up, because your xed
costs are virtually the same, says Kishel.
In fact, water in the U.S. is so cheap that it makes
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

Source: Data from Residential End Uses of Water. 1999 AWWA

Research Foundation and American Water Works Association.
Copyright 1999 Aquacraft Inc. and AWWARF. All rights reserved.
At: http://www.aquacraft.com/Publications/resident.htm

In the late 1990s, the AWWA Research Foundation commissioned Aquacraft

Inc. to study the end uses of water in 100 single-family homes (statistically
selected to be representative of all single-family homes) in 12 cities and
water districts.* Indoor use, not counting leaks, accounted for about 35% of
the total. The bulk of single-family water use occurred outdoors.

it difcult to pay for much-needed improvements

to the system. The true cost of delivering clean water continues to creep slowly upwards, as does the
average price of water, but not at the kind of rates
that would seem to be required if we are going to
upgrade and truly maintain our infrastructure on a
sustainable basis, note the editors of Environmental
Business Journal in their recent WaterView 2009
Report. It seems clear that we still dont really
recognize the true value of waternor do we have
to currently pay a price for water anywhere near
what it is really worth to us.4
Hidden costs of water. One of the less wellunderstood aspects of water is its energy cost. In
most parts of the country, however, water has to be
pumped to its point of use, and that takes energy,
usually in the form of electricity or natural gas.
Water processing and distribution, coupled with
sewage treatment, consumes about 4% of electricity in the U.S., according to the Electric Power
Research Institute (EPRI), Menlo Park, Calif.5 A
2009 analysis by River Network, Portland, Ore.,
estimated U.S. water-related energy useincluding heating water for homes and businessesat
521 million MWh a yearequivalent to 13% of
www.BDCnetwork.com

the nations electricity consumption.6 In California, water transport and treatment accounts for
19% of electricity used in the state. For many
older municipal water systems, supplying fresh water to buildings and homes can account for 80% of
the energy used by local water utilities, according
to the Alliance for Water Efciency
Crumbling infrastructure. The U.S. has about
700,000 miles of water and sewer pipe, of which
an estimated 72,000 miles are 80 years of age or
older. The stuffs falling apart, says Stantecs Jeff
Kishel. A lot of it is owned by public agencies
and they tend to leave it in the ground until it falls
apart. A lot of this infrastructure is nearing or at or
even beyond its useful life.
Greg Kail, public affairs director for the
American Water Works Association, whose 60,000
members represent the nations water utilities,
says what the AWWA calls non-revenue water
comes in part from such things as water lost due
to re hydrants being ushed. As for leaks, says
Kail, Weve gotten away from what an average
percent would be, because of the various ways
its measured by the nations 54,000 community
water systems. A 1996 estimate said that a 10%
loss would be a good level, says Kail, but experts
say it could be as much as 20-30% in older cities
of the Northeast and Midwest.7
The nations larger water utilities are spending
billions on infrastructure improvements$46
billion for water (in 2004), $36.4 billion for sewers
(2005).8 According to Jennifer Hoffner, of Portland, Ore.-based American Rivers, Atlanta has cut
its leaks from 20% to about 14-15%. Chicago has
made signicant strides in relining and repairing
miles and miles of its water pipes.
The AWWA says that an additional $250 billion
spread over the next couple of decades is needed;
the 2003 EPA Drinking Water Needs Survey put
the cost at $276.8 billion over 20 years. But that
kind of investment is unlikely to happen. Of the
$787 billion in the economic stimulus, for example,
only about $2 billion is set aside for drinking water
improvements and about $4 billion for wastewatera drop in the bucket, according to Kail.
In the meantime, billions of gallons of fresh water
will be lost en route to homes or buildings, building
owners will be charged for sewer services for wastewater that never reached the treatment plant, huge
amounts of energy will be consumed, and untold
tons of greenhouse gases will be generated.
Unintended consequences. When it comes
www.BDCnetwork.com

Chart 1.4
COMMERCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL WATER USE
IN THE U.S., 1995
Irrigation,
landscaping
Commercial
retail

Utilities and infrastructure

Laundries
Misc., other
Hospitality
8%
2%
23%

11%

7%
15%

6%
7%

Education

12%
9%

Healthcare
Offices

Warehousing

Source: Dziegielewski, B., et al.,Commercial and Institutional

End Uses of Water, American Water Works Association and AWWA
Research Foundation, 2000, and EPA WaterSense, Water Efficiency
in the Commercial and Institutional Sector: Considerations for a
WaterSense Program, 20 August 2009.

Hospitality (restaurants and lodging), office buildings, hospitals, and

schools and university buildings represent good opportunities for water
performance improvements. These figures are based on the EPAs Study
of Potential Water Efficiency Improvements in Commercial Businesses
(1997) and, according to the EPA, represent the largest national data
sample to date, and are consistent with other available studies regarding
subsector water usage in commercial and institutional buildings.

to water performance, sometimes doing the right

thing creates unintended consequences, to use
the phrase du jour. Manufacturers are getting so
good at making toilets efcient that we may be in
danger of not having enough wastewater to ush
the sewer lines properlythe so-called drain line
transport problem.
In the U.S., ve organizationsthe Alliance for
Water Efciency (AWE), the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute (PMI), the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Organizations
(IAPMO), the International Code Council (ICC),
and the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors
Association (PHCC)have formed the Plumbing Efciency Research Coalition. PERCs rst
initiative: a research study on the drain line carry
problem, which will seek to determine the minimum
amount of water necessary to safely ush drain lines.
Another unintended consequence is what
Gary Nuss, managing principal for water resources at Jacobs, calls regulatory drought. This
occurs when protecting the environment trumps
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

6 The Carbon Footprint of Water,

Bevan Grifths-Sattenspiel and
Wendy Wilson, River Network,
May 2009. www.rivernetwork.org
The authors note further: While
this appears to be a conservative
estimate of water-related energy use,
our ndings suggest that the carbon
footprint currently associated with
moving, treating, and heating water
in the U.S. is at least 290 million
metric tons a year. The CO2 embedded in the nations water represents
5% of all U.S. carbon emissions and
is equivalent to the emissions of over
62 coal-red power plants.
7 The Infrastructure Leakage Index
provides a measure of how a water
system is performing vs. best practices. An ILI of 3 would mean that
the system is three times leakier
than it should be. Presumably,
new systems should have low ILIs;
older systems, high indexes. ILI was
rst published by the International
Water Association in 1999 and is in
use in 50 countries.
8 Financing Water Infrastructure:
A Water Infrastructure Bank and
Other Innovations, American Water Works Association, 26 February
2009, page 3.

NOVEMBER 2009

WP7

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

This water consumption breakdown for key building
types indicates a wide range of patterns in how much
water occupants and systems use. Note: While these
charts represent best available data, the studies are at
least a decade old and are based on limited geographical, climatic, and building-type differences and may
not reflect improvements in water-efficient plumbing,
irrigation, and cooling tower technologies.

Chart 1.7
END USES OF WATER IN SCHOOLS
Swimming pools
Other
Landscaping 1% 5%

28%

Domestic/
restrooms

45%

Chart 1.5
END USES OF WATER IN HOSPITALS
Other Domestic/restrooms
Kitchen
Landscaping
Cooling/
heating
6%
6%

27%

6%
15%
31%

Laundry

WATER REUSE: THE NEXT BIG THING

7%
3%

Kitchen

11%

Cooling/
heating

Laundry

Source: EPA WaterSense, Water Efficiency

in the Commercial and Institutional Sector:
Considerations for a WaterSense Program,
20 August 2009, p. 8. Based on Dziegielewski et al.,
2000.

9%

Sanitation,
process uses

Chart 1.8
END USES OF WATER IN HOTELS
AND MOTELS
Domestic/
restrooms

Other

Landscaping

Source: Dziegielewski, B., et al.,Commercial

and Institutional End Uses of Water, American
Water Works Association and AWWA Research
Foundation, 2000.

12%
30%
16%

Chart 1.6
END USES OF WATER IN OFFICE
BUILDINGS

14%

Kitchen
Other (incl. Kitchen)
Domestic/
restrooms

Landscaping
10%

37%

20%

Cooling/heating
Source: Dziegielewski, B., et al., Commercial
and Institutional End Uses of Water,
American Water Works Association and AWWA
Research Foundation, 2000.

9 Of course, all water is reused in some

sense. Much of the water in the Colorado
River, which supplies drinking water to
the Los Angeles region, comes from the
discharge from 180 wastewater treatment plants along its route. Thousands of
treatment plants discharge their treated
wastewater into the Hudson, Ohio, and
mighty Mississippi, thus supplying a
source of potable water (following further
treatment and purication, of course) to
populations downstream.

WP8

NOVEMBER 2009

11%
1%

Swimming
pools

Cooling/
heating

16%

Laundry

Source: EPA WaterSense,Water Efficiency

in the Commercial and Institutional Sector:
Considerations for a WaterSense Program,
20 August 2009, p. 9. Based on Dziegielewski et al.,
Commercial and Institutional End Uses of Water,
2000.

Chart 1.9
END USES OF WATER IN
RESTAURANTS

33%

human need for water. This past July, a U.S.

District Court judge ruled against the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers in favor of Florida, which said
it was entitled to water from federally controlled
Lake Lanier, Atlantas main reservoir, to maintain
marine life in the Chattahoochee River on its side
of the Georgia-Florida state line.

Sanitation/
laundry

3%
3%
2%

Landscaping
7%

5%

Other

Unaccounted
31%

Domestic/
restrooms
49%

Cooling/heating

Kitchen

Source: Dziegielewski, B., et al.,Commercial

and Institutional End Uses of Water,American
Water Works Association and AWWA Research
Foundation, 2000.

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

One thing thats quickly gaining momentum

is water reuse, says Sloan Valves John Watson.
This is the next big thing.
Water reuse involves both graywater and
rainwater. In the case of graywater, why not collect
the wastewater from sinks, clothes washers, and
showers, give it a moderate level of ltering and
disinfecting, and use it to ush toilets in a house
or building? Why not give this valuable resource
a second life, so to speak? It may seem logical,
but plumbing, building, and health regulations in
many jurisdictions prohibit this practice as a potential danger to the health of building occupants.
Likewise, it would seem to make sense to use roof
runoff for other useful purposes. Were using fresh
domestic drinking water to irrigate grass and replenish cooling towers, says Rick Reinders, president
of Watertronics, Hartland, Wis., a manufacturer of
rainwater harvesting systems (and a sponsor of this
report). By harvesting rainwater, youre reusing that
water, and its not going into the treatment system.
That relieves pressure on sewer and septic systems.
Yet many states and local jurisdictions prohibit
the indoor use of graywater and rainwater and
limit their use at most to underground drip irrigation. NSF International, a product testing organization based in Ann Arbor, Mich., is drafting a
standard on the water quality and O&M aspects
of graywater to help clarify the health and safety
aspects associated with reused water.9
In the following chapters we expand on the points
hinted at here. Chapter 2 presents the results of
two exclusive surveys. Chapter 3 explores what
Building Teams are doing about indoor water
performance; Chapter 4 looks at the exterior of
buildings. Chapter 5 surveys the water components of the green building certication programs.
Chapter 6 delves into water and energy.
We conclude with our Action Plan21 specic
recommendations on what AEC professionals, home
builders, government agencies, trade associations,
and the public can do to improve water performance.
www.BDCnetwork.com

ADVERTISEMENT

The Sustainability Challenge

Water is the most valuable natural resource in the world, and the need for sustainable water strategies
continues to emerge in building designs. The question for architects, engineers, building management and other
specifiers, however, remains: How do you achieve water savings, while maintaining performance expectations
and reducing costs?
Sloan Valve Company recognizes the fact that achieving sustainability goals with water-efficient plumbing
systems must go hand-in-hand with providing reliable products that reduce operating expenses. For more than
100 years, Sloan has engineered its plumbing products to use water wisely and to deliver years of dependable
service. We continuously work to improve upon that mission with new technologies, such as solar-powered,
water-efficient fixtures and electronic dual-flush Flushometers that intuitively use less water.
This white paper simply validates our long-held position regarding sustainable plumbing technologies. Sloan
manufactures many of the top plumbing products that survey respondents reported as being important to them.
According to the Green Buildings + Water Performance survey, in the next 18-24 months
64% of respondents said they expect to use Dual-Flush Flush Valves, such as Sloans UPPERCUT manual
dual-flush Flushometer, as well as Sloan SOLIS and Sloan ECOS electronic dual-flush Flushometers
67% will use High-Efficiency Toilets with Flushometers flushing at 1.28 gpf or less, and 73% will use
High-Efficiency Urinals flushing at 0.5 gpf or less, both of which Sloan offers in numerous electronic and manual
models
78% of respondents project using High-Efficiency Lavatory Faucets and Sloan offers many
sensor-operated faucets with a water-efficient flow rate of only 0.5 gallons per minute
45% will use Flush-free Urinals, such as Sloan Waterfree Urinals that offer 100% water savings
72% project they will use High-Efficiency Showerheads, such as Sloan Act-O-Matic showerheads
Sloan improves water efficiency and hygiene, while lowering maintenance and operating costs, with a total
package of plumbing systems for commercial, industrial and institutional environments.
We invite you to call us at 800-9-VALVE-9 (982-5839) or visit www.sloanvalve.com to learn more about the
water-efficient plumbing products Sloan can offer you.
Together, we will meet the sustainability challenge for today and the future.

John Watson
Water Efficiency Director
Sloan Valve Company

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

2. AEC Professionals and

Home Builders Voice Their
Opinions on Issues Related
to Water Performance
Methodology
In September 2009, Building Design+Construction
conducted an online
survey among 10,000 of its
subscribers to determine
their opinions, perceptions,
and actions relative to water
issues. The Nonresidential
Survey sample was selected
from all qualified recipients
of the magazine who had
provided email addresses
when subscribing. Each
of the first 50 respondents
received a $25 Amazon gift
certificate.
Of the 748 who completed
the survey, 442 (59%) work
for design firms, 171 (23%)
work for build firms, and 109
(15%) work for owning firms
(3% other). For questions
in which all 748 responded,
the margin of error is 3.58%
(at the 95% confidence
level) and 3.01% (at the
90% confidence level).
A similar survey was
conducted among subscribers of our sister publication,
Professional Builder. The
margin of error for the
Residential Survey is 7.21%
(at the 95% confidence
level) and 6.05% (90%
confidence level) for questions answered by all 185
respondents.

WP10

NOVEMBER 2009

espondents to Building Design + Constructions Nonresidential Survey expressed

a wide variety of viewpoints concerning
water in the built environment. This
is a very important issue for the world, said the
head of an engineering rm in North Carolina. An
electrical designer in Texas said, Water availability
is critical for both economic development and sustaining the present as well as for providing for future population growth. A retail developer in the
western U.S. warned that stewardship over potentially nite water resources should be constantly
in our thoughts and consideration. And the president/CEO of a New York-area development rm
summed up these issues with this remark: People
cant drink oil.

Economic factors in client decisions. Several

respondents were worried about added costs for
water in light of current economic conditions (the
survey was distributed in September 2009). Greater costs to clients plus the economic downturn will
cause additional hardship on clients, subcontractors, and suppliers, said one California architect.
Clients usually dont want to spend the money
for futuristic ideas, said an engineer in California.
The president of an engineering rm in Georgia
brought up the link to future development: Water
supply is critical to health and essential for development of new facilities. Growth will be severely
hindered if water is not in adequate supply. But
this respondent also added a cautionary coda:
Conservation is essential.

Principal Findings of the Nonresidential Survey

1.Water efficiency in projects. The majority of respondents said their firms had used water-efficient technologies, products, or systems in at least a quarter of all projects in the past two years; more than a fourth
of respondents stated that their firms had used such systems in more than 75% of all projects. More importantly, respondents said they expect their firms to increase adoption of water-efficient technologies in the
next two years.
2.Water-efficient products. Respondents said their firms are already using a broad array of water-saving
products, technologies, or systemsan average 9-10 such technologies for indoor use (high-efficiency lavatory faucets, sensor-activated faucets and flush valves, high-efficiency showerheads, etc.) and an average
6-7 exterior systems (stormwater management, retention ponds, native plantings, drip irrigation). Moreover, they expect their firms to make even greater use of such technologies or systems in the next couple of
years (Table 3.2, page WP20; and Table 4.1, page WP27).
3.Water-related problems. Of respondents who said their firms had experienced water-related problems in
the past few years (an average of one or two such instances), nearly half cited restrictions on water use as
the chief problem, followed closely by legislative or regulatory action. Increased project costs was cited
as the principal impact of these factors by the majority of respondents.
4.Water costs. Half of all respondents said they expect water costs to increase somewhat in the next 2-3
years, with another 21% expecting significant increases.
5.Code issues. More than three-fourths of respondents identified code restrictions or requirements as the
factor having the greatest water-related impact on their firms building projects.
6.Water-energy nexus. With regard to the energy requirements of water, respondents were pretty much in
the middle (3.12 on a 5-point scale), although one-fourth of them said they saw significant energy costs
related to water (Chart 6.1, page WP39).
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

Chart 2.1
WHERE NONRESIDENTIAL SURVEY
RESPONDENTS WORK

Table 2.1
NONRESIDENTIAL RESPONDENTS PRIMARY
JOB FUNCTION

Owning firm (building owner, facility or

property manager, developer, government
entity, corporate owner,
Other
institutional,
3%
etc.)
15%

23%

59%

Architect
Engineer (civil, environmental, MEP, structural)
Construction manager
Construction professional, subcontractor
Real estate developer
Building owner
Consultant (environmental, green building, other)
Government official or staff
Home builder
Interior designer
Facility director, manager
Other

40%
19%
12%
12%
5%
3%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
4%

Base: 748
Source: BD+C/Professional Builder 2009 White Paper Survey

Build firm (construction

management, contractor, subcontractor, home builder, etc.)

Design firm
(architecture,
engineering,
environmental,
etc.)

Base: 747
Source: BD+C 2009 White Paper Survey

Nearly three of every five Nonresidential Survey respondents (59%) work

for architectural, engineering, or environmental design firms. Build
firms (23%) and owning firms (15%) were also well represented among
respondents, providing a representative overview of the U.S./Canada
noncommercial design and construction sector. (A small group of design/
build firms (<1% of total) are included in Other.) The large sample size
(748) results in a margin of error of 3.58% (at the 95% confidence level)
and 3.01% (at the 90% confidence levels) for questions in which the
entire group has responded.

One respondent said his rm was blessed with

clients with progressive attitudes on water. We
are seeing many of our clients request the development of natural systems to handle stormwater
issues. Forward-thinking design for such clients
leads to projects that not only protect water quality, but also enhance public open space and lower
overall maintenance costs for government, said
this Georgia land developer.
But selling water efciency to clients is not always easy. The issues surrounding water are very
long-term, and long-term is difcult to sell, said
one respondent. We need to start programs that
can build to a solution over a period of years. The
owner of a design rm in Minneapolis predicted
that the big effects of water shortages are ve
to 10 years down the road, and most clients arent
at all aware of how serious those effects could be.
Code and regulation worries. One group
of respondents was vocal about the regulatory
aspects of water. Any additional regulations or
www.BDCnetwork.com

Architects and engineers of all kinds constitute the bulk of Nonresidential

Survey respondents (59%), with construction managers, construction
professionals, and home builders forming the next largest group (25%).
Developers, building owners, facilities personnel, and government
representatives (10%) were also represented in the study, which drew on
the experience of 748 professionals derived from the audience base of
Building Design+Construction.

restrictions will increase construction costs, said

one. An owner/architect in New York City said
the most signicant issue related to water in his
projects was the supply of drinking water, which
is being increasingly regulated.
Articially decreasing supply through excessive
environmental regulations and land restrictions,

More Survey
Results
For additional survey results,
please visit: http://www.
BDCnetwork.com/article/
CA6702093.html.

Table 2.2
USE OF WATER-EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES IN PROJECTS
In the last 18-24 months, approximately what percentage of your firms
building projects or major renovations employed water-efficient technologies,
products, or systems? What percentage of your firms projects will employ or
plan to employ water-efficient technologies, products, or systems?
Nonresidential
Used in last
Expect to use in
18-24 months next 18-24 months
None
10%
4%
Less than 10% of projects
14%
8%
10% to 25% of projects
19%
12%
26% to 50% of projects
13%
15%
51% to 75% of projects
12%
14%
More than 75% of projects
26%
38%
Dont know/Cant estimate
6%
9%

Residential
Used in last
Expect to use in
18-24 months next 18-24 months
17%
9%
17%
11%
10%
7%
14%
12%
5%
15%
30%
38%
8%
8%

Base: Nonresidential, 679; Residential, 161

Source: BD+C/Professional Builder 2009 White Paper Survey

Based on the results of both surveys, prospects are good for increased adoption of water-efficient technologies,
products, and systems in both the residential and nonresidential construction over the next two years. Both groups
said they expect their companies to increase their adoption of water-efficient tools in the majority of projects, to the
point where the majority in each survey (Nonresidential, 52%; Residential, 53%) said they expect more than half
their firms projects to be using water-saving systems in the next two years.

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

WP11

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

Chart 2.2
TOTAL COST OF WATER
From your professional experience and what you have read or heard, do you think the total cost of water
for your firms new building projects and major renovations will decrease, increase, or stay about the
same over the next 2-3 years?
Nonresidential Survey Respondents
1%
Not sure/No opinion

Residential Survey Respondents

Decrease significantly
Decrease somewhat

Increase
significantly

3%

<1%
Not sure/No opinion
Increase
significantly

7%
Stay about
the same

15%

Decrease significantly

<1%

Decrease somewhat

2%

22%

Stay about
the same
23%

18%

The majority of respondents to

both surveys (Nonresidential,
50%; Residential, 52%) said they
believe the total cost of water for
their firms projects will increase
somewhat, with more than one-fifth
of each group (Nonresidential, 21%;
Residential, 22%) predicting it would
increase significantly.

50%

52%

Increase somewhat

Increase somewhat
Base: 128

Base: 545
Source: BD+C/Professional Builder 2009 White Paper Survey

Chart 2.3
EXTENT OF WATER-RELATED PROBLEMS IN BUILDING PROJECTS
To the best of your knowledge, approximately what percentage of your firms new building projects or
major renovations experienced water-related problems in the past 2-3 years?
Nonresidential Survey Respondents
More than 75% of projects
51% to 75%
of projects
26% to 50%
of projects

1%
1%

Residential Survey Respondents

Dont know/
Not applicable

More than 75% of projects

Dont know/
Not applicable

51% to 75% of projects 1%

26% to 50%
2% 3%
5%
of projects

7%

4%
14%

The majority of Residential Survey

respondents (56%) and a fairly large
representation of Nonresidential
Survey respondents (39%) said their
companies had experienced no water-related problems in projects over
the last few years. Among Nonresidential Survey respondents reporting
problems, nearly half (49%) reported
problems in up to one-fourth of their
firms projects, while more than a
third (345) of Residential Survey
respondents reported problems in
up to one-fourth of their companies
projects.

WP12

NOVEMBER 2009

14%

39%
56%

20%
11% to 25%
of projects

35%
None
1% to 10% of projects

Base: 542
Source: BD+C/Professional Builder 2009 White Paper Survey

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

None
1% to 10% of projects
11% to 25% of projects

Base: 127

www.BDCnetwork.com

as well as poor regional and local planning development regulations, are the major contributors to
the increased cost of water resources cited by one
California architect. Greater regulation of water
is not warranted at this time, said a design rm
principal in Oklahoma. We are not at the point
that it is necessary to legislate this, he said.
On the ip side of the codes issue, a VP at a
multidisciplinary A/E rm in Maryland said, Code
mandates drive change the most, as owners tend to
vote with their wallets. Even more sanguine as to
the benets of codes was a principal of a New Jersey
architecture rm: Revisions to the building codes
which restrict water usage and reduce waste water
will have the single greatest positive effect on water
consumption and wastewater reduction. I believe
this to be so more than LEED certication.
A project executive with a West Coast construction services rm called for a push for code
requirements to ensure more cost-effective and
high-quality water systems. A Florida-based
AEC professional cried out for badly needed
regulations to permit rainwater harvesting in the
Sunshine State. It needs to be incorporated into
the Florida Building Code so that counties and
municipalities will readily allow the use of rainwater cisterns and other harvesting systems.
And a designer in California hailed his states
recent adoption of more progressive graywater
provisions in the state plumbing code as very
good newsbut noted that municipalities are
lagging far behind in forming coherent regulatory
positions with respect to rainwater catchment.
Regional dimensions of water. If it is true
that all politics is local, so, too, are all water issues.
The U.S. has such diverse water issues, its hard
to arrive at an omnibus policy, said a respondent
from Wisconsin. Regional solutions are going to
be the practical solution.
While water issues are of lesser concern in
areas of relative water abundancefor example,
an architect in New York City said water issues
were at the lower end of his concernsthose in
the thick of water-stressed areas were much more
focused on the problem. In working in Maricopa
County, Ariz., we use thousands of gallons of
water a day to keep a crust on the soil to keep dust
particles down, reported a project superintendent
for a construction company in Phoenix. How can
we conserve water when this is a requirement for
construction?
Another Phoenix-based respondent cited difwww.BDCnetwork.com

ferentials in cost by jurisdiction: Impact fees for

water and sewer service for commercial developments can be astronomical based upon the
jurisdiction that delivers the service. One projects
impact fees were so high that this architecture rm
principal found it more feasible to dig a well and
put in a septic system rather than to tap into the
municipal services. Bottom line: The client saved
hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Waters green component. A number of respondents took the opportunity to air their views
on green building. The owner of a construction
and development rm in Austin, Texas, criticized
the green building movement as substantially
oversold, citing experimental products with
unproven track records, notably with regard to
maintenance costs, life span, and recovery costs. A
facilities architect at a medical center in Louisiana
expressed concern that, in many cases, certied
Table 2.3
TYPES OF WATER-RELATED PROBLEMS IN BUILDING PROJECTS
Which of the following water-related problems did your firm or company
experience in the last 2-3 years in any new building projects or major
renovations? What was the impact of these problems on your projects?
Type of Problem Encountered
Restrictions on water use or service
Legislative or regulatory action related to water
Significant increase in water rates
Water scarcity or drought
Unreliable water supply
Contamination of drinking water
Denial of water service
Other

Nonresidential
49%
33%
30%
21%
14%
9%
9%
13%

Residential
46%
36%
48%
27%
9%
11%
13%
11%

Nonresidential
55%
27%
21%
17%
3%
13%

Residential
64%
29%
30%
13%
4%
11%

Base: 328

Impact of Problem on Project

Increased projects costs
Had minimal impact; problem was readily resolved
Delayed the project
Resulted in significant changes in the project
Contributed to the termination of the project
Other/Dont know/No opinion
Base: Nonresidential, 327; Residential, 56
Source: BD+C/Professional Builder 2009 White Paper Survey

Nonresidential Survey respondents who reported water problems said their companies experienced 1-2 waterrelated events over the last three years (mean: 1.77). The average number of events for Residential respondents
was two (mean: 2.00). Other problems cited by the Nonresidential Survey group included low pressure for fire
sprinkler systems, leaks, inadequate detention capacity, clogged filters, storm control, old utility piping,
and containment (presumably of stormwater or runoff). Residential Survey respondents mentioned stormwater
regulations, infiltration from nearby vacant lots, and increased cost of new meters. In terms of impact, both
groups cited increased project costs as the biggest negative (Nonresidential, 55%; Residential, 64%), followed
by project delays (Nonresidential, 21%; Residential, 30%). However, more than a quarter of respondents said the
problems were minor and had been resolved quickly. Note: The response rate to these questions among Residential
Survey respondents is low, with a margin of error >14%.

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

WP13

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

buildings may not be performing as designed. He
recommended a two-year waiting period for verication before certication would be bestowed.
Potable water resources and stormwater
mitigation are economic issues apart from but coopted by green marketing, said the owner of a
design rm in Washington State. The real question is not whether a policy or strategy is green
but whether it is practical and within the budget.
Greater sophistication about green building
issues was suggested by the co-owner of a specialty
development rm in the Twin Cities: Designers
and [property] owners need to make good decisions without chasing certications and points.
The director of sustainable design for an architecture rm called her fellow building designers to
task for having little knowledge of the relationship [between] energy and water and for failing,
in her opinion, to understand the global issues
of water scarcity. But an operations manager for
a major construction services rm commended
green certication programs, specically LEED,
for making more folks aware of the need to
conserve water resources. And, as one respondent
put it, Green building is our future.
New technologies, new opportunities. Many
AEC rms are already adopting water-efciency
technologiesand intend to employ them at
an even greater rate in the next couple of years.
We have been using waterless urinals for years,
reported an interior designer and LEED AP. The

vice president of a design rm in Phoenix said

his rm uses water-reduction strategies in every
building project. An estimator with a construction company in Tennessee said his rm was using
native vegetation for landscaping, rather than
some generic type of grassing, to stabilize soil.
At a larger scale, the chair of an engineering
rm in Chicago questioned the wisdom of encouragingor even allowingfurther development
in water-scarce areas like Las Vegas or Phoenix:
If water is limited, so should the population be
limited. We should not burden areas [that] have
no water. And a building systems manager for a
construction rm in the Upper Midwest said it
would take a signicant water shortage, distribution issue, or increase in the value of water to get
people in his part of the country energized about
water issues. Economic factors, he said, must
drive the need for conservation and efciency.
We need to quit wasting our environment,
said the president of a design rm in the Houston
area. Our society needs to understand the future
of our world and develop a mind[set] around SAVING what we have (emphasis in original).
The last word goes to a principal of a multidisciplinary design rm in suburban Boston. People
in the U.S. dont know how lucky they are to have
so much drinkable water available to them, she
said. Unless they have experienced water restrictions personally for some reason, they dont think
about how vital and precious clean water is.

Principal Findings of the Residential Survey

1. Nearly half of respondents said their companies had used water-efficient technologies, products, or systems in 26%
or more of their home building projects in the last two years, with 30% stating that their firms had done so in more than
three-fourths of their projects. (Table 3.2, page WP20).
2. Nearly two-thirds said their firms plan to use water-efficient systems in the next couple of years, with 38% forecasting
their companies would do so in more than three-fourths of projects.
3. Like their nonresidential counterparts, home builders were most concerned about the possible impact code restrictions
or regulations, as well as general economic conditions, might have on their businesses.
4. The majority of respondents said they expect water costs to increase somewhat over the next 2-3 years, with 22%
expecting significant increases.
5. More than a third of Residential Survey respondents reported problems in as many as one-fourth of their companies projects.

The economic downturn of 2008-09 has

home builders and residential developers heads
spinning, to the point where many of them cant
think about anything else. Can you help me with
the economy? was the rhetorical question posed

WP14

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

by the CEO of a home building rm in Utah.

Water is the second most important resource!
Customers are rst. Without customers, we dont
need water. As one residential developer put it,
We are conscious of environmental factors when
www.BDCnetwork.com

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GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

we develop, but we also must balance the costs of
the projects with the costs of the green features we
want to use. It aint easy.
In the residential sector, the home buyer is all
about price, several respondents noted. People
arent very interested in anything that costs them
Table 2.4
RESIDENTIAL RESPONDENTS primary job function
Home builder, construction manager, contractor
Land developer, real estate developer
Designer of homes (architect, landscape architect,
interior designer, etc.)
Specialty trade contractor
Engineer (mechanical, electrical, plumbing)
Government or code official
Other

61%
12%
10%
(5%)
2%
1%
8%

Base: 185
Source: BD+C/Professional Builder 2009 White Paper Survey

More than three-fifths (61%) of Residential Survey respondents

identified themselves as home builders, accompanied by a spread of
developers (12%) and designers (10%). Note: Based on the sample
size (185), the margin of error is 7.21% (at the 95% confidence level)
and 6.05% (90% confidence level) for questions answered by all
respondents. The sample was derived from the audience of BD+Cs
sister publication, Professional Builder.

Table 2.5
IMPACTS OF WATER ISSUES ON BUILDING PROJECTS In your opinion, to
what extent will each of the following affect water factors (supply, quality,
security, cost) for your new building projects or major renovations over the
next 2-3 years? (1 = No effect at all, 5 = Substantial effect)

Code requirements or restrictions

General negative economic conditions

Nonresidential
Mean
Mean top 2
(score = 4 or 5)
4.25
76%
3.74
54%

Higher sewer/water treatment rates

3.72
Infrastructure problems
3.72
Water service or supply restrictions
3.72
Higher water rates
3.71
Competition for water resources
(e.g., agricultural irrigation, industrial use, etc.) 3.71
Infrastructure capacity
3.70
Total cost of water
3.68
Drought or near-drought conditions
3.68
Pollution or contamination
3.49
Climate change
3.23
Terrorist acts
2.65

Residential
Mean
Mean top 2
(score = 4 or 5)
4.03
60%
3.67
48%

57%
56%
56%
57%

3.68
3.65
3.63
3.60

53%
50%
55%
50%

54%
58%
56%
55%
47%
37%
19%

3.12
3.58
3.72
3.37
3.09
2.63
2.58

36%
51%
53%
42%
34%
17%
14%

Base: Nonresidential, 539-543; Residential, 125-128

Source: BD+C/Professional Builder 2009 White Paper Survey

Code requirements or restrictions as they affect water were definitely on the minds of respondents to both surveys: a
mean score of 4.25 for Nonresidential Survey respondents is considered a very strong indicator, especially combined
with more than three-fourths (76%) rating codes in their Top 2 responses. Neither group expressed much concern
about the impact of climate change on water or possible terrorist acts threatening the water supply.

WP16

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

more initially, said the president of a building company in Wyoming. Almost all efforts at conservation or efciency take a sales effort. Said the CEO
of a Missouri home building company, Rarely have
we found that people are motivated to do the right
thing unless it affects their pocketbook.
This seems to be especially the case in home
builders efforts to sell green houses. Home
buyers are interested only if going green reduces
costs, either initial costs or operating costs, said a
property developer in Florida. Only a very small
percentage, 5% or so, want to incorporate green
regardless of cost. Another respondent said his
customer base is interested in green components,
but not in a total green home, adding, Some of
this is price-driven, some of it is comfort-driven.
We have employed water-, sewer-, and energysaving products for 30 years, said an experienced
construction company president. All of the green
and climate issues are going to do nothing except
increase costs. What we need now is price reduction solutions to get the economy going again.
The current economy is going to have an
impact on the green movement, said the head of
a building company in Maine. Customers cannot
afford to make the necessary upgrades. Green
building will move on but at a slower pace than
what I would like to see.
While green building sounds great, ultimately
local municipalities will remove the incentives and
make the guidelines mandatory, thereby increasing
the cost to developer and builder and ultimately
the homeowner, said another respondent. Ironically, they will be the same people who cry about
the lack of affordable housing stock.
The owner of a custom home building rm in
Maryland who had completed a LEED Platinum
home expressed concern about the excessive
cost of certication under LEED for Homes. His
bottom line: NAHB Green Certication is more
applicable to residential.
Both builders and buyers are drowning in
greenwash, according to several respondents, making it difcult to choose products that are both
cost-effective and functional. Due to our current
economy, selling a home that costs 20% [more]
due to the implementation of so-called green
products is a difcult sale, said one. I strongly
believe that some organization needs to honestly
evaluate and certify all of these green products.
But not all Residential Survey respondents were
down on green. Green home building is here to
www.BDCnetwork.com

stay, said the president of a Texas home building

company. High-performance houses help the
environment as well as the end user of the home.
Among the problems cited by some home builders was the occasional difculty of tapping into
the available water supply. Most of my units are
supplied by wells, drilling has gotten very expensive, and the quality of the water has been getting
worse, said a builder in the Northeast. My costs
for drilling have doubled in the last six years.
An Ohio builder said he has run into problems
when he builds away from Lake Erie and has to
drill for water. Sometimes it is difcult to nd
water, depending on the area, he said. A home
builder in Alaska said the problem there was water
quality, not quantity.
Water issues can hit builders even in water-surfeited New England, according to a respondent
from suburban Boston. The government regulatory agency has already restricted use of water,
particularly for irrigation on new projects, he
stated. This has impacted us directly and forced
us to reduce [the use of] turf and increase [the use
of] native species that will not require irrigation
water after they take hold. And a designer in
suburban Chicago noted that his problem was
stormwater management, not water supply.
Seeking solutions. There are home builders
who see opportunity in water-related consumer
issues. Noting that water heating is the secondlargest use of energy in most homes (after HVAC),
this builder cited water efciency as critical to
energy-efciency improvements that will lower
the homeowners operational costs.
A Wisconsin builder noted that one of her
companys condominium projects is entirely free
of storm sewers, thanks to the use of pervious
pavement (made from recycled glass, no less). It
works extremely well, she reported, but the cost
is two-and-a-half times that of concrete. So we
are limited by [the home buyers] budget as to how
frequently we can use it.
Home builder alliances have a special role in
assuring the supply of water in their regions, said
a South Dakota construction rm head. Its really
important that we keep lobbying for our current
and future water projects or we will see some
possibly severe water restrictions in the very near
future, he said. It is our responsibility as HBA
leaders to see that these projects are built, not so
much for our own benet but for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
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Table 2.6
IMPACT OF WATER-RELATED PROBLEMS ON BUILDING PROJECTS
What was the impact of water-related issues on projects that experienced
problems? (Multiple answers permitted.)
Increased project costs
Had minimal impact, problem was readily resolved
Delayed the project
Resulted in significant changes in the project
Contributed to termination of the project
Other
Dont know/Not applicable

Nonresidential
55%
27%
21%
17%
3%
2%
13%

Residential
64%
29%
30%
13%
4%
4%
7%

Base: Nonresidential, 327; Residential, 52

Source: BD+C/Professional Builder 2009 White Paper Survey

Among respondents reporting water-related problems on their firms projects, a majority of each group (Nonresidential, 55%; Residential, 64%) said the biggest impact was a bump in project costs. Respondents who had
experienced water-related problems on projects reported an average of one or two such incidents (Nonresidential
mean, 1.44; Residential mean, 1.54). It is important to note, however, that more than a quarter of respondents of
each survey (Nonresidential, 27%; Residential, 29%) reported at least one incident that had resulted in minimal
impact on the project. Caution: Sample size for Residential respondents is small.

Table 2.7
REASONS FOR EMPLOYING WATER-EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES
Based on your professional experience, what reasons do clients give for
employing water-efficient technologies, products, or systems in building
projects? (Multiple responses permitted.)
Code restrictions or requirements
Reduce water costs
Green building/green home certification
Reduce energy costs
Reduce total building operating costs
Environmental stewardship
Government regulations or standards
Client/owner requirement or request
Reduce sewer/wastewater charges
Corporate sustainability requirements
Avoid current or future water shortage
Utility or tax rebates
Branding or positioning
Competitive advantage
Optimize design and construction quality
Climate change impacts
Water quality improvement
Reduce risk of water supply contamination
Other
Dont know/Not applicable

Nonresidential
72%
65%
65%
64%
60%
56%
56%
52%
47%
42%
39%
34%
30%
27%
25%
18%
16%
11%
<1%
4%

Residential
38%
66%
33%
66%
39%
54%
30%
42%
34%
26%
23%
22%
18%
11%
3%
3%

Base: Nonresidential, 531; Residential, 125

Source: BD+C/Professional Builder 2009 White Paper Survey

There seems to be a wide difference of opinion between respondent groups over how their clients view code restrictions or requirements. The Nonresidential Survey group gave this factor high marks (72%) in terms of influencing
clients to adopt water-efficient technologies or systems, whereas the Residential Survey group gave it relatively
low consideration (38%) compared to such factors as reducing water and energy costs (both 66%). The majority
of respondents to both surveys (Nonresidential, 56%; Residential, 54%) cited environmental stewardship as a
factor in their clients decisions about water efficiency.
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

WP17

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

3. What Building Teams

Are Doing To Conserve Water
Inside Buildings
hile hard data on total water use in
buildings is somewhat difcult to
come by, the U.S. Green Building
Council estimates that buildings account for 14% of domestic water consumption in
the U.S.1 Other sources report 12%a relatively
small percentage compared with, say, agriculture,
but it represents tens of billions of gallons of domestic water consumed every day.2
In addition to the millions of single-family homes in the U.S. and Canada, hospitals,
laboratories, industrial facilities, apartment and
condo complexes, commercial kitchens, sports
arenas, hotels, and ofce developments are particularly large consumers of domestic water for
interior uses. For instance, toilets in commercial buildings alone consume 1.2 billion gallons
of water a day.3
There are also severe inefciencies in the
system. For example, EPA WaterSense estimates
that 80% of the 12 million urinals in the U.S.
use up to ve times the federal standard of 1.0
gallons per ush and waste more than 150 billion
gallons of fresh water a year, enough to supply
1.5 million homes.4
In the U.S., the Energy Policy Act of 1992
rst brought the issue of water conservation to
light by banning the installation of toilets that
consume more than 1.6 gpfa move that led to
outcries from building owners and homeowners for awhile, until manufacturers, plumbers,
and contractors could work out the mechanical
problems of the early units. Since then, new
regulations, the growth of the green building
movement, and signicant improvements in
plumbing products have enabled Building Teams,
homeowners, and property owners to drastically
cut water use in buildings.
This past August, Los Angeles became the rst
U.S. city to mandate high-efciency xtures in
all new buildings and major renovations. The
ordinance, which kicks in December 1, limits
toilets to 1.28 gallons per ush and urinals to 0.5

1 U.S. Green Building Council research, www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.

aspx?CMSPageID=1718
2 U.S. Geological Survey of estimated water consumption in 2000.
http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/2004/
circ1268/htdocs/text-total.html
3 Environmental Building
News, February 2008, www.
buildinggreen.com/auth/article.
cfm/2008/2/3/Water-Doing-MoreWith-Less
4 Water-Efciency Technologies
for Mechanical Contractors, Jerry
Yudelson, PE, for the Mechanical
Contracting Education and Research
Foundation, 2009.
5 IAPMO Green Newsletter,
August 2009, p.1, www.iapmo.org/
Green%20Issues/2009-08%20Gre
en%20Newsletter%20August.pdf
6 U.S. General Accounting Ofce,
2003 report, as cited in Environmental Building News, Water:
Doing More with Less, February
1, 2008, 17:2

WP18

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

gpf. The regulation also requires high-efciency

faucets (2.2 gallons per minute), pre-rinse spray
valves (1.6 gpm), showerheads (2.0 gpm), commercial dishwashers (0.62-1.16 gallons/rack),
and, starting next year, pint-ush urinals (0.125
gpf).5
Other cities in California are expected to follow suit in light of the statewide drought.4 And
its only a matter of time before jurisdictions
throughout the U.S.especially those in waterscarce regions like the Southwestmandate the
switch to high-efciency water technology.6
Earlier this year, the U.S. Green Building
Council raised the bar for green buildings
with the release of LEED 2009. LEED now
requires a 20% reduction in water use as a
prerequisite and increases the number of Water
Efciency credits in its various programs. Even
more drastic is a new requirement for LEEDcertied projects to submit performance data
on water (and energy) use for ve years after
certication.
These increasingly stringent standards and
regulationsalong with large-scale drought and
water scarcity in a growing number of regions
of the countryare driving demand for watersaving systems and technologies. Manufacturers
have heeded the call by providing a slew of lowor no-ow products, sensor-activated devices,
graywater recycling systems, and water submetering technology (Table 3.1).
And Building Teams are responding. According to the BD+C/Professional Builder
2009 White Paper Survey, most Nonresidential Survey respondents said their rms are
already using an average of 9-10 water-saving
technologies and expect their rms to make
use of 13-14 such systems in the near future.
High-efciency lavatory faucets (1.5 gpm or
less), sensor-activated faucets, and sensor-activated ush valves are the most commonly
specied technologies, followed by high-efciency showerheads (2.0 gpm or less), water
www.BDCnetwork.com

metering devices, tankless water heaters, and

high-efciency urinals. Waterless urinals, dualush toilets and ush valves, and high-efciency dishwashers are also gaining popularity with
Building Teams (Table 3.2).
In certain building types, such as ofces and
schools, implementation of these interior watersaving technologies alone can cut overall water
consumption by 30% or more, with payback
periods as short as three years on certain technologies. High-efciency toilets and faucet spray
aerators can have the quickest payback, especially
in retrot projects.4

A case in point: The Parc 55 Union Square

Hotel in San Francisco is saving $170,000 a
year on water and sewer charges after replacing more than a thousand 3.5-gpf toilets with
pressure-assist 1.0-gpf units, according to a
third-party research report. The hotel is saving
nearly a million gallons of water every month,
and its toilet-related maintenance calls have
been cut in half.7
When it comes to conserving water in buildings, the rst step is to look at the plumbing xtures, says Heath Baxa, PE, LEED AP, a project
manager and head of sustainable design with

7 Evaluation of Water Use Reduction Achieved Through Hotel Guest

Room Toilet Fixture Replacements,
Koeller and Co. and Veritec Consulting Inc., September 2009, www.
ushmate.com/DocumentLibrary/
pdf/parc-55-hotel-xture-replacements-sept-2009.pdf

Table 3.1
WATER-EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY BASELINES
Technology
Toilets

Current base
1.6 gpf

Most efficient
0.8 gpf (pressure-assist
and dual-flush units)

Future possible
Water-free composting toilets
(niche technology: remote buildings,
demonstration green projects)

Urinals

1.0 gpf

0 gpf

Blue cube converts installed,

standard-flush urinals into 99%
water-free units

Showerheads

2.5 gpm

1.5 gpm

Faucets

2.5 gpm at 80 psi; 2.2 gpm

at 60 psi; 1.5 gpm at 60 psi
(residential lavatory faucets)

0.5 gpm

Innovations in performance and

user experience by maximizing
droplet size and spray force with
less water
Innovations in faucet/aerator
design to create perception of
strong flow
Improvements in sensor
technology

Pre-rinse spray valves

(commercial kitchens)
Hot water circulation
systems

1.6 gpm

1.28 gpm

Continuous-circulation
systems (maintain a loop
of circulating hot water,
reducing wait time )

Demand-controlled hot
water circulators
(improved energy efficiency
by delivering hot water
only when needed)

Commercial clothes
washers

1.26 MEF
(modified energy factor);
9.5 WF (water factor)

1.72 MEF; 8.0 WF

(Energy Star threshold)

Huge potential for graywater

capture and reuse

Commercial
dishwashers

1-1.7 gal/rack (under counter);

0.95-1.18 gal/r (stationary
single-tank door); 0.7-0.79
(single-tank conveyor); 0.54
(multi-tank conveyor)

0.28 gal/rack

Innovations in spray nozzle

design, chemical additives,
and water temperature to
speed washing time

Comments
Progressive jurisdictions are moving toward
1.28 gpf as the standard
Dual-flush is gaining share in womens
restrooms
Pint-flush (0.125 gpf) units quickly gaining
market share
New WaterSense label defines
high-efficiency as 0.5 gpf
WaterSense label defines high-efficiency
as 2.0 gpf
Hotels slow to adopt low-flow (due to
guest complaints)
Studies show that sensors may
increase water use by activating
unnecessarily and operating longer
than needed
These devices typically use more water
in commercial kitchens than dishwashers
Save water, but increase
energy use
Common in hotels and
residential
Alternative: greater hot water pipe
insulation
Large commercial washing systems
used in hotels and hospitals not
addressed by Energy Star or other
federal standards
Water use varies widely
based on model type

Sources: Environmental Building News, February 2008; U.S. EPA

www.BDCnetwork.com

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

WP19

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

M-E Engineers Inc., Wheat Ridge, Colo. The
next step, says Baxa, is to look at the feasibility
of reusing water on the site, and thats where
things get more complex.

Graywater for flushing: The next wave?

Installing water-efcient xtures, industry
experts say, will only take water conservation
so far, perhaps to a 20-30% reduction in use.
Shooting for a reduction of 40% or more will
most likely require Building Teams to look
at ways to reuse water. Inside buildings, that
means using graywaterprimarily the wastewater from bathroom sinks, showers, and clothes

washersto ush toilets and urinals.

To date, the use of graywater for flushing has been pretty rare. Only 21% of AEC
respondents to the 2009 White Paper survey
said their firms had specified graywater
reuse systems in the past two years, even
though the potential for water savings using
graywater is significant, especially in office
buildings, schools, hotels, and multifamily
developments. And, unlike rainwater harvesting, where the water supply depends on the
whim of Mother Nature, commercial and
multifamily buildings provide a relatively
constant source of graywater. In a large of-

Table 3.2
INTERIOR WATER-EFFICIENT SYSTEMS USED
Which of the following indoor products, technologies, or services has your firm or company used in
new projects or major renovations in the last 18-24 months? Which do you expect to use in the next
18-24 months?
Nonresidential
Used in last
Expect to use in
18-24 months next 18-24 months
High-efficiency lavatory faucets (1.5 gal/min or less)
65%
78%
Sensor-activated faucets
65%
75%
Sensor-activated flush valves
63%
74%
High-efficiency showerheads (2.0 gal/min or less)
62%
72%
Water metering
58%
66%
Tankless water heaters
57%
73%
High-efficiency urinals
56%
73%
High-efficiency single-flush gravity toilets (1.28 gal/flush or less) 51%
68%
High-efficiency flushometer toilets (1.28 gal/flush or less)
48%
67%
Low-flow kitchen faucets (2.2 gal/min or less)
42%
58%
Demand-activated recirculating hot water systems
40%
60%
Dual-flush flush valves
40%
64%
High-efficiency dual-flush toilets
38%
65%
High-efficiency dishwashers (10 gal or less/load)
High-efficiency pressure-assisted toilets
Non-water fixtures (sanitizer dispensers, UV disinfectant, etc.)
Water submetering
High-efficiency clothes washers (water factor of 7.5 or less)
Waterless (flush-free) urinals
Graywater reuse systems (for flushing toilets, etc.)
High-efficiency pre-rinse spray valves for commercial kitchens
Water use audits
Mechanical metering faucets

35%
34%
34%
33%
31%
27%
21%
21%
21%
17%

51%
48%
49%
46%
45%
45%
50%
37%
37%
28%

Residential
Used in last
Expect to use in
18-24 months next 18-24 months
46%
67%
70%
81%
42%
51%
52%
71%
43%
64%
26%
42%
47%
68%
26%
48%
29%
58%
55%
32%
16%
19%
49%
9%
11%
-

79%
39%
31%
33%
65%
24%
24%
-

Base: Nonresidential, 583-585, Residential, 139-140

Source: BD+C/Professional Builder 2009 White Paper Survey

The majority of Nonresidential Survey respondents said their firms are already using a fairly broad array of water-saving products, technologies, or
systemson average, between nine and 10 of the technologies listed in the table (mean: 9.54). Moreover, they expect their companies to make use
of 13-14 such technologies or systems in the next couple of years (mean: 13.22). Residential Survey respondents exhibited strong adoption rates for
high-efficiency showerheads (70%), dishwashers (55%), tankless water heaters (52%), and clothes washers (49%), with even greater use expected
in the next 18-24 months. Note: Certain technologies not normally used in residential projects (e.g., waterless urinals, pre-rinse spray valves) were not
asked in the Residential Survey.

WP20

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

fice building, just the water from sinks can be

significant on a daily basis, certainly enough
to flush many toilets and urinals, notes
green building consultant Jerry Yudelson, PE,
MBA, LEED AP in his August 2009 report
to the Mechanical Contractors Association of
America Research Foundation.4
Despite growing demand and unrealized
potential for graywater reuse in buildings,
however, plenty of hurdles remain for those
looking to implement graywater systems for
toilet ushing.
First, theres the cost hurdle, both the cost
of the systems themselves and the cost of the
space associated with tanks, pumps, and treatment, not to mention the need for dual-piping to separate graywater from potable water.
Those are the biggest obstacles, says Julie
Paquette, PE, LEED AP, an associate with
the Green Integration Group, R.G. Vanderweil Engineers, Boston. Even in Boston,
where water rates are well above the national
average, Paquette says owners balk at the long
payback and O&M requirements of water
reuse systems.
The next hurdle: building and plumbing codes.
Many jurisdictions simply have not caught up

with the technology, forcing Building Teams to

invest a lot of time asking for special approval
for alternative approaches. Even the mere
threat of a construction delay or additional
preparation costs frightens many owners from
pursuing established alternative water-conservation strategies, says Jeffrey Gaines, AIA,
LEED AP, a senior associate, manager of programming and planning, and sustainable design
committee leader with Albert Kahn Associates,
Detroit.
Some states and localities make it really hard
to use graywater. Until recently, for example,
Oregon required applicants to obtain a water
quality permit comparable to that for a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Coupled with
high permit fees, this requirement effectively
killed graywater reuse in the state. This past
June, Oregon changed its law to allow graywater
to be used for benecial uses, such as ushing
toilets and urinals and irrigating certain trees and
plants.8
Code ofcials and plumbing boards justify
their position by saying that their rst responsibility is to protect the publics health and safety
and that graywater, if not treated properly, could
become a breeding ground for microorgan-

8 Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Gray Water Fact

Sheet, June 30, 2009, www.deq.
state.or.us/wq/pubs/factsheets/reuse/
WQgraywaterFactsheet.pdf

Packaged Graywater Systems

In the past, building owners or homeowners who wanted to use recycled graywater had but one option: a custom-engineered solution tailored to the specific
project. While custom systems are still the choice in most big building projects, a growing number of packaged graywater recycling systems, complete with
pumps, storage tanks, treatment solutions, and piping, are now available for commercial and residential use. Prices range from $300 for a single sink/toilet
system to $75,000 or more for bigger commercial buildings. Heres a rundown of the systems available in the U.S.*:
Product
AquaCycle

Aqus Water Reuse System

BRAC Graywater Recycling

System
ReWater

Function
Recycles graywater from lavatory sinks, showers,
tubs, and laundry machines for use in toilet
flushing, clothes washing, cleaning, and
landscaping
Recycles graywater from lavatory
sinks for use in toilet flushing
Recycles graywater from lavatory sinks,
showers, tubs, and laundry machines
for use in toilet flushing
Captures, filters, and reuses water from showers,
tubs, lavatory sinks, and laundry machines
for landscape irrigation

Comments
Numerous existing installations in small
and large residential and institutional
applications in Europe
Uniform Plumbing Code listed
product; Production and deliveries
began in 2006
Uniform Plumbing Code listed
product; in production
Available since 1990; numerous
existing installations with
a proven track record

Manufacturer
Pontos, subsidiary of Hansgrohe AG,
www.pontos-aquacycle.com/pontos/en/
company/pontos.html,
[email protected]
WaterSaver Technologies,
www.watersavertech.com,
[email protected]
BRAC Systems,
www.bracsystems.com/home.html,
[email protected]
ReWater Systems Inc.,
www.rewater.com,
[email protected]

Source: Alliance for Water Efficiency

* Ecoplay, from CME Sanitary Systems (www.ecoplay.nl/en/index.html, [email protected]), and Catchment 720L, from Perpetual Water (www.perpetualwater.com.au [email protected]), are not readily available in the U.S.

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BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

WP21

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

9 Package Graywater Recovery

and Treatment Systems Introduction, Alliance for Water Efciency,
June 8, 2009, www.allianceforwaterefciency.org/Package_Graywater_Recovery_and_Treatment_Systems.aspx
10 California Department of Water
Resources, July 2009, www.water.
ca.gov/recycling/plumb/Flyer.pdf
11 Evaluation of Water-Efcient Toilet Technologies to Carry
Waste in Drainlines, Bill Gauley
and John Koeller for the Canada
Mortgage and Housing Corporation, April 2005, p. 30, www.cwwa.
ca/pdf_les/Drainline%20Report%
20Revision-Apr%201.pdf

WP22

NOVEMBER 2009

isms and other potential health hazards. In the

absence of science-based quality standards for
graywater reuse (something several plumbing
manufacturers are trying to develop), they say,
graywater reuse should be limited to underground drip irrigation at best.
Code ofcials also point to potential maintenance problems with graywater systems,
especially in homes. They argue that if many
homeowners have trouble maintaining simple
things like water heaters, how can they be
expected to maintain complex graywater treatment systems? In response, the Alliance for
Water Efciency suggests that manufacturers
could offer lifetime maintenance programs, or
local jurisdictions could require periodic inspections of such systems.9 Either way, there would
be added costs.
The International Code Council and IAPMO are working on the problem. For example,
IAPMOs Green Plumbing and Mechanical
Code Supplement, due out next February,
introduces language pertaining to the use of
graywater recycling and rainwater harvesting,
with the goal of speeding the code review and
approval process for these new technologies
(more on this in Chapter 5, page WP33).
Californias Department of Water Resources
is in the process of adopting statewide standards for installing dual plumbing systems
one for potable water, the other for recycled
waterwithin virtually any commercial and
institutional building type. If adopted in January, the code would allow recycled water to be
used in toilets and urinals, air-conditioning
devices, cooling towers, and oor trap priming. Building owners would have to implement
health and safety measures, such as cross-connection testing, installation of purple-colored
pipes, and posting of signage in rooms that
utilize recycled water or house recycled water
equipment.10
Despite the obstacles, demand for graywater
recycling is expected to grow as code bodies
and jurisdictions become more accepting of
these technologies and costs for implementation come down. Half of the respondents to
our Nonresidential Survey and nearly a quarter
respondents to the Residential Survey said they
plan to install these systems within the next two
years. One sign of a budding graywater market
is the growing number of off-the-shelf soluBUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

tions being developed by manufacturers (see

sidebar, page WP21).

Drain line transport issue:

How low can we go?
One huge concern among plumbing engineers
and contractors is the possibility of clogging
that could occur in drain lines when new
water-efcient xtures are installed. Greater
efciency leads to less water in the drain lines,
meaning that there may not be enough water
to ush waste down the pipes.
When the industry went from 3.5 gallons per
ush to 1.6 in the 1990s, there was a lot of talk
about drain lines drying up; now were going
to 1.28 and even lower to one gallon per ush,
says Pete DeMarco, IAPMOs director of special
programs. We know that somewhere between
1.6 and zero gallons per ush, building owners
are going to have problems with clogging because
there wont be enough wastewater in the system.
This problem can be especially nettlesome
in large commercial projects such as shopping malls, ofce complexes, and warehouses
that have long, horizontal drainage lines to the
sewer. A 2005 study of nine high-efciency
toilets using four drain line diameters and slope
congurations found greater potential for waste
remnant and potential blocking with drain lines
as short as 50 feet (with four-inch-diameter
pipe at a 1% slope) if no supplemental ows are
present.11
While there have been no major cases of
drain line clogging involving high-efciency
xtures in the U.S., building owners in Europe
and Australia have recently reported problems.
Last year, the city of Tucson, Ariz., was so
concerned with possible backup in its sewer
lines (which can lead to dangerous and malodorous hydrogen sulde concentrations) that it
suspended its program of retrotting low-ow
toilets in older neighborhoods.
Concerned that manufacturers may be reaching a tipping point in how low they can go in
water efciency, ve plumbing industry groups
have formed the Plumbing Efciency Research
Coalition with the goal of sponsoring an extensive research study on drain line carry. According
to IAPMOs DeMarco, who is coordinating the
project for PERC, the study will 1) use computational uid dynamics to model how far waste
will travel under various guidelines, 2) conduct
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ADVERTISEMENT

Dear Building Professionals,

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is pleased to sponsor Building Design+Constructions 2009 White Paper, Green
Buildings + Water Performance. The important work of protecting our environment and water supplies requires
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Water has been defined as a critical global issue for this century. Builders have experienced the impact of water
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As industry leaders, you have responded to this challenge by taking steps both to stay informed and embrace
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President and CEO
Underwriters Laboratories

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

12 On another research topic,
consultants Bill Gauley and John
Koeller have questioned the adequacy of the current ASME/CSA
drain line carry testing protocol.
The consultants, who conducted
extensive drain line tests for the
Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation in 2005, claim that the
ASME/CSA testing method uses
non-realistic test media (-inch
plastic balls) and requires the same
testing procedure for both residential
and commercial installations.
We know that there is a clear
difference between -inch balls
and real waste and that there
are signicant differences between
residential and commercial toilet
installations, they stated in a January 2009 technical brief.13 Gauley
and Koeller are calling for replacing
plastic balls with a soybean paste
mixture, a method known as MaP
testing (maximum performance
testing), which they helped develop.
13 High-Efciency Flushometer
Toilets in Non-Residential Applications: A caution for water-efciency
practitioners, design professionals,
and facilities managers, Alliance
for Water Efciency, January 2009,
www.allianceforwaterefciency.
org/CAUTION_-_Non-Residential_HETs_and_Drainline_Carry.
aspx
14 Application of Dry Urinals,
by Mete Demiriz, Gelsenkirchen
University of Applied Sciences,
2004, www.a4we.org/WorkArea/
linkit.aspx?LinkIdentier=id&Ite
mID=934
15 Straight Green: Adventures in
Waterless Urinals, by Chris Dixon,
Walls and Ceilings, July 28, 2008,
www.wconline.com
16 EcoBlue website, www.ecobluecorp.com

WP24

NOVEMBER 2009

laboratory mockup tests of cast iron and PVC

piping in three diameter sizes, and 3) eld test
actual plumbing systems.
PERC hopes the research ndings will help
designers on new projects or retrots to take

into account both currentand futurelevels of

wastewater ow when designing drain lines. This
may involve adding more pitch to pipe runs,
avoiding long, horizontal drain lines, and reducing the number of elbows.12, 13

Waterless Urinals: The Debate Rages On

Eighteen years after the first commercial water-free urinals were released to the U.S. building market, debate over
their efficacy keeps rumbling on.
Manufacturers of waterless systems successfully addressed early concerns about potential cleanliness and odor
problems by educating the AEC industry and improving methods for trapping odors. Today, few jurisdictions flat out
ban the installation of these systems. The consensus among industry experts is that the most appropriate building
types for waterless urinals are places of congregation, such as airports, stadiums, arenas, museums, and convention
centers, because they have a high level of use and generally more reliable maintenance, which is the real key.
The success of a waterless urinal installation completely depends on maintenance, says Heath Baxa, manager
of sustainable design with M-E Engineers, who has specified waterless urinals in sports facilities. He says its up to
the facility staff to follow the manufacturers instructions on cleaning the units and replacing the trapping solution
on schedule. Even then, something as innocent as accidentally dumping water into certain types of waterless units
can break the liquid seal, possibly leading to odor problems. (Some systems are designed to allow a small amount of
water to be poured into the system to flush the lines on a periodic basis.)
Theres also the question of the potential for blockage of drain lines following years of exposure to non-diluted
urine. Without water to help flush urine deposits through the urinal and drain pipe, deposits can accumulate, potentially leading to waste backup and odor build-up.14 There are documented cases where drain lines clogged completely
just six months after installation.15
Were really concerned about the long-term performance, not so much with the unit itself, but with the waste
lines, says Jeffrey Gaines, AIA, sustainable design leader with Albert Kahn Associates. Are these pipes going to corrode over time? We could end up with a tremendous problem that nobody anticipated.
In its forthcoming Green Plumbing and Mechanical Code Supplement, IAPMO strongly recommends that local
plumbing codes require water supply lines to be installed behind the water-free fixtures in case the units ever have
to be replaced with water-fed urinals. The IAPMO document will also call for water-fed sinks or other fixtures to be
placed upstream of waterless urinals to wash the drain lines of urine depositsa practice that is mandatory in
drought-ravaged Australia.
One alternative to waterless urinals that is catching the eye of AEC professionals is the one-eighth-gallon urinal.
While pint-flush technology is relatively new and unproven, proponents say these systems can deliver up to 90%
water savings compared to standard urinals.
Another option that is starting to gain attention, especially in the retrofit market, is the so-called blue cubea
small dissolvable urinal block that is capable of converting standard urinals into virtually water-free units. The cubes
last up to 1,000 uses and utilize a mix of bacteria, water softeners, and biodegradable surfactants that works to dissolve uric scale from pipes, eliminate odor, and reduce water use by up to 99%.16 You just put it in and turn off the
urinals, and then you flush once a dayeffectively turning a flushing urinal into a waterless unit, says John Koeller,
PE, a Yorba Linda, Calif.-based water conservation consultant who has tracked the technology closely. Every report
coming back is that these things do the job.
Despite some pushback, many experts stress that waterless urinals have their place, especially since each one can
save upwards of 40,000 gallons of water a year. Once again, these systems work best in buildings with high urinal
use ratessports facilities being the obvious examplewhere a strict maintenance regimen is adhered to.

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U.S. General Services Administration

As one of the largest public real estate organizations in the

world, the U.S. General Services Administration's Public
Buildings Service is a leader in sustainability and green design.
GSA is the landlord for the federal civilian government, and its
portfolio of more than 8,600 owned and leased properties total
352 million rentable square feet of workspace. In managing
these assets, GSA is committed to excellence in energy
conservation and sustainable design.
Consider these facts:
GSA's first green roof was installed in 1975
The first renewable energy purchase occurred in 1991
QGSA's first LEED certified building dates back to 2002
QIn 2007, GSA saved $46 million through recycling
QToday, GSA has 25 LEED certified buildings in its inventory
QToday, GSA has 118 Energy Star buildings
QGSA has reduced energy use by 8 percent since 2003
QThat is on top of a 30 percent reduction since 1985!
Q
Q

Energy conservation and environmental stewardship are among

the agency's highest priorities. All new GSA construction and
major renovation projects must be LEED certified, ideally at the
LEED Silver level or better. This is also the case for lease
construction projects. The Energy Independence and Security
Act of 2007 requires all federal agencies in leased space to be in
Energy Star-labeled buildings by 2010. It also stipulates a
fossil-fuel generated energy reduction of 55 percent in federal
buildings in 2010 with further reductions in five-year increments
so that by 2030, federal buildings no longer use fossil fuels. The
private sector design and construction industry will play a key
role in helping the government meet these goals.
U.S. Federal Building
San Francisco, CA

Recent projects demonstrate GSA's success in sustainability and

green design:
The San Francisco Federal Building is a model of sustainable
design with natural light in 85 percent of the offices and
natural ventilation cooling the 18 story tower from the sixth
floor up.
QThe Environmental Protection Agency's Regional
Headquarters in Denver uses one third less energy and water
than buildings of comparable size and boasts downtown
Denver's first green roof.
QAs part of the $ 5.5 billion appropriated to GSA under the
Recovery Act, the agency is rapidly working to convert federal
buildings into high-performance green buildings and build
new energy-efficient federal buildings.
Q

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

4. What Building Teams

Are Doing To Conserve Water
Outside Buildings
hile signicant progress in water conservation has been made inside buildingsprimarily with the widespread
adoption of high-efciency plumbing
xturesmuch of the water consumption in buildings actually occurs outside the structure itself. In
a typical hospital or ofce building, for instance,
landscape irrigation and cooling tower makeup water can account for more than half of total water
consumption.1 In warm regions like the Southeast,
cooling towers alone can consume more than half of
total water use in large buildings.2 Schools, college
and university campuses, museums, suburban ofce
complexes, stadiums, and single-family homes can
often use massive amounts of water for irrigation to
maintain green space.
In recent years, the building community has
made great strides in improving water performance outside buildings. Some measures, like
stormwater management planning and installation
of retention ponds, are mandated by local codes or
permit requirements. Other approaches, such as
water-efcient irrigation systems and low-wateruse landscaping, are gaining popularity because of
relatively short payback periods and contribution
toward green building certication.
Building Teams are implementing a broad range
of exterior water-efciency measures to achieve
water reduction goals, according to the 2009
BD+C/Professional Builder 2009 White Paper
Survey. Survey respondents that work on nonresidential building projects said they have implemented 6-7 exterior water-efciency technologies
or systems on projects in the last 18-24 months.
Moreover, respondents said they expect to use 9-10
measures within the next two years (Table 4.2).
Among the most popular measures are stormwater
management plans, retention ponds, low-wateruse landscaping/indigenous planting, drip irrigation systems, and pervious pavement.
Similarly, nearly half of our Residential Survey
respondents (48%) said theyre already using drip
irrigation, and 40% said their companies are using
automated irrigation systems. Many more are

1 Water: Doing More with

Less, Environmental Building
News, February 2008, www.
buildinggreen.com/auth/article.
cfm/2008/2/3/Water-Doing-MoreWith-Less
2 Water-Efciency Technologies
for Mechanical Contractors, Jerry
Yudelson, PE, for the Mechanical
Contracting Education and Research
Foundation, 2009.
3 Water Conservation Protocols,
Robert Benazzi, Buildings, October
2009.
4 Environmental Building News,
February 2008, www.buildinggreen.
com/auth/article.cfm/2008/2/3/Water-Doing-More-With-Less
5 Evaluation of California
Weather-Based Smart Irrigation
Controller Programs, Aquacraft
Inc., July 1, 2009, www.aquacraft.
com/Download_Reports/Evaluation_of_California_Smart_Controller_Programs_-_Final_Report.pdf

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NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

already employing stormwater management plans

(73%) and retention ponds (55%) (Table 4.2).
Applying one or more of these design practices
and technologies can save building owners thousands and even millions of gallons of water annually. Take the LEED Platinum One Bryant Park
tower in New York City for example. Stormwater
harvesting and cooling tower condensate recovery
alone are saving an estimated 5.8 million gallons
of water a year, resulting in net annual savings of
$12,750 on water costs.3

WATER-EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE AND IRRIGATION

Landscape irrigation represents a signicant portion of overall water use in both residential and
commercial buildings. In Phoenix, for example,
irrigation accounts for about two-thirds of total
residential water use, and even in water-rich areas
like Seattle and Tampa, irrigation represents more
than a third of total household water use.4
Landscape irrigation can be as much as 60%
of water use in homes, especially in arid climates,
says Jennifer Riley-Chetwynd, with Rain Bird,
Azusa, Calif., a manufacturer of residential and
commercial irrigation systems. Even in commercial settings, you should be asking how well you
are managing your water use.
Newer technologies are helping building owners
reduce water use for landscape irrigation functions.
One particularly promising technology is weatherbased irrigation. Instead of watering according to
a preset schedule, these smart systems take into
account prevailing weather conditions, current and
historic evapotranspiration, and soil moisture levels
to provide the ideal amount of water based on the
needs of the plants. By watering based on need,
property owners have been able to achieve immediate water usage reductions of 5-7%, according to a
four-year study of 2,294 smart controller installations across California.5
The study found that 53% of locations were
over-irrigating their property before installation of
the smart controllers, based on a theoretical irrigation requirement (TIR) for each property. Fortywww.BDCnetwork.com

seven percent of locations were at or under the

TIR threshold; in fact, according to Peter Mayer,
a consultant with Aquacraft Inc., a good portion of
these properties were actually using too little water
on their grounds. (This resulted in an average
increase in water use of 1.49 kgal, or 0.43%, for
those locations. But as Fiona Sanchez, conserva-

tion director for the Irvine Ranch [Calif.] Water

District, noted at the October 2009 WaterSmart
Innovations Conference in Las Vegas, If smart
controllers deliver to the theoretical requirement,
thats what the controllers were supposed to do.
In other words, the controllers did their job.)
The study concluded that while weather-based

Table 4.1
RECLAIMED WATER SOURCES FOR EXTERIOR APPLICATIONS
Source
Graywater

Definition
Wastewater collected in buildings
from showers, bathtubs, clothes
washers, and lavatory faucets

Typical uses
Nonpotable: usually used for
subsurface irrigation

Requirements
Separate wastewater drainage
lines for graywater and blackwater,
a flitration system, and usually
storage; sometimes fed directly into
subsurface irrigation piping

Rooftop rainwater
harvesting

Rainfall collected
from a roof surface

Nonpotable: toilet flushing,

irrigation, makeup water for cooling
equipment; potable if adequately
treated

A gutter system to channel

rainwater into a cistern;
often first-flush and filtration
systems; treatment for
potable uses.

Landscape-scale
stormwater
harvesting

Stormwater collected on
parking areas or other lowpermeability landscape surfaces
and stored in retention ponds
Condensate captured from
the evaporator coils of AC
equipment or dehumidifiers

Nonpotable: toilet flushing,

makeup water for cooling
equipment

Topography that channels

stormwater into retention ponds
and a mechanism for withdrawl
and use
Drainage of condensate lines into
storage for reuse; only feasible in
areas with adequate indoor
humidity levels

Air-conditioner
condensate

Nonpotable: toilet flushing,

irrigation, makeup water for
cooling equipment

Mechanical
equipment
blowdown

Water bled from cooling towers

and other mechanical equipment

Nonpotable: irrigation

Collection and storage components

integrated with cooling towers
and other sources of blowdown

Treat wastewater
(building-scale)

Onsite treated wastewater

(graywater or blackwater),
producing nonpotable water

Nonpotable: toilet flushing,

irrigation, makeup water for
cooling equipment

Treat wastewater
(municipalsupplied)

Outflow from a sewage treatment

plant after tertiary treatment
and purification; distributed from
water utility through separate
piping (purple pipe)
Freshwater produced by removing
salts from seawater or
brackish water

Nonpotable: toilet flushing,

irrigation, makeup water
for cooling equipment

On-site treatment system employing

biological action, microfiltration,
and sometimes reverse osmosis,
UV, or chemical purification
Separate supply plumbing for
potable and nonpotable water;
some water utilities provide such
piping, most commonly tied to
dedicated irrigation systems
Most desalination plants use
reverse osmosis, forcing salt water
through a specialized membrane
that excludes salts

Desalinated
water

Potable

Pluses and minuses

+ Reduces freshwater demand
+ Water volumes can be large
+ Emergency irrigation source
Difficulties with permits
Cost of dual piping
Risk of smell, O+M issues
+ Reduces freshwater demand
+ Rainwater is generally softer
than well water
+ Avoided energy for pumping
(if gravity-fed from a cistern)
Rainwater volume can vary
+ Reduces freshwater demand
+ Fairly low cost
Difficult to manage stored water
due to evaporation, vegetation
+ Reduces freshwater demand
+ As distilled water, condensate is
initially very pure
+ Water volumes can be large
Potential for contamination
of stored condensate and lines
+ Reduces freshwater demand
+ Water volumes can be large
Most blowdown water has high
mineral content or other contaminants
+ Reduces freshwater demand
High installaion cost
Sludge disposal remains
Can be energy-intensive
+ Reduces freshwater demand
+ Energy savings compared with
potable water use
Perception that treated
wastewater is unsanitary
+ Reduces freshwater demand
+ Virtually unlimited supply
Energy-intensive

Source: Environmental Building News, 1 May 2008

www.BDCnetwork.com

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

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GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

6 Rainwater Committee Final

Report, Texas Water Development
Board 2006.
7 The Legalities of Rainwater
Harvesting, Leora Broydo Vestel,
New York Times, June 29, 2009.

controllers are an important piece of the puzzle,

theyre not the single solution for achieving
perfect irrigation control and water savings. Even
the best, most water-efcient controller cannot
make up for poor system design, installation, and
maintenance, the authors stated.
The authors stress the need for a holistic approach to irrigation and landscape design. Given
the complexity of site design, landscape architects
and related professionals deserve a seat at the design table on projectsa rare occurrence even for
the most fully integrated Building Team. Speaking
at the WaterSmart Innovation conference, Kerry
Blind, FASLA, LEED AP, president of Ecos En-

vironmental Design, Atlanta, said that landscape

architects can bring sustainable design practices
involving the use of techniques like bioswales,
rainwater harvesting, vegetated roofs, porous
pavement, ideal plant life selection, and retention
ponds to improve water management.

RAINWATER REUSE: A VIABLE WATER SUPPLY

The bulk of building projects in the U.S. miss out
on one of the most potentially signicant water
conservation opportunities by failing to consider
one key tool: rainwater catchment and reuse.
Consider these facts: For every inch of rain that
falls on a thousand square feet of roof area, 600

Packed Rainwater Catchment Systems

While many rainwater harvesting systems are custom engineered from various components, there are several packaged systems available
to the U.S. market.2
Product
Brac Greywater Recycling
System Model CGW- 19800

Size
4,590-gallon capacity

BRAE Rainwater Systems

10 possible packages,
up to 6,000-gallon systems

Bushman RW Systems
Jay R. Smith Rainwater
Harvesting System Packages

ReWater models RWAF4

and RWAF5
Watertronics Sky Harvester
Water Conservation System

Three packages,
the largest at 620 gallons
Seven possible packages

200-gallon surge tank;

no large storage tank
included
20,000-gallon capacity

Performance data
All-in-one graywater system can be used to
capture rainwater. The system includes an in-ground
holding tank, in-ground lift station, above-ground dual
pressure filters, a water management processor with a
dedicated pump, a VFD 15-hp constant pressure pumping
system, pressure filter alarms, and an integrated monitoring
and controller processor with built-in BMS functionality.
Offer custom commercial designs up to
500,000-gallon storage. Packaged systems
include everything needed to build and maintain a
rainwater system: tank, tank liner, basket filter sign
kit, flex couplers, pump, and screens.
Offer tanks up to 6,500 gallons and equipment for
larger systems, but no package for larger systems.
Largest package is for a 5,500-sf roof. Offer components
that can serve roofs up to 32,000 sf. Packages include
vortex rainwater filter, overflow device, smoothing inlet,
suction pump, float switch, floating filter, and a
purification kit is optional. Tank not included.
Commercial system for irrigation only. Can be
engineered to back itself up with pressurized fresh
water in case it runs out of stored rain.
Large commercial package with tank, pump, tank level
controls, vortex filter, UL control panel, irrigation controller,
replenishment water control and measurement, remote data
logging and control, premium efficient pumps and motors,
custom PLC controls and logic, auto-flushing filter for clean
irrigation water, multiple replenishment source control,
integration with building automation systems.

Manufacturer
BRAC Systems
www.bracsystems.com/home.html
[email protected]

Blue Ridge Atlantic Enterprises

www.braewater.com
(800) 772-1958

Bushman, www.bushmanusa.com
(866) 920-8265
Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.
www.jrsmith.com
(334) 277-8520

ReWater Systems Inc.

www.rewater.com
[email protected]
Watertronics
www.watertronics.com
(262) 367-5000

Source: Water-Efficiency Technologies for Mechanical Contractors, August 20, 2009

WP28

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

gallons of water can be collected for harvesting. In

central Texas, a home or commercial building that
size could expect to collect upwards of 20,000 gallons a year.6 In rain-heavy regions like the Northwest and Southeast, the same-sized structure could
collect up to ve times that amount annually. The
numbers are staggering when extrapolated over
large areas or regions. For instance, if just 10%
of the roof area in Texas were used for rainwater
harvesting, an estimated 38 billion gallons of water
would be conserved each yearwater that would
otherwise run off site, taxing storm sewer systems
and contributing to erosion.
Compared with graywater reuse systems,
rainwater harvesting is relatively simple to execute, especially for irrigation and cooling tower
makeup applications, which dont require costly,
complicated dual piping systems and oftentimes
call for only minimal water treatment. Moreover,
the emergence of packaged rainwater harvesting systems is making it easier for building
owners and even homeowners to implement the
technology (see sidebar).
This is such a simple and obvious thing to do
in much of the country that one wonders why it
has taken so long to be considered as a viable new
water supply, said green building consultant Jerry
Yudelson, PE, LEED AP, in his recent report on
water-efciency technologies for the Mechanical
Contracting Education and Research Foundation.2
In addition to providing onsite water supply and
reducing the need to use potable water for lowerquality water uses, rainwater harvesting can help
reduce stormwater runoff from building sites.
Yet, despite the huge potential for water savings, rainwater reuse is still relatively rare in
U.S. building projects. Only about a third (34%)
of AEC respondents to the 2009 White Paper
Survey said they specied rainwater harvesting
or retention systems for outdoor use in nonresidential projects in the past 18-24 months. Even
fewer residential building respondents (26%)
said their companies had implemented such
systems within the past two years.
In some areas of the country, like parts of Utah
and Washington and, until recently, the entire
state of Colorado, rainwater collection is restrictedand even illegalwithout special permits
from the local authorities. Opponents of rainwater
harvesting see it as a water rights issue: If too
many building owners adopt the practice, it will
greatly reduce water ow to streams and aquifers
www.BDCnetwork.com

where it is needed for wells and springs. They see

this as being akin to stealing water from downstream users who are legally entitled to the water.7
By contrast, states and jurisdictions in waterTable 4.2
EXTERIOR WATER-EFFICIENT SYSTEMS USED
Which of the following exterior technologies or strategies has your firm or
company used in new projects or major renovations in the last 18-24 months?
Which do you intend to use in the next 18-24 months?
Nonresidential
Residential
Used in last Expect to use in
Used in last
Expect to use in
18-24 months next 18-24 months 18-24 months next 18-24 months
Stormwater management plans
71%
77%
73%
77%
Retention ponds
64%
70%
55%
58%
Low-water-use landscaping,
indigenous planting
55%
70%
45%
60%
Drip irrigation systems
48%
59%
48%
55%
Pervious pavement (parking,
walkways, etc.)
45%
68%
40%
56%
Automated irrigation systems
(including evapotranspiration
sensors, soil moisture sensors,
weather-based systems, etc.)
42%
54%
40%
55%
Pressure-reducing valves (for
landscape irrigation)
41%
54%
36%
45%
Bioswales
38%
49%
23%
33%
High-efficiency irrigation systems 37%
54%
30%
49%
Rainwater harvesting/retention
systems (for outdoor use, e.g.,
landscape irrigation)
34%
59%
26%
45%
Green (vegetated) roofs
30%
54%
11%
20%
Turf reduction programs
28%
43%
22%
37%
Cooling tower condensate recovery
systems
27%
40%
Low-impact development (LID) 27%
46%
23%
31%
Rain gardens
24%
40%
16%
33%
On-site wastewater treatment
systems
22%
32%
22%
26%
Rainwater reuse systems (for indoor
use, e.g., flushing toilets)
17%
38%
5%
20%
Artificial turf
15%
22%
9%
16%
Municipally provided recycled water
systems (purple pipe)
13%
24%
8%
19%
Desalination systems
6%
11%
Base: Nonresidential, 557; Residential, 131-132
Source: BD+C/Professional Builder 2009 White Paper Survey

Respondents to the Nonresidential Survey used 6-7 exterior technologies or systems in the last two years (mean:
6.85) and expect to use 9-10 in the next 18-24 months (mean: 9.64), an indication of fairly widespread acceptance
of water-efficiency techniques for dealing with stormwater and runoff problems and landscape irrigation. Among
respondents to both surveys, stormwater management plans (Nonresidential, 71%; Residential, 73%) and retention
ponds (Nonresidential, 64%; Residential, 55%) scored highest; these are often mandated by local codes or permit
requirements. Planting low-impact vegetation and using more-efficient landscape irrigation systems also did well
with both groups.

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

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GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

scarce regions like the Southwest are offering incentives for the installation of rainwater collection
systems. Texas offers rebates of up to $40,000 for
building owners that install collection and reuse
systems. Santa Fe County, N.M., and Tucson,
Ariz., actually require these systems on certain
new building projects.7
Rainwater collection for irrigation or even
xture ushing is something that we could use
on almost every one of our projects, says Dave
Plasschaert, a mechanical designer with KJWW
Engineering Consultants, Rock Island, Ill. But
cost and upkeep of this type of system are typically
why it does not remain in projects very long.
First cost remains a major concern with
budget-conscious building owners. System costs
can range from $20,000 to more than $50,000,
with payback periods of a few years to well over
a decade. In addition, because rainfall can vary
greatly season to season, a supplemental potable
water supply is typically required to meet supply
demands, adding to both initial and ongoing costs.
However, in cases where buildings are designed
to achieve 100% rainwater collection, the payback
for collection and treatment systems can be
almost immediate by eliminating costs associated
with storm-drain hookups and related infrastructure and fees. This was the case at a California
university project, where the cost to install two
20,000-gallon storage tanks and related collection,
treatment, and distribution systems was less than
the cost of tapping into the towns storm drains.2
Another issue impeding the adoption of
rainwater harvesting is the lack of standards
and regulations governing the design, installation, and maintenance of these systems, and
allowed uses for the reclaimed water. This leaves
local code ofcials and jurisdictions to interpret
system design based on the current code, which
can delay projects and result in higher rst costs.
For instance, some jurisdictions treat rainwater
as graywater, limiting applications for reuse and
requiring more-stringent treatment and storage
measures. Thats where rainwater harvesting
can get expensive because graywater oftentimes
has special requirements, says David C. Smith,
PE, LEED AP, manager of plumbing and re
protection with Bala Consulting Engineers, King
of Prussia, Pa.
Georgia, Texas, and Virginia are among a
handful of states and cities that have published
guidelines for the implementation of rainwater

WP30

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

catchment systems. This past August, the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association
published a revised draft of its Rainwater Catchment Design and Installation Standards, which
were developed in a joint effort with the American
Society of Plumbing Engineers to be a national
standards document. Next February, the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical
Ofcials (in cooperation with the International
Code Council) will issue its Green Plumbing and
Mechanical Code Supplement that introduces
language that plumbing and building code ofcials
can use to allow for rainwater harvesting in their
jurisdictions. The hope is that these authoritative
documents will help speed the code review and approval process for rainwater harvesting systems.
The growing demand for rainwater harvesting is spurring interest in siphonic roof drainage
technology, which utilizes the principle of negative
pressure to help draw water along horizontal piping and into the vertical drain. Unlike traditional
gravity-based systems, which require multiple
downpipes and ideal surface pitch to transport
water off a roof, siphonic systems typically require
just a few downpipes, reducing rst costs and aiding in rainwater collection for reuse.
We advise our clients to consider siphonic roof
drainage for any roof project larger than 40,000
square feet, says Randy Pool, PE, LEED AP,
managing principal with architecture/engineering
rm Stantec, Edmonton, Alb. At this threshold,
says Pool, siphonic systems typically cost no more
than traditional drainage approaches.

COOLING TOWER WATER RECOVERY:

A LARGELY UNTAPPED SOURCE
Cooling towers for chillers often are the largest
consumers of water in buildings. Because these
systems rely on water evaporation as part of the
air conditioning process, they churn through
thousands of gallons of water every minute.
Considering that the average cooling tower uses
three gallons of water per minute for every ton of
cooling, a large commercial building with 1,000
tons of refrigeration will use 3,000 gallons of water
per minute10 times the amount of water used in
the average household each day.2
Despite being water hogs, cooling towers
are the predominant air cooling technology
in the commercial building sector because of
the signicant energy savings they offer over
alternative approaches. Newer dry cooling
www.BDCnetwork.com

ADVERTISEMENT

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Rick Reinders
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Watertronics

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

8 IAPMO Green Newsletter,

August 2009, p.1, www.iapmo.org/
Green%20Issues/2009-08%20Gre
en%20Newsletter%20August.pdf
9 WaterView 2009 Report: Water
& Wastewater Markets Overview
of Markets and Competition,
Environmental Business Journal,
ZweigWhite, August 3, 2009,
www.zweigwhite.com/zw-830.
aspx?mtn=F3581A

technologies like variable refrigeration volume

systems show promise for reducing both water
and energy use, but rst cost is an obstacle to
adoption of these systems.2
One obvious way to reduce cooling tower
water use is to slim down the size of the cooling
system through energy-efcient building design.
By tightening the building envelope and implementing energy-efcient technologies like lighting controls, Building Teams can reduce overall
cooling load required for a building, allowing
for the mechanical systems like cooling towers
to be downsized. Taking just 10 tons of required
refrigeration out of a building can cut water use
by 43,200 gallons a day.
Use of cooling tower water management techniques, such as conductivity meters and automatic
controls, is another approach to conserving water.
This is especially true with regard to blowdown,
the process whereby water is removed from the
system to reduce mineral concentration and scaling that occurs as a result of the evaporation process. Through real-time tracking and adjusting of
blowdown water bleed rates based on evaporation
rates, makeup water consumption can be reduced
by 20% or more.6
Some progressive jurisdictions have instituted strict rules related to blowdown water
usage. As part of its recently enacted water
conservation ordinance, which goes into effect
1 December 2009, Los Angeles will mandate
that cooling towers operate at a minimum of 5.5
cycles of concentration for blowdown use. The
ordinance also outlaws use of single-pass cooling
towerssystems that use 100% fresh water as
the cooling mediumfor air conditioning.8

Water treatment technologies, such as the

Dolphin WaterCare system, help building owners
achieve greater recirculation rates before requiring
a blowdown to occur, according to John P. Cole,
PE, LEED AP, a principal and assistant director of mechanical engineering with Albert Kahn
Associates, Detroit. The newer technologies
are chemical-free and can greatly reduce water
makeup requirements.
Another potential opportunity for whole building water savings is the reuse of wastewaterincluding both blowdown and condensatefrom
cooling towers and other mechanical equipment
for irrigation, and, in some cases, cooling tower
makeup water and ushing water. Likewise, harvested rainwater and municipal-supplied reclaimed
wastewater (so-called purple pipe water) can be
used as makeup water for cooling tower equipment,
reducing reliance on potable water (Table 4.1).
USGBCs LEED-EBOM program stresses
these water reuse approaches by offering up to two
Water Efciency credits for supplying at least 95%
of cooling tower makeup water from reclaimed
sources, as well as an additional possible credit for
cooling tower water management.2
To date, however, condensate recovery has not
caught on all that well with commercial, institutional, and industrial design and construction rms.
For instance, just 27% of AEC respondents to the
2009 White Paper Nonresidential Survey said that
their rms had specied cooling tower condensate
recovery systems in the past 18-24 months. And
while 40% said they plan to specify cooling tower
condensate recovery in the next couple of years, the
adoption rate seems low considering the signicant
potential of this technology.

Will groundwater replenishment ease fear of wastewater recycling?

In early 2008, the worlds largest indirect potable water recycling system went online in Orange County,
Calif. The $485 million facility treats up to 130 million gallons of wastewater a day and runs the recycled
water back to aquifers that serve the residential, commercial, and agricultural needs of several communities.9 Its a process that many municipal water districts have been using for years, only the OC facility takes
wastewater recycling to a grand scale.
Water experts believe that, despite the publics squeamishness over consumption of water that was once
wastewater (no matter how far from upstream it came), these systems will become more common in the
near future as water supply concerns mount.
Its important to remember that large portions of the country are essentially drinking wastewaterstuff
thats treated in one place and then sent down into the aquifer or into a river or stream, extracted downstream, treated, and then used as potable water, says Gunnar Baldwin, water efficiency specialist with Toto
USA Inc. So wastewater is not really waste.

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BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

5. Certification Programs +
Water Performance
ater factors into all national green building certication programs, and while it may account
for only a small piece of the overall sustainability pie, there are points to be earned by targeting water use reduction and increasing water efciency. This chapter looks at how and where
water factors into commercial and residential green building certication programs.

EPA WATERSENSE
In 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, in partnership with manufacturers,
retailers, distributors, and utility companies, established the WaterSense program. The program
adds labels to such products as faucets, toilets,
and showerheads that meet EPA water-efciency
and performance standardstypically 20-30%
more efcient than standard products.
The EPAs goal for the WaterSense label is
to have it achieve the same level of recognition among consumers as its Energy Star label,
which rates the energy efciency of products and
buildings. The signs are encouraging. WaterSense has had a big leap in market share, says
Stephanie Tanner, lead engineer for WaterSense.
In 2007, our rated toilets had only 2% of the
market, and in 2008 we had 8.8%. We also had
11.7% of the faucet market and 24.6% of all faucet aerators. Tanner says there are 300 different

toilets and 800 faucets and aerators available with

the WaterSense label.
The WaterSense Commercial and Institutional
Certication Program is still in the planning and
comment stage, but the broad outlines of the
program are beginning to take shape.

PROPOSED WATER EFFICIENCY IN THE

COMMERCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL SECTOR
The EPA is dening the CI sector as including
any building with a use other than residential,
and gures these building types to account for
17% of water drawn from public supplies.
The EPA homed in on six commercial property
types that it determined accounted for the largest
consumption of water. The WaterSense CI program stipulates a potential 40% reduction in water
use: ofce buildings, 43,338,240 gal/yr; schools,
37,798,766 gal/yr; restaurants, 15,640,869 gal/yr;
laundries, 4,887,771 gal/yr; healthcare facilities,

The U.S. Green Building Councils

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating program
in its various manifestations scored
big with respondents to the Nonresidential Survey, while the NAHBs
National Green Building Standard
drew the largest response among
respondents to the Residential Survey
(29% have used, 66% expect to
use). At this writing, the WaterSense
New Home Specification had not been
published, but both groups (25%
Nonresidential, 45% Residential)
expressed interest in using it as it
becomes available. Note: The Green
Guide for Health Care, Labs21, and
CHPS do not apply to the residential
market and were not included in the
Residential Survey.

Table 5.1
USE OF GREEN-BUILDING CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS
Which of the following green building certification or specification programs have you or your firm employed in
building projects in the last 18-24 months? Which do you expect to use in the next 18-24 months?
Nonresidential
Used in last
Expect to use in
18-24 months
next 18-24 months
LEED (USGBC) [New Construction, Commercial Interiors, Core & Shell, Retail, Existing
Buildings O&M, Schools, Neighborhood Development, etc.]
WaterSense Product Labeling Program (EPA)
LEED for Homes (USGBC)
Green Globes (Green Building Initiative)
National Green Building Standard (NAHB)
Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC)
Labs21 (U.S. EPA and USDOE)
WaterSense Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification (EPA)CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance Schools)
Environments for Living (Masco)
GreenPlumbers Accreditation

64%
26%
19%
17%
14%
14%
10%
25%
7%
2%
2%

Residential
Used in last
Expect to use in
18-24 months next 18-24 months

82%
46%
41%
40%
33%
29%
20%
18%
10%
8%

10%*
17%
22%
10%**
29%
45%
5%
1%

29%*
47%
46%
32%**
66%
16%
11%

Base: Nonresidential, 667-674; Residential, 156-158

*LEED for Neighborhood Development only.
**Green Globes (New Construction) only.
Source: BD+C/Professional Builder 2009 White Paper Survey

www.BDCnetwork.com

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GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

4,877,771 gal/yr; hospitality, 3,258,514 gal/yr.
WaterSense targets include:
Indoor domestic water use (restrooms, washing machines, dishwashers)
Cooling and heating (cooling towers, singlepass cooling)
Outdoor water use (irrigation, native plantings)
Implementing a WaterSense CI program will
present the EPA with several challenges, among
them whether to roll out a broad program that
includes all commercial and institutional sectors

or to focus on one sector at a time. The large-scale

rollout allows WaterSense to capture economies
of scale. However, the-one-size-ts-all program
might not work because different types of commercial and institutional buildings have technology
and operating procedures specic to their needs.
Choosing the single building type option would
enable WaterSense to target those commercial
sectors with the greatest potential for improvement in water efciency rst. However, such an
approach might mean that the EPA would miss

IAPMO Green Plumbing and Mechanical Code Supplement

The building and plumbing codes are perhaps the biggest hindrance to the adoption of
green buildings, says David Viola, director of
special services for the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (a
sponsor of this White Paper). To bridge the
gap between existing mechanical and plumbing codes and green building programs,
IAPMO has produced the Green Plumbing
and Mechanical Code Supplement. Theres
so little information about how to do green
systems properly and safely within existing
building codes, so were rolling out a document that shows how its done, says Viola. A
draft was released in August for peer review;
the final version is due February 2010.
The five most important areas covered in
the Green Plumbing and Mechanical Code
Supplement, according to Viola:
1. Using alternate water sources
The biggest void in the industry is how
to safely use alternate water sources, says
Viola. Inspectors and code officials think
its best to avoid using graywater because
theyre very conservative and feel its best
to avoid the risk of something bad happening, particularly any health hazard,
he says. However, many green building
rating systems already give points for using
alternate water sources, but they dont prescribe how to use the graywater correctly.
Thats where the supplement fits in, says
Viola. We show you how to replace potable
water, earn your points, and do it safely.
2. Proper use of high-efficiency plumbing products
With water conservation comes the

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potential for drain line clogging. For

IAPMO, its important to identify code provisions and testing methods to ensure waste
flushes out correctly and efficiently. Dry
drains, like those for waterless urinals, are
especially tricky, according to Viola, who
says the supplement states that jurisdictions should require an upstream fixture
that discharges past a waterless urinal to
clean the drain and minimize potential for
build-up. The document also recommends
a requirement to rough in a water supply
in the wall in case the waterless urinal ever
has to be replaced with a water-fed unit.
Another hot-button issue: multi-headed
showers, which have become the poster
child for anti-green, says Viola. Installing two
showerheads flowing at 2.5 gpm in a single
shower stall doubles the amount of water
used, even though the individual low showerheads still meet the guidelines of most green
building rating programs. Viola says IAPMO
is giving product manufacturers an opportunity to work out a solution. Its an interesting
debate and I like where things are heading,
says Viola. Theyre getting creative, which
may bring us into the realm where were
using more recycled water. Its forcing the
industry to think outside the box.
3. Conserving hot water
Every bit of hot water thats conserved
is energy saved, says Viola. IAPMO considers hot water systems a key part of the
supplement. Energy savings can be captured by designing systems that bring hot
water to the tap more quickly, by insulating
pipes to mitigate heat loss as water moves

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

through the pipes, and by right-sizing pipes

and shortening runs of pipe to reduce the
need to re-heat the water flowing through
them.
4. Energy conservation in HVAC systems
Water conservation is one of the most
important things the supplement is
accomplishing, because water has so
much embedded energy, says Viola.
When you save water youre getting
inherent energy savings.
Viola calls energy conservation codes
and standards probably one of the most
mature green areas, says Viola, pointing to ASHRAE 90.1, which serves as an
energy conservation document that covers
HVAC. IAPMO partnered with ASHRAE to
bridge the gap between green standards
and existing codes. As a result, the IAPMO
supplement has essentially integrated the
ASHRAE standards as its backbone.
5. Training and education in green
plumbing systems
The existing infrastructure for training
professionals lacks the green element,
says Viola. IAPMO recommends that
jurisdictions look for examples of specific
competency from professionals involved in
designing, installing, and inspecting green
systems. The document shies away from
specifying types of training, instead recommending that industry sectors be involved
in training professionals. Viola points to the
complex solar and geothermal sectors. A
lot of people came up through the system
without getting training in those technologies, he says.
www.BDCnetwork.com

out on water savings opportunities for non-targeted sectors.

The EPA is still accepting comments on its proposed WaterSense program for the commercial and
institutional sector. Review the proposal at: http://
www.epa.gov/watersense/docs/ci_whitepaper.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense

LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL)

LEED has several green building rating products, as the USGBC calls its rating programs, all
with a Water Efciency (WE) component. LEED
for New Construction, Commercial Interiors,
Core & Shell, Neighborhood Development, and
Schools all have a prerequisite of a minimum 20%
water use reduction compared to a baseline building. LEED-NC, LEED-CI, LEED-CS, LEEDND, and LEED for Schools water use reduction
excludes commercial steam cookers, commercial
dishwashers, automatic ice makers, commercial
and residential clothes washers, and residential
dishwashers.

LEED FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION

(WE CREDITS: 10)
LEED for New Construction addresses design
and construction for both new buildings and major
renovations of existing buildings.
In addition to the 20% prerequisite, additional
credits are: water-efcient landscaping, 2-4 credits;
innovative wastewater technologies, 2 credits;
water use reduction, 2-4 credits.

LEED FOR COMMERCIAL INTERIORS

(WE CREDITS: 11)
LEED for Commercial Interiors addresses
tenant spaces in ofce, retail, and institutional
buildings. In addition to the 20% prerequisite,
additional reductions in water use can yield the
following: 30% reduction, 6 credits; 35%, 8
credits; 40%, 11 credits.

LEED FOR CORE & SHELL (WE CREDITS: 10)

LEED for Core & Shell is used for projects where
developers control design and construction of the
core and shell base building but have no control
over tenant t-out. Additional credits beyond the
20% prerequisite: water efcient landscaping,
2-4 credits; innovative wastewater technologies, 2
credits; additional water use reduction, 2-4.

www.BDCnetwork.com

LEED FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS OPERATIONS

& MAINTENANCE (WE CREDITS: 14)
LEED-EBOM certies sustainability of ongoing
operations within existing commercial and institutional buildings.
The prerequisite here is for a minimum 20%
water use reduction compared with a building
with plumbing systems substantially completed
after 1992, and a 60% water use reduction
compared with a baseline calculated for a building with plumbing system substantially completed before 1993. Additional credits include:
water performance measurement, 1-2 credits;
additional indoor plumbing xture and tting
efciency, 1-5 credits; water-efcient landscaping, 1-5 credits; cooling tower water management, 1-5 credits.

LEED FOR SCHOOLS (WE CREDITS: 11)

LEED for Schools addresses new schools and
major renovations to existing schools. Beyond
the 20% prerequisite, additional credits include:
water-efcient landscaping, 2-4 credits; innovative wastewater technologies, 2 credits; water
use reduction, 2-4 credits; process water use
reduction, 1 credit.

LEED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT

DRAFT (WE CREDITS: 8)
LEED for Neighborhood Development integrates
smart growth, urbanism, and green building into
the rst national system for neighborhood design.

The Brouhaha over Purple Pipes

Purple pipes remain one of the most contentious sources of controversy in the
green plumbing field because of changes in the types of water carried by them.
Utilities that sell reclaimed water have used purple pipes for years, and they claim
that purple is their trade color and part of their brand. However, organizations such
as IAPMO and the International Plumbing Code insist that all non-potable water,
not just reclaimed water being sold by utilities, be carried in purple pipes; the pipes
would be labeled to distinguish what type of water each is carrying.
The for-profit reclaimed water industry argues that purple pipes will be used to
carry inferior water, which they feel will dilute their brand (so to speak) and cause
confusion in the marketplace. This has been the biggest obstacle moving green
to the forefront, says IAPMOs David Viola. We dont want to dismiss their concerns, so were in the process of looking for a solution.
However, the 2009 Uniform Plumbing Code is already on the street and many
jurisdictions are in the process of adopting it. In addition, pipe manufacturers are
already churning out purple pipe and once manufacturers commit to something,
theyll fight like hell to avoid having to incur costs to redo it, says Viola.
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GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

In addition to the 20% prerequisite, additional
credits include: building water efciency, 1 credit;
water-efcient landscaping, 1 credit; stormwater
management, 1-4 credits; wastewater management, 1-2 credits.

LEED FOR RETAILDRAFT (WE CREDITS: CI,

11; NC, 10)
The LEED for Retail pilot has two ratings
systems: LEED for Retail New Construction and
LEED for Retail Commercial Interiors.
Both LEED for Retail programs require the
20% minimum reduction for the tenant space (for
the CI program) and the building (for the NC
program). LEED for Retail CI adds a second prerequisite: 20% water use reduction for commercial
equipment performance.
Additional CI credits include: water use reduction of 30%, 6 credits; 35%, 8 credits; 40%, 11
credits. Additional NC credits: water-efcient
landscaping, 2-4 credits; innovative wastewater
technologies, 2 credits; water use reduction, 2-4
credits.
www.usgbc.org/leed

GREEN BUILDING INITIATIVES GREEN GLOBES

The Green Building Initiatives proposed American National Standard 01-200XP: Green Building
Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings
is aimed at new commercial construction, major
commercial renovations, and multifamily buildings
taller than three stories. The program is currently
in draft form.
The standard proposes four levels of achievement and a possible total 1,000 points: Level 1,
35-45% of points; Level 2, 55-69%; Level 3,
70-84%; Level 4, 85-100%. Water assessment
accounts for 130 possible points (13%).
Water assessment includes 10 categories:
1. Plumbing xtures, ttings, appliances, and
equipment, 46 points
2. Cooling towers, 18 points
3. Boilers and water heaters, 3 points
4. Commercial food service operations, 12
points
5. Medical, dental, and laboratory facilities, 11

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BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

points
6. Commercial/institutional laundries, 10 points
7. Special water features. 4 points
8. Water treatment, 5 points
9. Alternate sources of water, 15 points
10. Metering, 6 points
http://www.thegbi.org/assets/pdfs/GBI-01200XP-August-2009-Red-line%2010-1-v10.pdf

COLLABORATIVE FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE

SCHOOLS
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools
was founded in 1999 to improve energy efciency in schools. Eleven states have developed
CHPS high-performance criteria, and there are
46 completed CHPS schools across the country.
Recognition is either by third-party verication or
self-certication.
Water efciency, one of seven categories, maxes
out at nine pointsless than 8% of total possible
points, although there is a prerequisite for a water
use budget. The nine available points: reduce
potable water for non-recreational landscaping
areas (2), reduce potable water for recreational
area landscaping (1), irrigation system testing
and training (1), reduce sewage conveyance from
toilets (2), and reduce indoor potable water use
(2), and water management systems (1).
http://www.chps.net.

GREEN GUIDE FOR HEALTH CARE

The Green Guide for Health Care gives healthcare
designers, owners, and operators a voluntary, selfcertifying program they can use to evaluate green
design, construction, and operating practices. The
Green Guide offers two programs, Construction
and Operations, in a single document.
1. Construction: 97 points, with a prerequisite for eliminating potable water use for medical
equipment cooling. Water efciency accounts for
six points (6%).
2. Operations (for existing buildings): 72
points, with a prerequisite for a minimum 20% water use reduction compared with a baseline building.
Water conservation accounts for eight points (11%).
http://www.gghc.org.

www.BDCnetwork.com

Water Considerations in Residential Programs

NAHB GREEN HOME BUILDING PROGRAMS

WATERSENSE NEW HOME CERTIFICATION

The National Association of Home Builders offers

two green homes programs whose water-efciency
guidelines can be incorporated into new home
construction or signicant remodeling projects.
The Model Green Home Building Guidelines
program (launched 2005) applies to new singlefamily homes and detached multifamily dwellings.
The program offers three levels of green building
certication: Bronze (minimum 6 WE points of
237 possible), Silver (minimum 13 WE of 311),
and Gold (minimum 19 WE of 395).
The National Green Building Standard,
launched in 2007, developed in partnership with
the International Code Council (ICC), is the rst
residential green building rating system to receive
full ANSI approval. Four certication levels are
offered: Bronze (minimum 14 WE points of 222
possible), Silver (minimum 26 WE of 406), Gold
(minimum 41 WE of 558), and Emerald (minimum 60 WE of 697). As of October 2009, 500
homes have earned certication.
Both programs exclude additions of any size to
existing multifamily buildings, additions greater
than 75% of the original conditioned area of an
existing single-family home that do not involve
renovation of the original building, and developments that do not contain any residential uses.
http://www.nahbgreen.org.

The WaterSense New Home Certication program, which is expected to go into effect by the end
of the year, will apply to new single-family homes
and townhouses up to three stories.
To comply, builders must construct homes where
water usage is at least 20% less than that of standard homes. Their homes must then be examined
by EPA-approved, third-party certication providers and inspectors who will evaluate individual
properties.

ENVIRONMENTS FOR LIVING

Mascos Environments for Living and Environments for Living Certied Green are national
turn-key programs designed to help builders
construct green homes. More than 130,000 homes
have been certied under the programs.
Environments for Living Certied Greens
water-efciency features are designed to provide a
minimum 20% indoor water savings.
http://www.environmentsforliving.com

LEED FOR HOMES (WE CREDITS: 15)

LEED for Homes targets the top 25% of new
homes. Of 15 possible Water Efciency credits, a
minimum of three must be achieved in the water
efciency category. Credits include: water reuse
(3-5 possible); irrigation system (1-4), and indoor
water use (1-6). A total 3,050 homes are LEED
certied, and more than 19,000 are registered.
http://www.usgbc.org
www.BDCnetwork.com

WaterSense Requirements
INDOOR WATER USE
Static service pressure: Maximum 60 psi.
Hot water distribution system: No more than
0.6 gallons of water storage in any piping/manifold
between hot water source and xture.
Toilets and bathroom faucets: WaterSenselabeled high-efciency xtures.
Kitchen faucets: Maximum ow rate, 2.2 gpm.
Showerheads: Maximum ow rate of 2.5 gpm
at 80 psi. Total allowable ow rate for all showerheads owing at a given time limited to 2.5 gpm
in a single shower compartment. The WaterSense
draft specication for showerheads sets the maximum ow rate at 2.0 gpm at 80 psi.
Appliances: Energy Star-rated units.
Evaporative cooling systems: Maximum 3.5
gallons per ton-hour of cooling.
Water softeners: Must meet NSF/ANSI
Standard 44.
OUTDOOR WATER EFFICIENCY
Landscaping: Option 1 allows the use of turfgrass, not to exceed 40% of the landscape. Option
2 allows sustainable plantings with specic water
allowances based on a 70% evapotranspiration
adjustment factor.
Pools/spas: Must have a cover.
Irrigation system: Must be designed to sustain
landscape without creating runoff or direct overspray, achieve a lower-quarter distribution uniformity of 70% or greater, and be equipped with rain
sensors to prevent operation during rainfall.
Irrigation controls: Must have multiple
programming capabilities and allow for variable
scheduling.
http://www.epa.gov/watersense/docs/comments_revised_draft_spec_508.pdf
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

Other Programs
Targeting Water
Efficiency
ASHRAE 189: http://aec.ihs.
com/news/ashrae-sustainable-buildings.htm
Build It Green: http://www.
builditgreen.org
GreenPlumbers: http://www.
greenplumbersusa.com
International Green Construction Code: http://www.iccsafe.
org/cs/IGCC/Pages/default.
aspx
Labs21: http://www.epa.gov/
lab21gov/about/approach.htm

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GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

6. The Water-Energy Nexus

ater and energy in buildings are intertwined, not only at the point of
consumption, but also at the point
of generation. Four percent of electricity use in the U.S., or 75 billion kWh annually, is attributable to the supply, conveyance, and
treatment of water and wastewater. Moving water
from place to place accounts for nearly 80% of
that electricity use.1
Water weighs more than eight pounds a gallon, which is why moving water primarily with
electric pumps consumes large quantities of
electricity every year. The amount of electricity
used by the nations 54,000 water utilities varies
depending on the size and design of the water
system and the elevation and distance needed to
pump water, but none of that transportation is
cheap in electricity terms.
Utilities also withdraw large amounts of water
from rivers and other sources to create energy
although only about 3% of that water is actually
consumed in the process. Even though there are
several different methods to produce electricity,
all require lots of water for cooling. Eighty-nine
percent of electricity created in power plants for
use by buildings in the U.S. is produced with
thermally driven, water-cooled energy conversion cycles, which evaporate water during the
cooling of condenser water. Hydroelectric power
represents around 9% of the total power generated in the U.S.2
Once at its destination buildings, water is also
used heavily in managing heating and cooling
loads. Most green buildings utilize evaporative
cooling for air conditioning. With direct evaporative cooling, outside air is blown through a watersaturated medium (usually cellulose) and cooled
by evaporation. The cooled air is circulated by a
blower. Direct evaporative cooling adds moisture
to the air stream until the air stream is close to
saturation, so water is a key coolant in the process.
With indirect evaporative cooling, a secondary
air stream is cooled by water. The cooled secondary air stream goes through a heat exchanger,
where it cools the primary air stream, which is
then circulated by a blower. Indirect evaporative

1 Water and Sustainability (Volume 4): Use Water Consumption for

Water Supply and TreatmentThe
Next Half Century, Electric Power
Research Institute, Topical Report,
March 2002.
A 2009 study puts the gure at an
estimated 13%, including energy for
heating water in homes and buildings. See The Carbon Footprint of
Water, Bevan Grifths-Sattenspiel
and Wendy Wilson, River Network,
May 2009. www.rivernetwork.org
2 Consumptive Water Use for
US Power Production, National
Renewable Energy Laboratory,
December 2003.
3 Water Use: Thermoelectric
Power Use, U.S. Geological
Survey, 2000 http://ga.water.usgs.
gov/edu/wupt.html
4 EPRIs Water/Energy Sustainability Initiative, Electric Power
Research Institute, April 2004.
5 Energy Down the Drain: The
Water-Energy Climate Nexus,
Natural Resources Defense Council,
April 2009.

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BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

cooling does not add moisture to the primary

air stream. Unfortunately, there is not sufcient
data available to gauge the water savings available
through technologies such as indirect cooling.
There is, however, ample evidence to show reducing water use reduces energy use, which has a direct impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
improves waterways by leaving more water in their
river systems, and creates a more reliable water
supply for agriculture, people, and wildlife.5

WATER CONSUMPTION FOR

ENERGY GENERATION
As has been noted, most building energy use does
not directly impact water, yet the water impact of
energy production is substantial due to the cooling
requirements of generating plants. Thermoelectric
power withdrawals from bodies of water accounted for 48% of total water use, 39% of total
freshwater withdrawals, and 52% of fresh surfacewater withdrawals.3
Electricity demand is expected to follow Census
Bureau population growth projections of 50%
by 2050, with the exception of irrigation and
industrial uses, which are expected to triple over
that period.1 So while energy demands should
remain relatively at (a 0.5% increase over current
generation demand), water managers in 36 states
in 2003 said they anticipate water shortages in the
next decade under average water conditions.4
All 45 state water managers who responded to the
GAO predicted water shortages could be accompanied by severe economic, environmental, and
social impacts. Moreover, median decreases in
annual water supply from runoff are estimated at
67-96% loss of water in all of the western states
by 2050.5
Constraints on the ability to withdraw water have a negative impact on utility operations
and restrain energy production. Several nuclear
power plants in the Southeast were threatened by
drought conditions in 2008. In 2007, the reactor
at a nuclear plant in Browns Ferry, Ala., had to be
temporarily shut down because of high Tennessee River water temperatures, even as a heat wave
increased the demand for electricity.
www.BDCnetwork.com

Chart 6.1
EVALUATING THE WATER-ENERGY NEXUS
Based on your professional experience or what you have read or heard, what is your sense of the amount
of energy employed in supplying drinking water to buildings and homes and treating wastewater from
buildings and homes?
Nonresidential Survey Respondents
5 = Very significant
amount of energy
required

1 = Little or no
energy required
7%

2%

2 = Some
energy required

Residential Survey Respondents

5 = Very significant
amount of energy
10%
required

1 = Little or no
energy required
7%

2 = Some
energy required

22%
19%
18%

25%

4=
Significant
amount of
energy required
Base: 528
Mean: 3.12

44%

4=
Significant
amount of
energy required

3 = Moderate amount
of energy required

46%
3 = Moderate amount
of energy required

Base: 125
Mean: 3.04

Source: BD+C/Professional Builder 2009 White Paper Survey

Respondents to both the Nonresidential and Residential Surveys came out pretty much the samedead centeron the question of the energy component of water supply and treatment (Residential mean: 3.12, Nonresidential mean: 3.04). Yet nearly a third of Nonresidential Survey respondents (32%)
saw a significant or very significant connection between water supply and treatment and energy use, while 28% of Residential Survey respondents
also saw the nexus between water and energy.

www.BDCnetwork.com

Chart 6.2
BASELINE ENERGY CONSUMPTION FOR WATER SUPPLY PROVIDED FROM
PUBLIC AGENCIES, 2005-2050
60
55

50
billions of kWh/year

All this begins to illustrate the water-energy

nexus. Reducing energy consumption in buildings
can have a positive impact in reducing the size and
number of electricity-generating power plants,
which themselves require huge amounts of water.
One way to look at the potential for signicant
reductions of building energy useand therefore
total water useis through modeling. The Pacic
Northwest National Laboratorys software tool,
Building Energy Analysis and Modeling System
(BEAMS), provides estimates of future energy
costs and emissions savings resulting from lighting
and equipment upgrades, improvements to the
building envelope, and energy-oriented design of
the whole building.
Using BEAMS, PNNL researchers estimated that avoided water consumption from the
widespread use of green building technology
could total 25 billion gallons by 2015. The DOE
researchers estimated 78 billion gallons of water
from building upgrades and new green construction could be saved by 2025. The avoided freshwater consumption indicated by BEAMS in terms of

40

40

42

43

2013

2020

37
30
20
10
0

2005

2010

2050

Source: Water & Sustainability: US Electricity Consumption for Water Supply & TreatmentThe Next Half-Century, EPRI, 2002

Energy consumption for public water supply is expected to rise steadily through the year 2050. This tracks Census
Bureau population growth projections of 50% over the same period.

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GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

a single persons daily water use (annual domestic
freshwater use in 2000 was 33,600 gallons per
person) could offset 517,521 persons by 2015 and
1.9 million persons by 2030.
But achieving the BEAMS estimates is not easy,
either. To do so would require nearly 1.7 million
older toilets to be replaced with 1.6 gpf toilets by
2015 and 5.3 million toilet retrots by 2025, as
well as more than six million top-loading clothes
washers. To meet the goals of the BEAMS projection, $950 million would have to be spent by 2030
on efcient toilets alone.6

ENERGY COST OF TRANSPORTING AND

CLEANING WATER
6 Quantifying Water Impacts of
Buildings Energy Usage: Presentation to the Buildings Technology
Research And Development Subcommittee of the National Science
and Technology Council, Elliott,
Doug, and Dirks, Jim, Pacic
Northwest National Laboratory,
May 2009.
7 Energy Down the Drain: The
Hidden Cost of Californias Water
Supply, Natural Resources Defense
Council, August 2004.

Whether its surface water held in reservoirs or

bringing up groundwater from aquifers, moving
water is neither inexpensive nor particularly efcient in energy terms at delivering all the necessary water. Supplying water from groundwater
sources requires 30% more electricity than supplying water from surface sources, due to the energy
needed to lift raw water out of aquifers. Surface
water, while cheaper to move than groundwater,
can experience a high rate of evaporation before
reaching its destination; this is especially true in
arid regions such as the West, where its needed

Water heating and water conservation

Gary Klein, managing partner of Affiliated International Management, Newport Beach, Calif., knows
about hot water. For nearly two decades, Klein studied the connection between water, energy, and
the creation of greenhouse gases as a project manager for the California Energy Commission.
He knows what it costs the average homeowner annually to heat water in the home (about
15-30% of the houses total energy pie), how much water should be wasted while waiting
for hot water to come out of the tap (no more than one cup), and how hot water should be
delivered (through pipes with a smaller diameter and shorter length than are currently used
in most homes and buildings).8
If we could save half the water we used in buildings wed save 2-3% of the electricity we
need to generate, says Klein. The low-flow showerhead doesnt really do anything, though,
if you leave it on twice as long waiting for hot water. Letting your faucet run for five minutes
uses about as much energy as letting a 60-watt light bulb run for 14 hours.
Klein has been working with Craig Selover, head of Mascos Environments for Living green
homes program, on hot water. They have been advocating recycling of heat from water in homes
via heat exchangers that send heat from spent shower or faucet water back to your water heater.
Theyre also pushing for smaller pipes and individual water heaters for each fixture.
Klein says Building Teams can design plumbing systems that save half of the water used
in residential and multifamily buildings. He remains convinced that energy efficiency is just
as important to conserving water as water performance in buildings.
The compact fluorescent light bulb saves water, he said. It just saves it at the power
plant because it doesnt need as much energy to run.

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NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

the most. Add to that the inevitable loss of stored

water through evaporation from surface water reservoirs. There is currently little guidance regarding the allowance for evaporation losses during
reservoir planning.
As has been noted throughout this report,
California, one of the states most dependent on
outside water sources, devotes about 19% of all
its electricity to the distribution and treatment of
water. Pumping water over 300 miles from northern to southern California and raising it 2,000 feet
over the Tehachapi Mountains alone uses 2-3% of
all the electricity consumed in the state. Surface
water utilities typically use 1.8 kWh per 1,000
gallons of electricity produced.7 California also
annually consumes four million acre-feet of the
Colorado Rivers water.
The most cost-effective way to save energy in
California would be to reduce water use, because
they wouldnt have to pump the water, says Doug
Elliott, research economist in the Portland, Ore.,
ofce of the U.S. Department of Energys Pacic
Northwest National Laboratory.
Desalination also provides the Golden State
with 50,000 acre-feet of water annually, or 10%
of its water needs. However, desalination costs as
much or more than transporting freshwater, and
while technologies such as reverse osmosis are
making it cleaner and less energy intensive, the
cost of desalination is still prohibitive under most
conditionsunless thats the only way you can get
drinking water.
There are a couple of reasons why it is difcult
to estimate the cost to maintain a desalination
facility. First, the choice of desalination method is
a crucial factor. Reverse osmosis uses ne membranes and pressure to separate salts from water,
whereas multistage ash and multi-effect distillation processes where condensed steam is used to
evaporate freshwater from seawateruse thermal
and electrical energy. Multistage ash and multieffect distillation plants lag quite a bit behind
reverse osmosis in terms of energy efciency. The
other problem with making generalizations about
the cost of desalination is that regional energy
prices are not easy to compare.
A more promising option for desalination of salt
water, known as co-location, has been recognized
as a versatile, effective solution by the American
Academy of Environmental Engineers. Co-location partners desalination plants with power plants,
which then share energy and water. Approximately
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ADVERTISEMENT

Today, buildings consume more total U.S. energy than any other sectormore
than transportation, more than industry. Thats why advanced building technologies are key to greater American energy independence. Energy-efficient residential and commercial buildings not only save costs for individual homeowners
and businesses, they also yield vital returns for our nation as a whole, paying
recurring dividends in enhanced energy security, in lower carbon emissions, in a
cleaner environment, and in the prosperity of future generations.
The Department of Energys goal of market-ready commercial net-zero energy
buildings by 2025 and residential net-zero energy buildings by 2020 through the
Building Technologies Program supports not only our nations wish for energy
independence but also our worlds need for a greener, more sustainable future.
Net-zero energy buildings are grid-integrated buildings capable of generating
as much energy as they consume by using cutting-edge technologies and onsite generation systems such as solar power and geothermal energy. Producing
these high-performance buildings and making them the standard in tomorrows
marketplace will require unprecedented collaborations among the nations best
and brightest scientific, business, and marketing minds from the public and private sectors. The Department of Energy is forging and sustaining these collaborations through initiatives such as the Commercial Building Energy
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Solutions, Building America Best Practice Guides, Builders Challenge, and Energy Efficient Building Technologies Application Centers.
To learn more about these and other initiatives of the Department of Energys
Building Technologies Program, visit http://buildings.energy.gov.

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

18% of desalinated water is already used by power
plants. Desalination could be a viable alternative
to damming and rerouting rivers to provide water
if innovations in technology can bring the cost of
building and maintaining facilities down.8
Nonetheless, the better path to conserving the
output of overstretched bodies of water like the
Colorado River is to reduce demand through good
water design strategies in green buildings.

CONSERVING WATER IN BUILDINGS

8 Accounting for the Water Energy-Greenhouse Gas Relationship,

Klein, Gary, Afliated International Management, October 2009.
9 A Post Occupancy Evaluation of
12 GSA Ofce Buildings, Pacic
Northwest National Laboratory,
Fowler, Kim M., and Rauch, Emily
M., July 2008.

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NOVEMBER 2009

For commercial buildings, the biggest opportunity to conserve water supply is in the mechanical
systems. High-efciency plumbing xtures such
as high-efciency toilets can only do so much, and
they can be defeated by inappropriate consumer
use. Electric chillers represent the single largest
electrical load in most commercial, institutional,
and industrial buildings, accounting for 35-50%
of a buildings annual electricity use. Retrotting
existing buildings and new ones with efcient
chillers, boilers, and other HVAC equipment will
have the greatest effect on conserving water.
The most dramatic improvement in operating
efciency can be achieved by replacing an older
chiller with a new high-efciency unit. Centrifugal chillers that are 15-20 years old had a peak
efciency of 0.75-0.85 kW/ton when new, while
those that are 10-15 years old had a peak efciency
of 0.60-0.70 kW/ton out of the carton. Newer
centrifugal chillers offer peak efciencies of 0.50
kW/ton or higher. When coupled with variablefrequency drives, they can deliver higher efciency
over a wide range of cooling loads.
Another approach that can help is energy
modeling of new buildings. Software programs
such as Integrated Environmental Systems
Virtual Environment-GAIA, Autodesks Ecotect,
Graphisofts EcoDesigner, and Bentleys Hevacomp give Building Teams an unprecedented
capability to design for whole building energy
efciency for new designs. Done properly, this can
result in signicant downsizing of buildings in the
early stages of design, opening up the opportunity
to downsize the projects chiller capacityand its
water consumption.
To get a better view of its water and energy
consumption, the General Services Administration, the property manager of almost all federal
ofce buildings and courthouses, last year asked
the Department of Energy to investigate 12
GSA buildings and compare the performance of
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

its green buildings to industry standard performance of energy, water, and other criteria. Eight
of the 12 buildings were LEED-certied. All
were designed with some LEED points available,
even when the GSA had not pursued certication
for them. Facility managers provided utility bills
and maintenance budgets, and DOE researchers
conducted an occupant survey for key data points.
Twelve consecutive months of data were collected
for each performance metric and normalized using
building and site characteristics.
On average, the ofce buildings in the study
performed 29% better on energy use than the
Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey national, regional, and GSA national averages.
They performed 14% better than GSAs national
goal for energy performance.9
Some of the observations conrmed common
beliefs, such as [the belief that] buildings that intentionally incorporate energy considerations into
design have better energy performance, wrote
Kim Fowler and Emily Rauch, the two analysts
from the Pacic Northwest National Laboratory who conducted the study. The data show
that half the change in the Energy Star score [of
a building] can be explained by the change in the
LEED Energy and Atmosphere Optimize Energy
Performance credits (EAc1). That is, buildings
that received more EAc1 points tended to receive
higher Energy Star scores.
Determining water use per occupant in the
buildings, though, was not as clear-cut. The
water use data provided for eight of the buildings included process and irrigation water, so the
domestic use of water in those buildings had to
be estimated. For all the buildings domestic water
was estimated as the base water load revealed from
monthly water use data.
In the end, the researchers found that the average water use of the buildings in the study was
only 3% less than the calculated water use indices
baseline. Not surprisingly, courthouses and ofce
buildings in the arid and semi-arid West used
more water than their counterparts back east.
The authors recommended sub-metering and
more detailed information about each of the buildings water use before water use could be compared to a relevant baseline.
What emerges from these various data points is
that one of the best opportunities for conserving
water is to use less energy. Thats how the waterenergy nexus plays out.
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GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

7. Water Performance Action Plan

WHAT BUILDING TEAMS CAN DO
1. Design buildings to reduce cooling load.
One of the most cost-effective ways to save water
in new commercial, institutional, and industrial
buildings is to design them to reduce the HVAC
load as much as possible. This means paying
strict attention to site orientation, building
envelope tightness, daylighting, ventilationthat
is, using all the powers of sustainable design you
can muster to slim down those cooling towers,
which are the biggest consumer of water in CII
building projects.
2. Take advantage of cooling tower management technology. The use of conductivity meters and automatic controls to conserve
cooling tower water is becoming fairly routine
for many Building Teams. Every effort should be
made to maximize blowdown water usage, with
a minimum target of 5-6 cycles of concentration
for blowdown use. Single-pass systems should be
anathema. Where available, purple-pipe water
should be used for condensate replenishment. A
well-run tower will only return 15% of the water
to the sewer, says H.W. (Bill) Hoffman, a highly
respected water consultant.
3. Consider alternatives to cooling towers.
Groundwater systems, underoor air distribution,
and so-called dry systems like variable refrigeration volume systems are options that should be
considered for every project. First-cost issues must
be evaluated, but these systems may prove cost-effective over the long term, especially for owneroccupied buildings. Groundwater systems in
particular are becoming increasingly popular with
smart-thinking building owners and developers.
4. Design water and drain lines for optimal
performance. In new construction, drain lines
that are not properly sloped, have too many elbows, or are not properly sized can result in drain
line clogging, especially as plumbing xtures use
less and less water. This is important in spread-out
projects like malls and suburban ofce campuses,
and in one-story single-family homes, where there
is less verticality to the pipes.
Hot water lines should be designed for efcient
transport of hot water from the heating source to
the sink or shower. This is especially true in new
home construction, where plumbing design is
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often an afterthought.
In retrots of high-efciency xtures, especially toilets, make sure existing drain lines can
function properly with the reduced volume of
wastewater ow.
5. Get the landscape architect involved
early in the job. Landscape architects are more
than just plant people. They can enhance the
water performance of your project through the
innovative design of rainwater harvesting systems,
stormwater retention, rain gardens, vegetated
roofs, bioswales, pervious pavement, structural
soils, turf reduction, even so-called green streets
(a requirement in Portland, Ore.) Dont wait to
bring in the landscape architect as an add-on
after the basic form of the building has been set.
The landscape architect should be a charter member of the Building Team, charged with optimizing the performance of the site especially its
water performancewithin the overall program
of the building.
6. Become the expert on water rebates and
incentives. AEC rms and home builders should
make themselves the knowledge source regarding
rebates, incentives, and grants for water conservation on behalf of their clients. Example: Rain Bird,
a maker of high-efciency sprinkler systems, has a
link to a dozen state incentive programs for waterrelated rebates (http://www.rainbird.com/iuow/resources/watersavingsrebates.htm).
Heres how it can work: A few years back, HDR
Architecture was able to convince client Banner
Bank to install a massive storage tank for rainwater
harvesting, thanks largely to a 60% grant from
the EPA. HDRs David Gibney found out about
the grant program through a Google search. The
rainwater system contributed to the Boise, Idaho,
project achieving LEED Platinum.

WHAT BUILDING OWNERS CAN DO

7. Engage in water management planning.
Water management planning involves taking a
comprehensive look at how water is used in buildings, especially for large corporate complexes,
military bases, university campuses, hospital
complexes, and the like. The basic idea, according
to consultant Kate McMordie, is to compare the
amount of incoming water supply with the proBUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

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GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

jected actual use for each building, based on such
factors as the number and kinds of toilets, urinals,
sinks, and cooling towers, as well as landscape irrigation requirements.
There can be a substantial difference between
the theoretical use and the actual amount of supply to a large campusa 10-20% difference is
not unusual, although McMordie has found one
as great as 50%. Owners whose buildings are using substantially more water than the theoretical
amount should go to the next step.
8. Conduct water audits. Water audits can
yield detailed information about problems with
mechanical and plumbing systems that can save
money fairly quickly. As in the case of building
commissioning, a water audit can reveal anything
from a minor problema loose connection in a
pipe systemto major aws in, say, the buildings
cooling towers. A water audit for a 10-story ofce
building would run about $5,000, according to
consultant Bill Hoffman. In some localities, a
WASCO, or water service company, may perform
the audit at a lower cost and get compensated
based on the savings it produces, much as an
ESCO does for an energy audit.

WHAT GOVERNMENT CAN DO

1 See Energy labels for buildings

may be key to energy savings, Robert Cassidy, Building
Design+Construction, April 2009.
www.BDCnetwork.com/article/
CA6647948.html

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NOVEMBER 2009

9. Harmonize plumbing codes for water

reuse. This is a biggie. In most jurisdictions,
plumbing and building codes make it difcult to
impossible to use innovative rainwater harvesting and graywater reuse, especially for indoor
use. NSF International is conducting research on
the health, safety, and public welfare of reused
water, and IAPMOs new green supplement offers
language for states and cities to use if they choose
to permit this technology.
What is needed are case studies, data, and
research to demonstrate the feasibilityand
valueof graywater reuse in large commercial
buildings and rainwater harvesting in both homes
and commercial buildings. Its too inefcient for
Building Teams and home builders to be trying to
implement graywater and rainwater reuse in their
projects on a case-by-case basis. However, local
and state governments could encourage carefully
supervised pilot projects to experiment with different systems or designs. The plumbing industry
and government need to nail down the science
and clinical aspects, see what really works, and
then overlay the technical design and construction
details onto building and plumbing codes to make
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

this next big thing happen.

10. Consider water-use labeling on sale or
transfer. Water-use labeling is a system whereby
property owners would be required to have their
buildings or homes audited for water performance
at the time of sale, transfer, rental, or lease. Such
a system has been in use for energy labeling in
the U.K. and Europe for a number of years, and
ASHRAE has recommended the use of energy
labeling in the U.S.1
Water-use labeling would give prospective purchasers, renters, and lessees information that could
be used to determine the sales or rental value
of the property. Presumably, a highly efcient
building or home with up-to-date plumbing and
irrigation systems would bring more in the market
than one with out-of-date equipment or poor
water performance.
Howeverand this is importantwith wateruse labeling, the seller would not be required to
make upgrades; that would become part of the sale
or lease negotiation. This factor makes water-use
labeling different from a replacement on transfer requirement, versions of which are already
in effect in several cities in California (including
Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco) and
which is being proposed for statewide adoption
in California. Under proposed SB 407, starting
in 2014 homeowners and apartment building
owners making improvements to their properties
would have to replace all noncompliant plumbing
xtures; multifamily and commercial properties
up for sale would have to replace noncompliant
xtures before a nal permit would be granted.
The gravity of the situation in California may
give replacement on transfer some validity, but
we think it advisable for other states and localities
to start with market-based mechanisms like wateruse labeling. If the jurisdiction nds that the more
voluntary approach doesnt work, it could move
up the scale to stricter regulation.
However, public ofcials should heed the warning of water consultant John Koeller, who has
cautioned that mandating high-efciency xtures
in retrots without careful evaluation of the ability
of plumbing and drain lines to function with less
water in the system could lead to major problems,
especially in older buildings and homes.
11. Use IAPMOs green plumbing supplement as a guide. The IAPMO Green Plumbing and Mechanical Code Supplement provides
a consensus-based vehicle for states and local
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GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

jurisdictions to resolve several of the most nettlesome conicts between sustainable design and
existing building, plumbing, and health codes.
The document: 1) provides guidance to state and
local ofcials on reusing water (notably graywater,
rainwater harvesting, and purple pipe) to supplement the potable water supply; 2) describes best
practices for avoiding problems like drain line
clogging; 3) supplies language and standards for
the use of high-efciency plumbing and mechanical products; 4) shows how to achieve optimal
results in hot water systems, thereby saving both
water and energy; and 5) provides practical advice
on the water-performance aspects of cooling
systems in commercial, industrial, and institutional
buildings.
The IAPMO code supplement will be available in February 2010. State and local plumbing and building ofcials should give it priority
consideration.
12. Address the infrastructure problem. If
you laid the water pipes that are more than 80
years old in this country end to end, you could
circle the planet nearly three times. Because
much of this ancient pipe is falling apart, at
least 10-20% of the nations potable water (and
more in older cities) simply never makes it to
its intended point of use. And as we have noted,
considerable energy is also wasted pumping
water that leaks from the system.
The American Water Works Association says an
investment of $250 billion over 30 years is needed
to repair or replace worn-out water pipes, valves,
ttings, and so on. To meet these costs, AWWA
recommends that the federal government do two
things: 1) increase funding to the State Revolving Fund programs, which provide low-interest
loans to local utilities for such improvements, and
2) create a Federal Water Infrastructure Bank.
The FWIB would provide nancial assistance for
large water infrastructure projects of national or
regional importance ($75 million or more) with
loans at the U.S. Treasury bond rate. In addition,
the FWIB would purchase or guarantee State Revolving Fund bonds, thereby lowering the interest
rates on these bonds.
Whether such a water infrastructure bank is
merited is somewhat beyond our brief in this
White Paper. Regrettably, the most likely scenario is that our ever-decaying water infrastructure
will not get its due until some cataclysmic event
grabs the headlines. Until then, the nations
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54,000 water utilities will have to plug along with

business as usual.

WHAT WATER UTILITIES CAN DO

13. Be more creative in pricing water. Water
is cheaptoo cheap, in the view of many experts
in the eld, especially for potable water that is not
used for drinking, washing, or other direct human
use. Because water is relatively so cheap, its hard
to get property owners to reduce their use, especially for landscape irrigation (and, to some extent,
for cooling towers in commercial buildings).
Moreover, homeowners and building owners are
used to water rates being subsidized. Theres the
further complication that most utilities charge
based on volume, so reducing water use may be
seen as not in their best interests.
For these reasons, a tiered systema basic service fee for a pre-established oor of indoor water
consumption per occupant, followed by higher
fees for use above the basemay be the best pricing mechanism to encourage water conservation.
Nine years ago, Greensboro, N.C., established
a four-tiered price system, coupled with a billing
and availability fee for xed costs. Households that
saved water were rewarded with a lower rate and
lower bills; others paid the price for water gluttony. Over the rst seven years of the program,
household consumption fell 22%.2
Tiered pricing should also be linked to wastewater treatment fees, so that buildings and homes
that saved water and thereby sent less wastewater
back to the treatment plant should also reap the
benet of lower sewage treatment bills.
14. Provide incentives for water audits.
Water utilities rely on volume to stay aoat, so it
may seem against their best interests to encourage water audits, which would result in less water
usage. However, with the prospect of drought
or water scarcity throughout most of the U.S.
in coming years (not to mention the stressful
impact of climate change and population growth
on water resources), utilities need to offer these
incentives to building owners and homeowners
before a crisis hits.
15. Implement metering innovations. One of
the problems with water is that a lot of it seems to
disappear, and nobody knows how or why. Metering and submetering commercial and institutional
buildings, apartments/condos, and single-family
homes can help alleviate this problem by inuencing end-user behavior and overcoming the out of
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

2 Hidden Reservoir: Why Water

Efciency Is the Best Solution for
the Southeast, American Rivers,
October 2008, page 16.

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GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

sight, out of mind problem.
And it works. Austin, Texas, has found that
submetered apartments use 15.3% less water than
master-metered multifamily properties. In 2008, it
required submetering in all multifamily buildings.3
Another technology, automated meter reading,
uses radio-frequency technology to read water
meters from the street. The advantage of AMR
is that it can pick up anomaliesfor example, a
home with minimal landscaping and an unusually
high water bill might have an undetected leak.
Both New York City and the District of Columbia
Water and Sewer Authority have implemented
AMR systems, with good results.

of GreenPlumbers USA for community colleges

to create a curriculum for pre-apprentice water
auditors. Graduates would be trained to assist
professional water auditors, thus stretching
the workforce and possibly reducing the cost of
water audits. This certication will become even
more valuable when the WaterSense New Homes
program goes into effect.
If we can have Certied Energy Managers,
LEED Accredited Professionals, and, now, Green
Globes Assessors and Professionals, why not
pre-apprentice water auditors and other waterrelated professional certications? Heres another
excellent opportunity to create interesting and
well-paid green jobs.

WHAT MANUFACTURERS CAN DO

16. Support research on water performance issues. Plumbing xture makers have
played a valuable role in partnership with EPA
WaterSense and other organizations in the development of high-efciency faucets and showerheads. The industry has set up the Plumbing
Efciency Research Coalition to study the drain
line transport problem. It is in the best interests
of groups like the Plumbing Manufacturers
Institute, the plumbing trade unions, and related
associations to support research that will remove
roadblocks to innovation and progress in sustainable design and construction.
17. Support the growth of green plumbing
jobs. GreenPlumbers USA is making headway
in its efforts to retrain 40,000 plumbers to make
more efcient and effective sustainable plumbing systems in homes and buildings. Plumbers
unions and the United Association of Plumbers
and Pipe Fitters should be in the forefront of
the water performance movement, not only out
of self-interest but as a demonstration of their
leadership and public service. Manufacturers can
play an important role in providing technical
expertise, product samples, demonstration sites,
and nancial support for local, state, and national
green plumbing training programs.

WHAT COMMUNITY COLLEGES CAN DO

3 Hidden Reservoir, page 17.

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18. Create a pre-apprentice water auditor

certification program. Last year, we recommended the creation of an associates degree in building
commissioning as a way to enable more buildings
to be commissioned.
So that more water audits can be performed, we
support the proposal put forth by Steve Lehtonen
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

WHAT THE PUBLIC CAN DO

19. Use less turfgrass, more native landscaping. This will require a major shift in the aesthetic
mindset of the majority of American homeowners
and commercial-institutional property owners.
The well-groomed lawn has taken on a symbolic
image that will be hard to erase from the American psyche. Nonetheless, efforts like the prairie
restoration movement in the Midwest and various
forms of native and Xeriscape landscaping have
shown that the use of indigenous plants can be
both beautiful and ecologically sound, especially
with regard to water use.
20. Irrigate sensibly. If irrigation is still
required, homeowners and property managers need to consider the use of high-efciency
irrigation systems that are based on the regional
climate, local weather and soil conditions, the
types of plantings, and so on. These systems can
prevent the most egregious errors, such as watering during a rain storm.
21. Understand the energy cost of water.
The public needs to appreciate more fully the
energy cost of transporting and treating water and
wastewater, and the resultant impact on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
With climate change adding to water scarcity and
drought, the coming decade will demand our attention to water performance. Water restrictions,
mandates, rationingAustralia, Israel, and other
parts of the world have already faced these issues,
says Sean McGuire, staff liaison with the Mechanical Contractors Association of America. Their
experience is a preview of what may happen here
in ve or 10 years. The time for action is now.
www.BDCnetwork.com

ADVERTISEMENT

The editors wish to thank the following individuals and organizations for their
help in producing this White Paper on Green Buildings + Water Performance.
Gunnar Baldwin
Toto USA Inc.
Heath Baxa, PE, LEED AP
M-E Engineers Inc.
Kerry Blind, FASLA, LEED AP
Ecos Environmental Design
Tom Bradley, Jr
Southern Nevada Water Authority
WaterSmart Innovations Conference
John P. Cole, PE, LEED AP
Jeffrey Gaines, AIA, LEED AP
Albert Kahn Associates
Marie Coleman
U.S. Green Building Council
Ariel Dekovic
The Collaborative for High Performance
Schools (CHPS)
Pete DeMarco
David Viola
IAPMO
Michael Deru, PhD
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Doug Elliott
Kimberly Fowler
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Bill Gauley, PE
Veritec Consulting Inc.
David Gibney
Bruce Powers
David Sacamono
HDR Architecture
H.W. (Bill) Hoffman
H.W. (Bill) Hoffman & Associates LLC
Jennifer Hoffner
American Rivers
Greg Kail
American Water Works Association
Jeff Kishel, PE
John Paul Peterson, PE, LEED AP
Randy Pool, PE, LEED AP
Stantec
Gary Klein
Affiliated International Management

John Koeller, PE
Koeller and Company
Steve Lehtonen
GreenPlumbers USA
Gary Nuss, PE
Jacobs Engineering Group
Shawn Martin
International Code Council
Peter Mayer
Aquacraft, Inc.
Sean McGuire
Mechanical Contractors Association of
America
Kate McMordie
Independent Consultant
Julie Paquette, PE, LEED AP
R.G. Vanderweil Engineers
Dave Plasschaert
KJWW Engineering Consultants
Rick Reinders
Watertronics, Inc.
Jennifer Riley-Chetwynd
Rain Bird
Craig Selover
Environments for Living
Andrew Smith
The Irrigation Association
David C. Smith, PE, LEED AP
Bala Consulting Engineers
Tara OHare
Stephanie Tanner
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
WaterSense
John Watson
Sloan Valve Company
Alex Wilson
Jerelyn Wilson
BuildingGreen LLC
Jerry Yudelson, PE, LEED AP
Yudelson Associates
Rob Zimmerman, LEED AP
Kohler Co.

www.greenerfacilities.org

Catalysts
for
Change
Sustainability is an approach
which aims to balance the
economic, environmental and
social impacts of all our actions,
now and in the future.
The Alliance for Sustainable
Built Environments is a group of
leading global corporations that
embrace sustainability this
balance between the economic,
environmental and social impacts
of our actions as not just the
right approach to business but as
the only logical approach to
long-term success.
Together, Alliance members
can deliver a comprehensive
package of sustainable solutions
to a broad base of people in the
built environment, helping an
ever-growing number of facilities
become healthier, safer and
more productive workspaces
that lessen their impact on the
natural environment.
For more information about
the Alliance for Sustainable Built
Environments, visit our Web site
at www.greenerfacilities.org or
contact us at 866.913.9473 or
[email protected].

WaterView Report 2009

Environmental Business Journals WaterView Report 2009, published by
ZweigWhite, is a comprehensive manual and market research document for water
and wastewater. The 811-page report maps out the water industry by sector, with
market data breakdowns and forecasts, trends, and strategies derived from hundreds of executive interviews. More at: www.zweigwhite.com/go/waterv09

www.BDCnetwork.com

Craig Zurawski
Executive Director

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

WP47

GREEN BUILDINGS + WATER PERFORMANCE

'Green Buildings + Water Performance'

Meet the editors at Greenbuild in Phoenix

DIRECTORY OF SPONSORS

Alliance for Sustainable Built Environments

5150 N Port Washington Rd, Suite 260
Milwaukee, WI 53217
866-913-9473
www.greenerfacilities.com

Sloan Valve Company

10500 Seymour Ave.
Franklin Park, IL 60131
847-671-4300
800-9-VALVE-9
www.sloanvalve.com

The editors of Building Design+Construction

would be glad to meet with Greenbuild
attendees from Tuesday evening, Nov.
10, to Friday morning, Nov. 13, at our
Experimental Patient Room 3.0 display
on the 3rd Floor of the Phoenix Convention
Center. To schedule a meeting, contact:
Robert Cassidy, rcassidy@reedbusiness.
com; 630-288-8153 office; 773-844-0018
mobile.

Download all seven BD+C White Papers

The Construction Specifications Institute

110 South Union Street, Suite 100
Alexandria, VA 22314
800-689-2900
www.csinet.org

International Association of Plumbing and

Mechanical Officials
5001 E. Philadelphia St
Ontario, CA 91761
909-472-4100
www.iapmo.org

Kohler Co.
444 Highland Drive
Kohler, WI 53044
920-457-4441
800-456-4537
www.KOHLER.com

Underwriters Laboratories Inc.

333 Pfingsten Road
Northbrook, IL 60062-2096
877-854-3577
[email protected]

U.S. Department of Energy

Building Technologies Program
Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
950 LEnfant Plaza, S.W.
Washington, DC 20024
202-586-2344
www.eere.energy.gov

U.S. General Services Administration

Public Buildings Service
1800 F Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20405-0001
www.gsa.gov

Lafarge
12950 Worldgate Drive, Suite 500
Herndon, VA 20170
703-480-3808
lafarge-na.com

The entire contents of Green Buildings +

Water Performance" and six previous White
Papers can be downloaded in pdf form at:
http://www.bdcnetwork.com/university/community/934/White+Papers/47492.html

PUBLISHED BY:

Building Design+Construction
A Reed Business Information publication
2000 Clearwater Drive
Oak Brook, IL 60523
630-288-8000
Fax: 303-265-5473
www.BDCnetwork.com
Address all inquiries to:
Robert Cassidy, Editor-in-Chief
630-288-8153
[email protected]

Watertronics, Inc.
525 E. Industrial Drive
Hartland, WI 53029
262-367-5000
www.watertronics.com

Editorial Ethics Policy

Building Design+Construction and its parent company, Reed Business Information, subscribe to the editorial ethics guidelines of American Business Media and the American
Society of Magazine Editors. All sponsors of this report complied with an Editorial
Ethics Compliance Agreement, which states, in part, The chief editor of any magazine
must have final authority over the editorial content, words, and pictures that appear in
the publication.

Reed Business Information, a unit of Reed Elsevier

Inc., is the publisher of specialized Business Publications and Market Intelligence for Building & Construction, Interior Design, Lodging and Foodservice, Engineering, Entertainment, Furniture Manufacturing/Retail
Furnishings, Manufacturing, Medical/Scientific and
Processing, Publishing, Printing and Packaging.
Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information
All rights reserved.
Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper
with soy/vegetable inks.

WP48

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

Hunter Panels

Energy Smart Polyiso. Simply the Worlds Best Insulation.

Highest R-Value per inch of any insulation

EPA Compliant - Zero ODP expansion agents used
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Members USGBC, Sustainable Building Industry Council

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Input #22 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

N E W

Y O R K

I L L I N O I S

F L O R I D A

T E X A S

U T A H

P E N N S Y L V A N I A

ADVE RT IS E ME NT

Not all insulation products are made the same

Building professionals face a significant challenge in light of changing codes and a new understanding
of the energy and environmental impact of building practices. FOAMULAR insulation protects the
performance of your building envelopes by providing superior moisture and thermal performance,
while offering incredible application versatility.
A CLEAR WINNER IN PERFORMANCE XPS INSULATION
The performance of rigid foam insulation is dependent on several factorswhether its open or
closed cell, as well as the type of polymer and blowing agent used in its manufacture. The following
showcases the differences in rigid insulation and the clear advantage of using XPS:

EXTRUDED POLYSTYRENE (XPS)

Closed cells keep moisture out

EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE (EPS)

Open cells let water in

POLYISOCYANURATE (ISO)
Brittle cells increase water absorption

XPS is manufactured with materials that produce a

consistent and uniform network of homogenous
closed cells that stay together, while foams made
with other processes may break down. XPS cell
structure withstands moisture penetration and
loss of R-value over time.

EPS can easily come apart, as it is manufactured by

molding together polystyrene beads under heat
and pressure, allowing moisture and air penetration,
resulting in voids and causing reduced R-value.

ISO can be brittle and friable because of a

thermoset manufacturing process that uses
continuous lamination of liquid raw materials
that expand between facing materials. This
process creates an irregular cell structure that
lends itself to high moisture permeability.

Energy Efficiency The thermal and moisture resistance properties of FOAMULAR XPS insulation is critical to long-term building
envelope performance. FOAMULAR insulation has a very low rate of water absorption, resulting in excellent long-term thermal performance.
Unlike other rigid foam insulation, FOAMULAR XPS insulation tested under real-time conditions effectively maintains 90 percent of its
R-value (R-5 per inch) for 20 years1.
Above-Grade Applications

FOAMULAR insulation is an excellent choice for many above-grade insulation applications in

commercial and residential buildings. In exterior walls and structural wall framing, FOAMULAR insulation offers protection from energy
loss due to thermal bridging through wood or metal framing or steel fasteners. Using FOAMULAR insulation can satisfy energy codes such as
ASHRAE 90.12 and contributes to achieving LEED credits.

Product Availability Owens Corning has strategically placed manufacturing facilities throughout the country to streamline delivery
and reduce the amount of energy necessary for shipping.

For more information, visit www.owenscorningfoam.com or call 1-800-GET-PINK.

See actual warranty for details.
ASHRAE 90.1; American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, 1791 Tullie Circle, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30329.
LEED is a registered trademark of the U.S. Green Building Council.
The color PINK is a registered trademark of Owens Corning. 2009 Owens Corning.

1
2

You wouldnt design a building with 23% of your walls left open, but if youre not accounting
for thermal bridging thats essentially what youre doing. Thats why its important to spec
Owens Corning FOAMULAR insulation for above-grade sheathing. FOAMULAR insulation
not only satises ASHRAE 90.1* by reducing energy loss caused by thermal bridging, it also
has an incredibly high resistance to water absorption. And unlike competing types of rigid
insulation,** FOAMULAR insulation maintains 90 percent of its R-value for 20 years. So your
walls wont just be built energy efcient, theyll stay energy efcient.

To learn more about how FOAMULAR insulation can reduce the effects of
thermal bridging, go to owenscorningfoam.com or call 1-800-GET-PINK.

*ASHRAE 90.1; American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, 1791 Tullie Circle, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30329. **Competing types of rigid insulation
include Expanded Polystyrene and Polyisocyanurate. See actual warranty for details. The color PINK is a registered trademark of Owens Corning. 2009 Owens Corning.

Input #24 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

ADVE RT IS E MENT

Not all insulation products are made the same

Building professionals face a significant challenge in light of changing codes and a new understanding
of the energy and environmental impact of building practices. FOAMULAR insulation protects the
performance of your building envelopes by providing superior moisture and thermal performance,
while offering incredible application versatility.
A CLEAR WINNER IN PERFORMANCE XPS INSULATION
The performance of rigid foam insulation is dependent on several factorswhether its open or
closed cell, as well as the type of polymer and blowing agent used in its manufacture. The following
showcases the differences in rigid insulation and the clear advantage of using XPS:

EXTRUDED POLYSTYRENE (XPS)

Closed cells keep moisture out

EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE (EPS)

Open cells let water in

POLYISOCYANURATE (ISO)
Brittle cells increase water absorption

XPS is manufactured with materials that produce a

consistent and uniform network of homogenous
closed cells that stay together, while foams made
with other processes may break down. XPS cell
structure withstands moisture penetration and loss
of R-value over time.

EPS can easily come apart, as it is manufactured by

molding together polystyrene beads under heat
and pressure, allowing moisture and air penetration,
resulting in voids and causing reduced R-value.

ISO can be brittle and friable because of a

thermoset manufacturing process that uses
continuous lamination of liquid raw materials
that expand between facing materials. This
process creates an irregular cell structure that
lends itself to high moisture permeability.

Energy Efficiency The thermal and moisture resistance properties of FOAMULAR XPS insulation is critical to long-term building
envelope performance. FOAMULAR insulation has a very low rate of water absorption, resulting in excellent long-term thermal performance.
Unlike other rigid foam insulation, FOAMULAR XPS insulation tested under real-time conditions effectively maintains 90 percent of its
R-value (R-5 per inch) for 20 years1.
Above-Grade Applications

FOAMULAR insulation is an excellent choice for many above-grade insulation applications in

commercial buildings. In exterior walls and structural wall framing, FOAMULAR insulation offers protection from energy loss due to
thermal bridging through wood or metal framing or steel fasteners. Using FOAMULAR insulation can satisfy energy codes such as ASHRAE 90.12
and contributes to achieving LEED credits.

Product Availability

Owens Cornings new LEED certified plant in Gresham, Oregon provides a source of FOAMULAR
insulation in the Pacific Northwest and has a new manufacturing process compliant with the Montreal Protocol. This new location helps
streamline delivery and reduces the amount of energy necessary for transport.

For more information, visit www.owenscorningfoam.com or call 1-800-GET-PINK.

See actual warranty for details.
ASHRAE 90.1; American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, 1791 Tullie Circle, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30329.
LEED is a registered trademark of the U.S. Green Building Council.
The color PINK is a registered trademark of Owens Corning. 2009 Owens Corning.
1
2

Exceed

green

expectations
with

PINK
specif ications
With energy codes constantly evolving, its important to spec materials that do more than just
meet building requirements. With Owens Corning FOAMULAR insulation, your projects can
surpass ASHRAE 90.1* standards and achieve the LEED qualications you strive for. FOAMULAR
insulations high resistance to water gives it optimal thermal performance in a multitude of applications.
And unlike competing types of rigid insulation,** FOAMULAR insulation maintains 90 percent of its
R-value for 20 years. So when it comes to your specs, think PINK, and your buildings wont just be
built energy efcient, theyll stay energy efcient. And now that Owens Corning has a LEED
certied plant in Gresham, with a new manufacturing process compliant with the
Montreal Protocol, its even easier to get FOAMULAR insulation.

To learn more about how FOAMULAR insulation can make your buildings
more energy efcient, go to owenscorningfoam.com or call 1-800-GET-PINK.

ASHRAE 90.1; American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, 1791 Tullie Circle, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30329. **Competing types of rigid insulation include Expanded Polystyrene and
Polyisocyanurate. See actual warranty for details. LEED is a registered trademark of the U.S. Green Building Council. The color PINK is a registered trademark of Owens Corning. 2009 Owens Corning.

Input
Input#23
#12atatBDCnetwork.com/quickResponse
BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

Input #39 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

bradleycorp.com 800.BRADLEY

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

GREENBUILD 2009

THE GREEN
PATIENT LAB
Marrying the principles of sustainability and evidencebased design leads to a new horizon on the health care
landscape one that celebrates and protects the patient
and the planet.

Showcasing the designs, products and construction practices

that deliver LEED.
Live on the 300 Level
Prefunction area at USGBCs
Greenbuild International
Conference and Expo in
Phoenix
November 10 - 12, 2009.
On the web at
www.BDCnetwork.com

www.BDCnetwork.com

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

93

green value

Honeywell Enovate is inside some of the most energy efficient

insulation products available today for your home or commercial building.
Closed-cell spray foam insulation formulated with Enovate provides
superior thermal properties, reducing overall energy usage and
significantly lowering your heating and cooling costs. Increased energy
efficiency, along with a Zero Ozone Depletion Potential, makes Enovate
as valuable to the environment as it is to your budget. In recognition of Enovates beneficial
environmental properties, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded Honeywell its
Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award in 2002.

To learn more about Honeywell Enovate

visit www.honeywell.com/enovate
2009, Honeywell International Inc. All Rights Reserved.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

GREENBUILD 2009

THE GREEN PATIENT LAB

November 2009

Welcome to Greenbuild 2009.

Many thanks to the USGBC for enabling Building Design+Construction to once again produce an interactive
learning structure within the Greenbuild Conference and Expo. Last years High-Performance School of the
Future, Today garnered praise and a tremendous amount of attention as it provided a building exemplifying
the conversations and guidelines heard during the conference.
This year, Building Design+Construction partnered with the design firm Anshen+Allen on their Green Patient
Lab. It is a full-size, custom fabricated physical mockup of a state-of-the-art private acute (medical/surgical)
patient hospital room with family area and restroom. You can tour it during show hours on the 3rd floor of the
convention center.
Why partner with Anshen+Allen? In this years BD+C GIANTS Report, they ranked 17th among all architectural
firms and 18th among the Top 100 Healthcare Design Firms based on associated billings. Volume of work is one
measure, but the quality of the firm is the most significant reason they were selected as a partner. Anshen+Allen
is one of BD+Cs Best AEC Firms to Work For alumni. Their commitment to employees is among the very highest in the nation. They are a role-model and have been a great partner to work with on this project.
The following pages provide an overview of the Green Patient Lab and its sponsors. To reduce waste, no paper
brochures will be distributed at this Greenbuild project. As a result, please go to www.BDCnetwork.com to
download product information and insights from Honeywell, BASF, Lutron, Sage, Wausau, and Graphisoft. Many
thanks to them for their sponsorship commitment.
BD+C applauds USGBCs commitment to bring green to everyone, and bring everyone to green. We look
forward to continuing to deliver high quality, demonstration projects in conjunction with future Greenbuilds.
All the best,

Dean Horowitz
General Manager
Reed Construction Media

www.BDCnetwork.com

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

95

*HZOV^
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YVVUN
Our high-performance, spray-applied polyurethane foam roong
systems can save enough energy to pay for themselves in about
4.5 years1. The systems install directly onto existing substrate in
95 percent of retrot applications2 for zero tear-off, zero landll
fees and zero downtime.
s High wind uplift and severe hail resistance
s 20-year lifespan with low maintenance, renewable indenitely
s Helps projects score LEED points
s Preferred choice of environmentally concerned organizations

www.basf-pfe.com/positive
1-888-900-FOAM

1
In 1985, Gerald Scott P.E. of Texas A&M University monitored energy savings on 27 different buildings on the campus that
had received an SPF roof from 1980 to 1984. The results showed the University was able to cover the complete cost of the
roof application through energy savings in an average of 4.5 years.
2

BASF Polyurethane Foam Enterprises LLC retrot roong projects.

2008 BASF Polyurethane Foam Enterprises LLC

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

GREENBUILD 2009

THE GREEN PATIENT LAB

Interview with ANSHEN+ALLEN Principal Marty Waldron AIA, ACHA

Green Patient Lab Demonstrates

Convergence of EBD and Sustainable Best
Practices for Health Care Facilities
Q:

Describe the Green Patient

Lab.
Marty Waldron AIA, ACHA: This
is version 3.0 of a full-scale idea
and demonstration lab, designed
to elevate the awareness of both
green materials and technologies and evidence-based design
best practices that are economically viable, readily available and
appropriate for use in inpatient
healthcare settings. The 20-foot
by 32-foot lab also shows how to
create a healthier healing environment that improves the quality of
life for patients, staff and family.
As an industry we have had few
places to look for best practices in
health care design fully integrated
with sustainable products and systems engineering. The intent of
the lab is to begin to fill that gap.
The lab is organized around
seven basic principles:
Do No Harm: Create a safe

www.BDCnetwork.com

and healing environment for the

patient.
Minimize the rooms impact on
the natural environment through
sustainable practices.
Provide direct connections
between the outdoor and indoor
environment.
Design the indoor environ-

ment to promote the health and

well-being of staff and facilities.
Shelter-In-Place: Create a place
that can function in the face of
disaster.
Integrate the use of technology in the patient room.
Humanize the healthcare environment.

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

97

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

GREENBUILD 2009

THE GREEN PATIENT LAB

Months of design collaboration with the GPL partners and
research with healthcare professionals and the industry informed
the decisions made in designing
the lab each year. Our goal was to
create a place that benefited all:
patient, staff, family and planet.

Q:

What has the lab taught you

about the process of creating a
green patient environment?
Waldron: To marry sustainable
building design with evidencebased best practices in patient,
staff and family care, members of
the building team and the client

The goal of
the lab isnt to
suggest that
anyone recreate this environment; rather, it
is to show ways
to incorporate
aspects of this
design to create

must collaborate every step of the

way to achieve the stated goals.
For example, evidence-based
design outcomes indicate that
patients recover more quickly
with an abundance of natural light
and access to the outdoors via
a terrace or operable windows.
However, daylighting is an area
of conflict when it comes to sustainability because of heat gain,
glare, etc. Bringing the entire
building team together to explore
these areas of conflict early in the
design process helps to resolve
these conflicts more quickly.

Q:

How do the ideas in the lab

move to mainstream?
Waldron: The goal of the lab isnt
to suggest that anyone recreate
this environment; rather, it is to
show ways to incorporate aspects
of this design to create better
buildings today.
What started as a research
project for our clients, firm, and
industry partners has become a a
bit of a phenomenon with more
than eight million hits on a web
search for green patient room.
Project teams are beginning to
apply the ideas demonstrated in
the lab in the real world.
The lab offers more than 40
features that can be incorporated
in any healthcare building today.
These ideas dont require any
additional space, and the pricing
differential for sustainable materi-

als is bordering on parity with

conventional products. The lab
is proving that when it comes to
sustainable design, the days of
why do it? have been replaced
by why not do it?

Q:

What role does certification

play in advancing green design in
healthcare?
Waldron: Certification is increasingly important to our clients.
Most mandate that we design to
LEED-certification [Leadership
in Energy and Environmental
Design] eligibility, whether they
intend to pursue certification or
not. Clients understand the many
advantages that come from sustainable design and increasingly the marketing advantages
that come from a LEED-certified
facility in a competitive field like
healthcare.

Q:

What are the key take-aways

for people who tour the Green
Patient Lab?
Waldron: The lab offers so many
different ways to think about
healthcare design. Our hope is
that those who tour the lab will
act on what they see by sharing
their new knowledge with others.
The lab is all about the snowball
effect: shortening the industrys
learning curve and thereby
improving care outcomes and
reducing the impact of our buildings on the planet.

better buildings
today.

98

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

GREENBUILD 2009

THE GREEN PATIENT LAB

BASF Polyurethane Foam Enterprises and Honeywell
Choose closed-cell spray foam insulation products like BASFs
WALLTITE insulating air barrier system and BASFs ELASTOSPRAY roofing system to save energy and reduce monthly heating and cooling bills. The spray polyurethane foam, which contains
Honeywells Enovate foam blowing agent, is an air-barrier that
helps reduce air leakage, potentially saving you 20% to 40% on
heating and cooling costs.
Closed-cell spray foam insulation has the highest R-value-per-inch
of any wall-cavity insulation. And, one truckload of liquid spray
foam equals up to six truckloads of fibrous insulation, saving transportation fuel and emissions.
Both WALLTITE and ELASTOSPRAY products can contribute to
the design of a building that is looking to achieve LEED status.
Points can be earned in Energy & Atmosphere, Sustainable Sites,
Materials and Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality. Product specific information can be obtained through any of the six
BASF personnel that are LEED Accredited Professionals.

Tighten Up Your Walls

BASFs WALLTITE insulating air barrier system containing Honeywells Enovate foam blowing agent helps provide maximum energy
efficiency, structural strength and occupant comfort, health and
safety. Seamless and self-adhering, the WALLTITE system eliminates uncontrolled air leakage by providing monolithic construction, complete continuity and superior insulation R-value. WALLTITE insulating air barrier system combines lower installation labor
costs and a lifecycle that spans the life of the structure to provide a
highly cost-effective solution.
Approved by the Air Barrier Association of America, the technology behind WALLTITE insulating air barrier system provides air barrier, insulation, drainage plain and, in many states, a vapor barrier
all in one product. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that
uncontrolled air leakage accounts for as much as 40% of the cost
to heat and cool indoor air and contributes to premature decay of
building materials, poor indoor air quality and mold growth.
The high-performance WALLTITE system substantially reduces
both air leakage and moisture permeance through the building

envelope. The WALLTITE insulating air barrier system outperforms

traditional insulation materials in eco-efficiency on its test scores in
the award-winning BASF Eco-Efficiency Analysis.

Cap Rising Energy Costs

With roofs, BASFs ELASTOSPRAY roofing system containing
Honeywells Enovate foam blowing agent provides sustainability,
high-performance and reduced-maintenance at a low lifecycle cost.
The ELASTOSPRAY roofing system is suitable for both new construction and retrofit roofs. It can be applied directly to the existing
substrate in 95% of retrofit cases, eliminating the cost of tear-off,
reducing the amount of waste going to the landfill, and limiting
interior exposure and downtime. Seamless and self-flashing, ELASTOSPRAY roofing system eliminates thermal bridging and provides
superior insulation properties with its industry-leading R-value.
The technology behind ELASTOSPRAY roofing system offers a
wide range of benefits, including:
improved building energy efficiency and indoor
environment;
long lifespan;
increased occupant comfort;
severe weather resistance.
The closed-cell spray-applied polyurethane foam roofing system
is easily renewed as it nears the completion of its service life. The
ELASTOSPRAY system can be re-coated for many more years of
service. The reflective surface of the protective coating works with
the insulation to reduce building energy consumption and urban
heat island effect.
ELASTOSPRAY roofing roofing system was named one of the preferred supplier products for the Clinton Climate Initiative.
WALLTITE insulating air barrier systems and ELASTOSPRAY roofing systems are only installed by BASF PFE Team Q Approved
Applicators, ensuring quality every time.
For more information, visit www.basf-pfe.com, www.honeywell.com/enovate, or www.ccfoam.com.

WALLTITE and ELASTOSPRAY are registered trademarks of BASF Corporation. Enovate is a registered trademark of Honeywell. LEED is a registered trademark of U.S.
Green Building Council.

www.BDCnetwork.com

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

GREENBUILD 2009

2009 Anshen+Allen

THE GREEN PATIENT LAB

Designing A New
Healthcare Landscape
The Green Patient Lab version
3.0 shows in a full-scale idea and
demonstration space how to create a healing environment that
improves the quality of life for
patients, staff and family.
The lab is organized around
seven basic principles:
Do No Harm: Create a safe and
healing environment for the
patient.

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NOVEMBER 2009

Minimize the rooms impact on

the natural environment through
sustainable practices.
Provide direct connections
between the outdoor and indoor
environment.
Design the indoor environment
to promote the health and wellbeing of staff and facilities.
Shelter-In-Place: Create a place
that can function in the face of
disaster.

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

Integrate the use of technology

in the patient room.
Humanize the healthcare environment.
Eco-effective design starts with
awareness and information. The
ideas embodied in the Green
Patient Lab grow from the collaboration of industry partners,
research with healthcare professionals and the application of
evidence-based design best practices that are readily available and
economically viable.
The goal of this project: to
create a healthier healing environment that improves care outcomes and reduces the impact of
our buildings on the planet.

Building Systems
Achieving the goal of creating a
health care facility that benefits
everyone patient, staff, family and planet involves care in
selecting the systems that power
the building. In the Green Patient
Lab, these include:
Displacement ventilation (DV)
Systems: DV systems help reduce
energy loads by reducing the air
quantity and raising the cooling
supply temperature. DV systems
provide superior ventilation effectiveness, patient comfort and
contaminant control when compared with traditional overhead
systems.
Integrated with radiant heating,
occupancy control and automated
shading devices, the DV systems
work with the building management system to minimize total
HVAC energy consumption within
continues on next page

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Building Systems (continued)

the patient room. When the room is
in use, radiant heating and automated
shading allow patients the ability to
control room daylights and the thermal
environment at the bedside. When the
room is not in use, the system turns
down to further reduce energy consumption.
Acoustics: The acoustical issues in
designing health care facilities cover
the spectrum of acoustical design:
sound isolation/speech privacy, room
acoustics, sound masking, mechanical
noise/vibration, environmental noise
and project-specific features, such as
MRI and helipads. It is the responsibility
of the design team and acoustical consultant to address each item with the
design team to develop cost-effective
solutions to meet the criteria established by industry standards and meet
the expectations of the patients and
medical staff.

Technology: Technology integrated

into the room supports patient-centered care in four ways: empowering
the patient, providing data for clinical
decision-making support, facilitating
communication among and between all
caregivers and demystifying the care
process through access to information.
Lighting: Long-life and low-energy
consuming alternatives to lighting fixtures, such as LED or Plasma, provides
high-quality light rendering with a high
level of controllability. Lighting control
technology has also improved allowing
for more control and flexibility whether
at the patient bedside, room entrance
for staff use or automatically through
integrated building systems. Integrated
controls provide the ability to adjust
lighting color and intensity for multiple
uses, including patient night lighting,
day lighting, task lighting and examination lighting. Some studies suggest the

use of lighting color and levels to simulate a 24-hour day promotes a normal
circadian rhythm, which can enhance
the healing process.
Water: Water-efficient plumbing
fixtures help minimize consumption of
one of our most valuable resources.
Using multi-sourced water systems,
such as reclaimed or recycled water
for toilet flushing, combined with
non-chemical type water treatment
to reduce contaminates and scale for
drinking water, showers and handwashing provides efficient water use. Care
providers can eliminate contact with
handwashing sinks by using low-flow,
sensor-operated fixtures with handsfree temperature control.

SAGE Electrochromics, Inc.

PRODUCT INNOVATIONS AND
ADVANTAGES
SageGlass electrochromic products are
the next generation in architectural glass. By
providing user-operated, dynamic control
of solar glare and heat without blocking the
view, SageGlass products save energy, contribute to a more comfortable interior environment and allow architects more daylighting design freedom. At the push of a button
or command from an automated control
system, SageGlass glazing
can be tinted to keep out
the sun or untinted to
allow in as much daylight as
possible.
According to the U.S.
Department of Energy, commercial buildings relying
on electrochromic window
systems can save up to
28% in energy costs when
compared to buildings using
spectrally selective low-e
windows. According to the
DOE, the use of electrochro-

www.BDCnetwork.com

mic glass products in commercial buildings

can help:
Save 10-20% in operating costs;
Reduce peak demand by 15-24%;
Decrease HVAC system size by up to
25%.
SageGlass windows provide a daylighting
solution that does not require additional
shading and blind systems. A building even
partially glazed with SageGlass products can
be designed to take advantage of natural
light without compromising the connection to the
outdoors. With SageGlass
windows and skylights, architects and builders no longer
have to choose between a
building design that maximizes daylighting and one
that attempts to minimize
the negative effects of the
sun.
SAGE is a member of the
U.S. Green Building Council
and its SageGlass glazing is
GreenSpec-listed, which

means it has been designated as an environmentally preferable product.

PRODUCT CONSIDERATIONS
Product Benefits:
Reduces solar heat gain conserving
energy
Blocks glare and increases daylighting
creating more comfortable spaces
Reduces fading from solar rays preserving furnishings
Keeps the view unlike shades and
blinds
Potential LEED credits in these
categories:
EA Credit 1 - Optimize Energy Performance
IEQ Credit 6 - Controllability of Systems
IEQ Credit 7 - Thermal Comfort
IEQ Credit 8 - Daylight and Views

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GREENBUILD 2009

THE GREEN PATIENT LAB

Family Zone
Studies show that families who
visit frequently, stay longer and
are involved in patient care help
improve healing times and patient
well-being. A designated area
that brings the feeling of home
into the patient room allows the
family to feel welcomed and promotes a feeling of involvement in
the patients care on the part of
the family. Reminiscent of a living
room, the family zone features:

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1) A desk-area workspace that

allows family members to work
while at the hospital. This can
minimize stress and encourage
more frequent and longer visits.
2) A media wall with a digital video
monitor to provide positive distraction and reduce stress.
3) A bench storage unit made of
modular casework that can be
relocated or modified with minimal destruction or construction.
A place to house purses, coats
and briefcases creates a wel-

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

coming atmosphere for family

and visitors.
4) Window treatment with electronic controls via a smart
phone allow him or her to control the position of the shade. A
curtain can be drawn across the
zone to provide privacy for both
the patient and family.
5) A sofa/sleeper bed space allows
family partners in care to have
a comfortable stay over space
near to their loved one.

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Lights, shades, energy savings.

Energy-saving components:

Lutron GRAFIK Eye QS Wireless with EcoSystem is the

premier energy-saving light and shade control system.

NEW EcoSystem connectivity

Control up to 16 zones of digital uorescent and LED
xtureswithout interfaces
Save energy by utilizing occupancy/vacancy and
daylight sensors
Program EcoSystem ballasts and sensors for up to
60% energy savings

EcoSystem digital addressable

ballasts and Hi-lume LED drivers

Occupancy/vacancy and
daylight sensors

NEW Wireless communication

Lutron Clear Connect RF Technology TM reliably
connects sensors, shades, and keypads
Simplied installation saves time and associated costs
Learn more at www.lutron.com/qs

Sivoia QS Wireless shades

Visit us at Greenbuild, Booth 3154

2009 Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.

PicoTM wireless controls

E
N

GRAFIK Eye QS Wireless with EcoSystem

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

GREENBUILD 2009

THE GREEN PATIENT LAB

2
4
5
3

2009 Anshen+Allen

6
7

Patient Zone
Creating a patient-centered room
is paramount to creating a healing environment. The patient
zone incorporates progressive
evidence-based design features
in a non-institutional, aesthetically
soothing interior environment to
mitigate patient anxiety and maximize patient comfort. Examples
include the headwall (see sidebar)
which has medical gases located
discreetly on the casework that
are easily accessible to staff; and
a wood-paneled ceiling system
which contributes to a warmer
aesthetic while providing a cleaner surface over the bed. To give
patients control over their environ-

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NOVEMBER 2009

ment and increase personal comfort, patients control most lighting

in the room via their smart phone.
A highlight of the patient zone
is the chair bed a new concept
that product research indicates
promotes quicker recovery and
assists patients in regaining mobility and strength. Other notable
features include:
1) A display shelf made of recycled
material. Here patients can display personal items such a family photos, greeting cards, etc.
2) A movable privacy wall made
of recycled material that can be
reused.

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

3) A room entry system with a

door made of FSC-certified
veneer with an agrifiber core
and a frame with a minimum of
64% recycled steel.
4) Patient-controlled electrochromatic privacy glass.
5) A patient-controlled lighting
system that includes programmable scenes.
6) The chair bed, which allows
complete range of motion from
horizontal to sitting position.
7) Low wall supply diffuser that
leads to better user comfort and
superior contaminant control.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Headwall: Patient Care Control Center

ings a central control center
improves care and reduces
errors.
Some of the other notable
features of the patient care
control center are:
1) the modular headwall system lessens the hospital
look and feel in the space.
2) a charting center with an
integral task light that eliminates the need to illuminate
the entire room.
3) An electronic marker board
that converts handwritten
notes to digital format.
4) Patient grab rail for added
stability.
5) An energy efficient motioncontrolled automatic night
light at floor level that
doesnt disrupt circadian
rhythms.

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2
3

2009 Anshen+Allen

The patient headwall is envisioned

as both handsome furniture and
a patient care command center,
placing technology, information
communication tools and patient
service utilities and systems at the
fingertips of the caregiver without
obscuring the view of the patient.
Inspired by Clemson Universitys
research on advanced patient room
design, the headwall creates both a
visually pleasing furniture element
that anchors the chair bed, but also
a modular, customizable patient
care control center. Designed to
provide the caregiver with a powerful array of tools at their fingertips
patient monitoring, charting functions, physical order entry, communications, medical gases, an interactive smart board for notations and
charting entries as well as patient
care information, notes and warn-

Wausau Window and Wall Systems

Wausau Window and Wall Systems provides architecturally aesthetic, high-performance, window and curtainwall systems for hospitals, clinics, medical facilities and more. Patients and medical staff
agree that the views and daylighting offered by Wausaus window
systems help reduce hospital stays and expedite the healing process. Operable windows provide emergency ventilation in patient
rooms, and all of Wausaus products support LEED for Health
Care sustainability goals.
Industry-leading Wausaus psychiatric windows help ensure
patient safety without detention screens or bars, promoting a
homelike atmosphere. For adaptive reuse projects, Sound,
Energy, Air and Light S.E.A.L. Series upgrades an existing window
systems acoustical and thermal performance.
Projected windows operate smoothly, with durable hardware and
weather-strip delivering years of service, evidenced by AAMA AW
Architectural Class life-cycle testing. Between-glass blinds also
contribute to reduced maintenance, while enhancing privacy and
energy efficiency.
Responding to regional needs, Wausaus 3250i-V Visuline windows offer condensation resistance for high humidity interiors in
cold climates, while 3250-HP Hurricane Series windows are MiamiDade Product Control labeled. Thermal barrier, unitized curtainwall
systems such as 7250i-UW accommodate seismic movements for

www.BDCnetwork.com

California OSHPD approval and are fitted with sun control products
for solar heat gain reduction, as well as with 4250-Z zero sightline
insert vents.

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GREENBUILD 2009

To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint - Dim the Lights

Lutron light controls lower energy bills while improving comfort and productivity.

When it comes to reducing your carbon footprint, little things

can mean a lot. Take dimmers as an example, which save electricity
by cutting the amount of power that flows to lighting fixtures. The
lower the light level, the less power is used, and a very small cut in
power can translate into very big results.
We estimate that installed Lutron dimmers save over nine billion kilowatt hours of energy per year, and that prevents 17 billion
pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere, says Michael W.
Pessina, president of the Office of Product Development at Lutron
Electronics, a light control manufacturer. Thats a savings of over $1 billion
in energy costs each year.
The amazing thing is that this number is just the tip of the iceberg, adds
Pessina. In the commercial sector,
dimmers and other controls can reduce
lighting electricity use dramatically.
According to the U.S. Department of
Energy, lighting is by far the largest user
of electricity in commercial buildings. It
consumes 38% of the totalmore than
space heating, cooling, ventilation,
equipment, and computers combined.
Lutron light controls can radically
reduce that appetite through scalable
solutions. Heres how:
Dimmers alone can easily reduce
lighting electricity use by 20%. Add
Lutrons new Radio Powr Savr wireless
occupancy sensor and you can cut

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NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

lighting electricity use up to an additional 35%. Larger-scale total

light management systems combine dimming, occupancy sensing and daylight control to produce even more dramatic savings:
Lutron systems in The New York Times Building (New York), Bently
Reserve (San Francisco) and Georgian College (Ontario, Canada)
are each saving more than 65% in lighting electricity use annually.
Dimmed lights also keep the air cooler. Many buildings require
cooling year-round so the energy savings can be significant. As a
rule of thumb, cooling usage is reduced by one watt for each three
watts of lighting thats cut. In addition, Lutrons electronically controlled window shades automatically raise and lower to maximize
efficient use of daylight while minimizing heat gain and glare.
Light control also enhances the visual environment while conserving energy. Commercial spaces are usually over-illuminated, and
the ability to dim lights to the appropriate level for the job at hand
can improve productivity and reduce eyestrain and computer glare.
In fact, research by the Light Right Consortium found that employees are 6% more comfortable when they have individual control
over their lighting environment. Another study by lighting expert
Peter Boyce showed that people with dimming control reported
higher ratings of lighting quality, overall environmental satisfaction
and self-rated productivity.
The productivity link is huge, says Pessina. Human resources
cost $318 per square foot, which is
more than six times higher than any
other operating cost. If better light control can help people work more effectively for five minuteswhich is equal
to 1% of the work daythe investment
in light controls will pay for itself in less
than a year.
To find out how much you can save,
visit: www.lutron.com/green.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

GREENBUILD 2009

Project Frogs First EnergyNeutral Solution Opens

At the U.S. Green Building Councils 2008 Greenbuild International
Conference and Expo, Project
FROG in conjunction with Building
Design + Construction Magazine
and a host of other key partners,
exhibited the Classroom of the

Future, Today. The debut of FROG

Zero, the leading energy neutral
building solution, brought to life
the single biggest idea in green
building.
Now, San Francisco-based Project FROG announces the opening

of the new Center for Science and

Global Citizenship at Watkinson
School in Hartford, Connecticut.
The 3,500 square foot state-ofthe-art classroom building marks
the first FROG Zero application for
Project FROG.
Incorporating the ideal learning
environment into the greenest,
most sustainable building, the
energy-neutral facility will feature
75 percent energy-demand reduction, abundant natural light, superior air quality, and advanced climate
controls. The Center will generate
more energy within its footprint
than is required to operate its systems. With a dashboard to display
live building performance, the Center will provide extraordinary teaching and learning opportunities for
the entire community.

$5&+,&$'

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%,0 ,QWHJUDWHG(QHUJ\(YDOXDWLRQ
For Architects Within ArchiCAD One Click Evaluation
GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner enables architects to control the energy consumption of their buildings, and sets
new standards in sustainable design, making ArchiCAD the leading software solution for contemporary
architectural demands.
Sustainability is all about choices. With EcoDesigner, architects can determine how changes in the design impact
energy use, and use this insight to make better informed decisions early in the design phase.
ArchiCAD 13 with Delta Server technology + EcoDesigner. Green your designs.
Come see us at GreenBuild 2009, Booth # 5418.

W W W . G R A P H I S O F T. C O M

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GREENBUILD 2009

Staff Zone: Taking Care of Caregivers

The staff zone is organized to
improve efficiency and reduce
errors, improve staff visualization
of patient and vital data, as well as
reduce stress and anxiety. Upon
entry, a dedicated handwashing
sink with hands-free temperature
controls (1 & 2) promotes safety
and infection control. A dedicated work counter facilitates
medication prep, charting and
staging supplies for patient care.
The room incorporates modular
prefabricated casework (3), which
allows greater flexibility as the
pieces can be moved and recon-

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THE GREEN PATIENT LAB

figured to accommodate layout

changes or staff preferences,
reducing material waste and construction downtime. Task lighting
(4) at the work area aids doctors,
nurses and other caregivers in
performing work at night without
disrupting the patients sleep.
Observation windows made
from electrochromatic glass can
be wired for remote control so
the patient can control the level
of opacity to ensure privacy, yet
allow staff observation when necessary.

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

GREENBUILD 2009

THE GREEN PATIENT LAB

Research Drives Design Decisions
in Creating a New Healthcare Landscape
Architects Anshen+Allen, creators
of the Green Patient Lab, developed a survey that is conducted
with Lab tour participants at each
exhibit venue.
At the time of this printing,
half of the respondents were
healthcare clinicians and facility
executives and half were healthcare design professionals. Survey
results from additional viewings
are continually added to the Labs
database.
Preliminary survey results reveal
some expected results as well as
some interesting disparities in perception. Key data points are:
86% of respondents feel that
patient satisfaction would
increase with visual or physical
access to outdoor space via a
private terrace in the room.
Over 90% of the respondents
believe that patient follow-up
care is improved at home when
the family is more directly

involved at the hospital, and in

turn, supplying a larger family
area will increase patient satisfaction.
75% of respondents feel that
reconfigurable casework is a
benefit for flexibility and easy
adjustment of the patient environment.
92% of respondents felt that
less institutional finishes and
improved lighting are important for improving morale and/
or satisfaction.
73% revealed that it is a priority to reduce the institutional
feeling of the healthcare environment when rebuilding or
remodeling.
Interestingly, 90% of respondents believe the patient benefits from being able to control
their environment lighting,
TV programming and privacy
windows but only 60% feel
that the facility will benefit from

allowing the patient these controls.

75% believed that comfortable
family space in the room with
overnight sleeping accommodations benefit the facility.
80% of respondents felt that
environmentally friendly building materials and energy-conserving light fixtures are priorities for facility planning and
operations and 75% felt that
daylighting is also a priority
Conversely, more than half of the
respondents were unaware or felt
that eco-efficient practices such
as energy-harvesting, low-wall air
diffusers, green energy contracts
and eco-friendly housekeeping
practices were unimportant.
The goal of these surveys is to
identify where further scientific
studies are needed to establish
new benchmarks for best practices.

Terrace: The Great Outdoors

Research indicates that views and
access to nature help patients recover more quickly, experience less pain
and require fewer medications than
patients with no view to nature. In
mild climates, a private terrace with
pleasant views, fresh air and daylight
offer several benefits to the patient,
family and staff. The terrace helps
orient patients to daylight, allowing
them to observe the passing of time
and also improves patient morale
by offering a change of scenery. For
less temperate climates, a solarium
porch, which collects radiant heat

www.BDCnetwork.com

from sunlight, can

offer views, daylight
and passive heating.
In addition to providing a visual and
physical connection
to the outdoors, the
terrace can also support continued facility
operations in the face
of disaster through
natural ventilation and
daylight, without reliance on backup generators.

2009 Anshen+Allen

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NOVEMBER 2009

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GREENBUILD 2009

THE GREEN PATIENT LAB

Wireless Occupancy/Vacancy Sensor

The new Radio Powr Savr by Lutron is an innovative

wireless occupancy sensor designed for easy installation and
optimum savings. It installs in minutes and requires no wiring.
With front accessible buttons, setup is easy and the lens illuminates during test mode to verify ideal locations. The Radio
Powr Savr utilizes cutting-edge Lutron XCT detection technology for sensing fine motions and has an incredible 10-year
battery life. Learn more at www.lutron.com/occsensors.
www.lutron.com Ph: 888-LUTRON1

GENERAL COURSES

eLearning programs aggregated

into relevant campuses
OUTLOOK+PRODUCT FAIRS

On-demand programs that provide

AIA Learning Units as well as
in-depth discussions with solution
providers

WALLTITE and ELASTOSPRAY

The WALLTITE insulating air barrier system from BASF

Polyurethane Foam Enterprises LLC uses Honeywell Enovate
zero ozone depleting blowing agent technology. It exceeds
code requirements to maximize energy efficiency, durability
and occupant comfort, health and safety.
The ELASTOSPRAY premium, spray-applied polyurethane
foam roofing system uses Honeywell Enovate zero ozone
depleting blowing agent technology. It offers superior insulation properties and improves building durability and energy
efficiency, coupled with the lowest life-cycle cost.
www.basf-pfe.com www.honeywell.com/enovate

Welcome to Building
Design+Constructions
VisibleCity experience.

PODCASTS

Leading presentations that impact

how buildings are designed and
constructed
WEBCASTS

Gain insights and AIA Learning units

as you explore topics like Green
Buildings and Sustainability, Building
Information Modeling and market

Each week, the VisibleCity will be updated with new building

WHITE PAPERS

products, technologies, education and interactive experiences.

Award winning White Papers

on Sustainability and other key
industry opportunities

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NOVEMBER 2009

To learn more about the city and associated companies,

please visit VisibleCity.com.

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

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SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
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Learning Objectives
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After reading this article, you should be
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able to:
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Explain the challenges of integrating. daylight and electrical lighting in buildings.
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List at least three basic design consid. . .
erations for daylighted buildings.
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Discuss the controls and components
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required for integrated lighting and
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daylighting.
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Describe the factors to consider for
electrical lighting systems alone. . . .
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www.BDCnetwork.com
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Integrating

Lighting and
Daylighting

By C.C. Sullivan and Barbara Horwitz-Bennett

atural light is a blessing. The human eye seeks it, and there are welldocumented health benefits to humans from its presence. Yet while
natural light is highly desirable and an essential part of any sustainable
design program, it must be supplemented by supplied electrical lighting.
Thus, an effectively integrated balance of electrical lighting and daylighting is
an important goaland a significant technical challengefor todays Building
Teams, especially those seeking certification for their projects under LEED,
Green Globes, or other green building rating programs.
Consequently, leading design and construction professionals are working with
building owners to leverage new technologies and integrated project approaches
while tapping into the latest industry expertise and available design guidelines.
Successful integration of light sources starts with a holistic sensibility about
project design, tapping into the specialties of all team members at once, say experts like Tom McDougall, PE, a vice president with The Weidt Group (www.
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

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PHOTO: COURTESY LEVITON

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

This series of photos and accompanying figure illustrate how electric lighting can be dimmed during daylight hours in an office setting.

twgi.com), Minnetonka, Minn., which specializes in building

energy, daylighting, and sustainability. Identifying goals
early on in the design process is part of an integrated design
approach that involves architectural, lighting, and interior
design right from the conceptual stage, he says. Daylighting
is a complex design strategy that requires contribution from all
these players in order to make it successful.
One reason close coordination is critical is that it is easy for
design teams to fall into traps that result in poor or insufficient daylighting, with severe negative consequences for
their projects. One of the primary reasons for daylighting
buildings is to enhance occupant comfort and productivity,
but bad daylighting creates glare and uncomfortable lighting
conditions, which has a detrimental effect, so it is counterproductive, says McDougall.
Poor daylighting design can lead to excess energy usage
and substandard visual and thermal conditions, and [occupants] just dont feel good in such environments, says
Matthew Tanteri, IES, an educator with the International Association of Lighting Designers (www.iald.org) and principal
of the daylighting design consultancy Tanteri + Associates
(www.tanteri.com), Irvington-on-Hudson, N.Y.
In situations where the building is designed with daylight
sensing controls as an integral part of the design, improper
installation, calibration, and maintenance may be doing more

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BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

damage than good, says Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg, an

assistant professor at the University of Idahos College of Art
& Architecture and director of the schools Integrated Design
Lab (www.uidaho.edu/idl), in Boise. It is probable that
spaces like that will actually use more energy than spaces with
no daylight, he cautions.

CONSIDER THE DESIGN VARIABLES

When embarking upon a daylighting design project, its
important for the full Building Team to carefully consider
the variables associated with the local daylight conditions
and electric light sources as well as building materials and
systems. These include surface color, color temperature,
color rendering, and, where applicable, the types of blinds
and controls under consideration. All of these factors
must be examined against the backdrop of occupant needs.
Designers must ask, Who will occupy the facility and what
are their expected tasks and activities? says Wymelenberg,
who draws on his experience as a consultant for more
than 400 projects since 2000. Building inhabitants have
a wide range of lighting preferences and designers should
conceive solutions that accommodate these preferences.
he adds, citing studies conducted by the National Research
Council of Canada.
Environmental factors should be the first to be studied,
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www.BDCnetwork.com

rendering: courtesy RMJM and Carpenter Norris

says Tanteri: Daylighting is very specific to site, climate,

and program. There is no one-size-fits-all, he explains.
Daylighting apertures and integrated electrical illumination systems are deeply influenced by building location
and predominant sky conditionssunny, cloudy, or a
mix. Then the buildings component uses are analyzed in
this context, with attention to how uses are arranged and
oriented, he adds.
Onetipistooptimize for the predominant sky condition,
yet still work to some degree during all possible sky conditions, says McDougall, who has contributed to a number of
energy guidelines, in addition to developing building analysis
software tools and authoring books and articles on environmental building design. Another is to make the daylighting
systems as fail-safe and foolproof as possiblefor example,
utilizing passive over active systems, and not leaving critical
operations up to occupants.
To get building orientation right, the Los Alamos
National Laboratory Sustainable Guide (http://engstandards.lanl.gov/esm/architectural/Sustainable.pdf) offers
this rule of thumb: Optimal positioning is to orient the
building with the long side on the east-west axis, up to 15
degrees off true south, to enable the greatest winter solar
gains and least summer solar gains. In addition, Aaron
Smith, a senior research specialist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institutes Lighting Research Center (LRC) in Troy,
N.Y., and a member of LRCs DesignWorks consulting
team (www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/designWorks/), says, In
general, lower-story buildings elongated east to west, with
shallow floor plates and a smaller size, are desirable for
reducing energy consumption and maximizing the benefits
of daylighting.
As for obstructions such as landscaping and surrounding
buildings, the New Mexico Solar Energy Associations Passive Solar Design Guidelines (www.nmsea.org) instruct that
on the south side, such obstructions should ideally be absent
from within 60 degrees horizontally, as measured from the
buildings southern corners, and minimally from within 45
degrees. While the same applies to deciduous trees, the
guide points out that they can be very advantageous to the
east and west as the trees will still let in the solar gain in
the late spring, prior to blossoming, while providing additional shading into the fall season, which is ideal for warm
climates.
Regarding the building form, LRCs Smith recommends designing daylight into the majority of building
spaces at levels sufficient to obviate the need for electrical lighting during peak sun hours, but not so high as to
exceed lighting needs for that space. A balance must be
made between daylight autonomythe amount of time the
daylight harvesting system is able to turn off the electric

This daylighting rendering was created by RMJM, New York, for the
design of Al-Asmariya University for Islamic Science, Zliten Campus, in
Libya, to analyze sunlight penetration.

lightsat the designed light level, and glazing size in order

to maximize savings, says Smith, whose specialties include
daylighting strategies for retail stores and corporate office
facilities, conducting software-based lighting analyses, and
creating 3-D visualizations of daylighting and electric lighting designs.
One useful technique for this purpose is to calculate sun
angles, which help determine the effects of direct sunlight
at specific times of day and year based upon geographic
location. Moreover, knowing the profile angle, as applied
to a building section, will reveal sunlight penetration into
the interiors and the effectiveness of exterior shading
devices in different seasons. (To assist with this, some glazing manufacturers offer sun angle calculator manuals; one
from Pilkington is available at www.sbse.org/resources/sac/
PSAC_Manual.pdf.)
Two other general principles to keep in mind are: 1)
daylight penetrates twice the window head height, and
2) the amount of admitted light is a product of window
area and the glazings visible light transmittance (VLT),
saysTanteri, an adjunct professor at Parsons The New
School for Design. Once these criteria have been accounted for, factors like glazing, window treatments, exterior
shading devices, finishes, and interior light shelves can
then be evaluated.
Smith and other lighting experts also recommend sizing
windows to provide shading throughout the entire cooling
season, which can be accomplished using sun angle data.
When glazing the fenestration, its important not to overdo it
as this can increase the buildings heating and cooling loads; a
rule of thumb here is that, in temperate climates, a maximum
40% of the enclosure area should be glazed. As for finishes,
a highly reflective matte white finish for the ceiling is a good
choice, as are light colors for interior surfaces. (More detailed
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

November 2009

113

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

SCREEN CAPTURE: COURTESY THE WEIDT GROUP

design guidelines on these topics are available through Building Design+Constructions online learning units, Windows +
Doors Daylighting, Passive Solar, and Energy Modeling
www.bdcnetwork.com/article/CA6650184.html and Design
Criteria for Windows and Doors www.bdcnetwork.com/article/CA6548031.html).

This sun penetration software application, developed by the Weidt

Group, Minnetonka, Minn., enables designers to quickly optimize fenestration design for direct sun control.

Design guidelines wont work for every situation, of course,

and many project teams employ sophisticated visualization,
calculation, and physical modeling programs as a central part
of the design process.
Effective daylighting is as much an art as a science, with
many complex and nuanced design issues, says Erik Ring,
director of MEP engineering with LPA, Inc., (www.lpainc.
com), Irvine, Calif. Consequently, there is no single definitive technical standard for daylighting. There are, however,
a wide variety of daylighting standards, tools, and references
from such sources as the Illuminating Engineering Society
of North America, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
the Energy Center of Wisconsin, and the RPIs Lighting
Research Center.
Other key standards for harvesting daylighting and for
integrated lighting controls include Californias Title 24,
Standard 90.1 from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), and
the International Code Council (ICC) International Energy
Conservation Code (IECC).
While Title 24 has set the bar the highest, Craig DiLouie,
education director with the Lighting Controls Association
(www.aboutlightingcontrols.org), Rosslyn, Va., points out
that ASHRAE and ICC are beginning to follow suit. These
organizations now see controls as the new low-hanging

Dynamic Daylighting: A Brief Glossary

Some key daylighting terms on the cutting edge of the practice, as explained by
Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg, assistant
professor at the University of Idahos College of Art & Architecture and director of
the schools Integrated Design Lab (www.
uidaho.edu/idl), in Boise, Idaho:
Daylight factor (DF), a standard
and relatively common daylight metric,
measures daylight in a space on a scale
of 0.1 to 10 DF. Daylight factor can be
measured point-by-point or as an average value over an interior space. DF
tends to be consistent over time, even as
illumination levels outdoors vary. For that
reason, the measure is especially useful
in regions with overcast sky conditions,
rather than those locations with very
sunny climates.
Daylight autonomy, as defined by
the Illuminating Engineering Society, is

114

NOVEMBER 2009

the percentage of annual daytime hours

during which various locations in a space
are illuminated above a specified threshold value. Whats unique about this metric is that it considers weather information on an annual basis for the locations
of the buildings under consideration.
Useful daylight illuminance, or UDI,
is a version of daylight autonomy that
categorizes hourly time values based on
three illumination ranges: 0100 lux,
1002000 lux, and more than 2000 lux.
Daylight saturation percentage, created by the Collaborative for High Performance Schools in 2006, modifies useful
daylight illuminance by quantifying the
percentage of floor space receiving more
than 60% daylightingdefined as illuminance between 40 footcandles and 400
footcandles, or 150 1500 luxduring
business hours. The metric incorporates

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

a penalty for illuminance levels of more

than 400 footcandles when there is too
much daylight in the floor area.
Additional daylight metrics to describe
performance over time and under
changing conditions are currently being
developed by the IESs Daylight Metrics
subcommittee, with the goal of publishing
standard definitions by 2010. This new
category of dynamic daylighting metrics
essentially uses local weather data to
calculate daylight performance on that
specific site and over a full space grid.
Because the metrics are so complex, digital simulation tools are often used to make
the calculations and interpret the results.
Still, in spite of their complexity, these
dynamic daylighting concepts can bring
the Building Team new insights into their
projects and new ways to use more
daylight and reduce energy use.

www.BDCnetwork.com

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SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

fruit for generating high energy savings, says DiLouie.

IECC 2009 establishes daylight control zones that must
be controlled separately from the general lightingwithout specifying control methodand ASHRAE 90.1-2010
will likely include some type of daylight-harvesting control
requirement.

DIMMING AND CONTROLS SYSTEMS

Beyond codes and standards, any successful building
incorporating daylighting and electrical lighting systems
must include a carefully designed, integrated, and calibrated control system. According to Tanteri, the best way
to approach this is to first design the building for daylight,
then for electric light. The first step is to maximize the
daylighted floor area with the goal of eliminating electric
light when daylight is available, he says. Space programming, zoning, control intelligence, and interoperability

all come into play in this endeavor, but the message is,
Daylight first.
In general, there are two types of systems for daylighting
controls, which refer to the methods for measuring daylight
contribution: closed-loop and open-loop. Closed-loop photosensors measure combined illuminance from all lighting sources,
and those readings adjust the electrical lighting levels. In
contrast, open-loop sensors have photocells that measure
only incoming daylight. With open-loop sensors, the system
controllers dim the electrical lights based on an estimate of
daylight contribution.

Editors Note

Additional required reading online! To earn 1 AIA/CES continuing

education unit, complete the required reading and take the CEU
test posted at www.BDCnetwork.com/article/ca6703574.html.

LIGHTING/DAYLIGHTING EDUCATION MODULE

Pass this exam and earn 1 AIA/CES credit! You must go to www.BDCnetwork.com/article/ca6703574.html to take this exam!
1. A general rule of thumb for effectively daylighting a
building is to:
A. Optimize the building for full sun conditions only.
B. Optimize for the predominant sky condition, while
ensuring the system works for all possible sky conditions.
C. Optimize for all sky conditions, using daylight systems that compensate for any possible variations.
D. Optimize the building for overcast conditions.
2. True or False: The buildings most likely to reduce
energy consumption and maximize daylighting benefits
tend to be shorter structures elongated east to west,
with shallow floor plates.
A. True.
B. False.
3. Daylight autonomy can be defined as:
A. The amount of daylight required to effectively illuminate a space for a given occupant type.
B. Building systems that allow occupants to adjust
critical operating systems related to daylight harvesting.
C. Daylight factor as compared to useful daylight
illuminance, expressed as a ratio.
D. The amount of time a daylight harvesting system
allows a building to operate without electric lights.
4. Which of the following standards is NOT applicable to
harvesting daylighting or the use of integrated lighting
controls?
A. ASHRAE 90.1
B. Californias Title 24
C. ASTM E-84
D. IECC

116

NOVEMBER 2009

5. Which statement below is true about daylighting

controls and the photosensors used to control electrical
light levels?
A. Open-loop sensors measure only incoming daylight.
B. Both open- and closed-loop sensors measure illuminance from all lighting sources.
C. Open-loop sensors are used to dim electrical lights
and close window shades based on all incoming
light sources.
D. Closed-loop sensors are always located on the
outside of a building.
6. Open-loop sensors are especially effective in the
middle of the day and during sunny and bright conditions. Closed-loop systems are more effective under
partly cloudy skies and during the early morning and
late afternoon hours, because:
A. Heat can affect the performance of the outdoor
sensors.
B. They are calibrated to maintain a specific set
point, adjusting dimming accordingly.
C. They are more likely to over-dim the interior.
D. The sensors only measure daylight from the building exterior.
7. The two approaches to dimming interior lighting are:
A. Transformers and electronic controls.
B. Dimmable ballasts and waveform adjustments.
C. Voltage-reducing ballasts and dimmable ballasts.
D. Control wiring and line-voltage wiring.
8. In terms of lamp color temperature, a space generally
occupied during the daytime and at night should be
fitted with:
A. Lamps with a color temperature higher than 4100K.

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

B. Lamps with a color temperature between 5000K

and 6100K.
C. Lamps with a color temperature below 3200K.
D. Lamps with a color temperature of 4100K as well
as lamps with lower color temperatures.
9. Dynamic lighting technology is a novel approach to
improving end-user experience in a building. Which of
the following statements best describes how it works?
A. Lighting controls allow building occupants to
adjust light levels and daylight shading to suit
each persons individual preference.
B. Differentially dimmable cool lamps and warm
lamps reduce overall color temperature, regardless
of how much daylight enters the space.
C. Differentially dimmable cool lamps and warm
lamps adjust color temperature and intensity to
complement the natural cycles of the body.
D. Differentially dimmable cool lamps and warm
lamps enhance the perceptible shift in color
temperature, stimulating the natural cycles of the
body.
10. Daylight factor (DF), a common daylight metric,
measures daylight in a space on a scale of:
A. 1.0 to 100 DF.
B. 0.1 to 10.0 DF.
C. 0-2000 lux.
D. 40-4000 footcandles.

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Input #26 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

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Input #28 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION

Photo: DAVE HOLLINGER

Precast

All the Way

Penn States new Applied Research
Laboratory building uses total precast
to deliver value, aesthetics, speed,
and sustainability.
By Hannah Schroder, Contributing Editor
For years, precast concrete has been viewed as a mass-produced product with no personality or visual appealthe
vanilla of building materials.
Thanks to recent technological innovations in precast
molds and thin veneers, however, that image is changing. As
precastconcrete building components that are poured and
molded offsitecontinues to develop a vibrant personality all
its own, it is playing an increasingly vital role in the building
www.BDCnetwork.com

industry, as a nearly completed project at Pennsylvania State

University illustrates.
Precast is just coming into its own now, says Bill Wolfford, vice president of Sponaugle Construction Services, State
College, Pa., the construction manager for Crocker-West, a
121,000-sf, $16.5 million Applied Research Lab being built on
a 6.3-acre site at Pennsylvania State Universitys main campus.
Aside from a window curtain wall, the building is being constructed entirely of precast elements.
The way manufacturers have been able to incorporate
technology into molds to produce architecturally pleasing
panels has gotten more people interested day by day, says
A crew from local firm Sponaugle Construction Services hauls in a brickveneer precast panel for the new Applied Research Laboratory building
on the campus of Pennsylvania State University, State College.
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

november 2009

119

Photo: DAVE HOLLINGER

CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION

The $16.5 million Crocker-West Advanced Research Lab will

seek LEED Gold certification when its completed in December.

Wolfford. Precast has come a long way in the last few years.
It makes sense now.
Scott Smith, the buildings designer and a principal at local
firm Civilsmith Engineering, Inc., says that one of the inherent
advantages of a total precast building is its efficiency and the
tremendous time savings it affords the construction schedule.
Using precast enabled Crocker-West to be constructed
in phases, each consisting of a different piece of the total
structure, along with a parallel construction schedule. This
approach has enabled various trades to work concurrently on
discrete sections of the structure. For example, while the roof
and floors were in place in the first phase and workers were
starting to frame walls, phase five was still just an open shell.
The building just goes together like a jigsaw puzzle, says
Smith. It allows trade workers to be in the building sooner, since
the building goes up three stories at a time, one section at a time.
The interior structure and exterior shell were erected in
only eight-and-a-half weeks. Since everything is pre-coordinated, erecting the precast panels involved only one building
trade, making the work flow a lot smoother.
Only four weeks into the job, the Building Team was able to
roof completed portions and begin installing components such
as windows and rough-in mechanical details. This construction
schedule is absolutely unattainable by other methods, says Smith.
The use of welded connections instead of grouted ones
allowed the structure to go up even faster than traditional
total precast projects by eliminating the need to slow the

120

november 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

Precast project hopes

to strike gold
The Building Team for Crocker-West is aiming for LEED
Gold certification. Sustainable attributes of the precast-constructed Applied Research Lab include:
A vegetated green roof on a portion of the building.
Occupants will be able to use the outdoor space without
leaving the buildings secured environment.
A white Hypalon rubber roof covering all roof areas not
occupied by the green roof, to reduce urban heat island
effect.
Pervious paving to absorb stormwater runoff and
reduce heat island effect.
High-efficiency HVAC systems, which were installed to
take the property from LEED Silver to LEED Gold.
The original 168 trees on the property, which were
saved and replanted.
The construction waste, about 80% of which was
diverted from landfill.

work down to heat the grout. Elements such as light fixtures,

conduit, and HVAC openings were also cast into the panels,
saving subcontractors time.
On the main building, precast panels serve four functions:
exterior faade, structural component, fireproofing, and insulation. The panels have an insulation value of R-28, compared
with about R-13 for conventional construction.
www.BDCnetwork.com

Photo: DAVE HOLLINGER

Crocker-West is already well ahead of its originally projected 45-week construction schedule and is on track for completion in December, five weeks ahead of schedule. Without
precast, a project of this size might require another six to eight
months of construction time, according to Smith.
Designer Scott Smith of Civilsmith Engineering created a custom

Heightened aesthetics

30-foot module in which to cast most of the projects 1,200 pieces,

Strategic pre-planning in the precast design process has also

resulted in enhanced aesthetics for the project.
Repetitionthe key to efficiency and cost-effectiveness in
precastenabled Smith to incorporate ornate pieces in the
project without blowing the budget. Many of the projects
1,200 pieces were cast on a single, 30-foot module of Smiths
creation. He also designed a relatively expensive mold for an
ornate cornice, then used the mold for 40 separate pieces that
are spread across the entire building, greatly reducing the unit
cost of each piece.
The Building Team also used new mold technology to
employ dyed architectural precast on Crocker-Wests exposed
interior columns, which were sandblasted to provide texture.

which are slightly smaller than in most precast construction.

This technique eliminated the need to wrap the columns in

fireproofing or to paint and maintain them. Other pieces utilized a kind of limestone-look liner or thin brick accents built
into the initial design. API, a US Concrete Precast Group
company, did all the precast work.
Careful scheduling and delivery of precast panels and hollow-core floor planks (from Nitterhouse Concrete Products,
Chambersburg, Pa.) reduced the need for onsite storage, since
the precast was off-loaded directly onto the building rather
than having to be stored onsite.
While some precast project designs typically seek to mini-

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CEM_BCD_HALF GENERAL.indd 1

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

november 2009

121

9/23/2009 3:01:34 PM

Photo: DAVE HOLLINGER

CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION

API, a division of US Concrete Precast

Group, did all the precast work, including
panels that emulate the look of limestone.
Using precast will chop five weeks off the
45-week construction schedule.

mize costs by limiting the number of

precast pieces, Smith realized that trimming construction time would yield even
greater savings. Instead of following a
typical precast design that calls for erection of large vertical panels, CrockerWest was constructed horizontally, story
by story, using slightly smaller pieces but
more of them.
Total precast offers a lot of benefits
that might not be outwardly obvious,
says Smith, who with partner Mike Coyle
formed C2S, a limited partnership which
is developing the property for Penn State
on a leaseback basis. Since Crocker-West
is a prevailing wage project, less onsite
work has reduced labor costs. A compressed construction schedule will result
in a quicker revenue stream and lower
construction interest costs for C2S.

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Precast construction is also helping

the Building Team toward its goal of a
LEED Gold rating.
Severe flooding in the area prompted
the township to impose rigorous site
restrictions: absolutely no net gain in
drainage runoff rate or volume from
the 6.3-acre site for a 100-year flood
event. To meet this requirement, Smith
designed a gigantic underground precast
cistern to capture runoff and control
infiltration.
The 130-foot-long, 12x12-foot
concrete tank can hold 138,000 gallons
of runoff, which will be filtered, treated
with ultraviolet light, and reused as
graywater for flushing toilets in the
building. The cistern sits entirely below
ground and supports the weight of the
parking area and landscaping. One of
its walls is formed by the exterior loadbearing wall of the building.
Despite its many benefits, precast
is not the answer for every project.
Its a very cost-competitive solution
for large, multi-story buildings or big,
single-story buildings, says Sponaugle
Constructions Wolfford.
To take full advantage of precasts
benefits, the building needs to have lots
of repetition in order to be able to reuse
molds. Wolfford also recommends that
a precast specialty engineer be consulted
from the very start of the project to save
on pre-design costs, which are critical to
overall cost savings.
With the right project, though,
precast can be a contactors dream come
true. Im a huge fan of total precast
now, says Wolfford, who had never
done a precast job before Crocker-West.
It makes my life a lot easier. BD+C

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122

Sustainable design benefits, too

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was named Outstanding Intern of the
Year by the Business Press Educational
Foundation for her work as an editorial
intern with BD+C in 2006.

Input #30 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

november 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

CORE & SHELL SOLUTIONS

Award-Winning

Brick Structures
A recap of the Best in Class winners of the 2009
Brick in Architecture Awards Competition

Commercial
Category Winner
Westin Alexandria, Alexandria, Va.

PHOTO: Robert Benson Photography

Brick Industry Association

PHOTO: Eric Taylor

Brick Industry Association

The Brick Industry Association recently announced the winners of its 2009 Brick in Architecture Awards Competition. The winning submissions represent the best of the best
in brick design and construction. Heres a recap of the 2009 Best in Class winners in the
commercial, institutional, and multifamily residential building categories.

Educational Category
Mount Holyoke College Residence Hall, South Hadley, Mass.

Building Team
Architect: Cooper Carry
Builder: Balfour Beatty Construction
Manufacturer: Taylor Clay Products
Distributor: Potomac Valley Brick & Supply Co.
Mason contractor: United Masonry Inc.
Other buildings in the area have made extensive use of brick,
so it was only natural for the design team to select brick as the
major exterior cladding material. This building is designed
to have a modern feel, while acknowledging the influence of
nearby historic buildings. The capacity of brick to provide
both the familiar, human-scale of the module, and the crisp
solidity one would expect to find in a contemporary design,
made it a logical choice. As a result, the building projects a
look of permanence and authenticity in a vibrant part of town.
www.BDCnetwork.com

Building Team
Architect: The S/L/A/M Collaborative
Builder: Barr & Barr
Manufacturer: Glen-Gery Corp.
Distributor: Spaulding Brick Co.
Mason contractor: Chabot & Burnett Construction Co.
It was of utmost importance to the college that this new
residence hall reflects and enhances the traditional neoclassical architecture of the original campus. The buildings ornate
brick faade played an important role serving as a cohesive
backdrop and tying together the building form. The building
exterior is highly articulated, through detailed brickwork, window placement, and multiple roof lines, reflecting the variety
and diversity of the program.
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

november 2009

123

PHOTO: Daniel Cunningham

Brick Industry Association

PHOTO: Maurice Jennings

Brick Industry Association

CORE & SHELL SOLUTIONS

Houses of
Worship Category
Healthcare
Facilities Category
The Institute for Genomic Research, Rockville Md.
Building Team
Architect: Leo A Daly
Manufacturer: The Belden Brick Co.
Distributor: Potomac Valley Brick and Supply Co.
Mason contractor: Manganaro Mid-Atlantic
Inspiration for the overall design of the facility came from the
owners admiration for Frank Lloyd Wrights architectural style,
which can be seen on other surrounding buildings. Due to the
projects emphasis on durability and sense of permanence, clay
brick and clay pavers were the obvious product choices to fulfill
the buildings highly technical and functional requirements.

Julia Thompson Smith Chapel at Agnes Scott College,

Decatur, Ga.
Building Team
Architect: Maurice Jennings Architect
Builder: Brasfield & Gorrie
Manufacturer: Triangle Brick Co.
Distributor: North Georgia Brick Co.
Mason contractor: B&M Masonry
Upholding the principles of organic architecture championed
by Frank Lloyd Wright, the chapel relates to the established
architectural vernacular of the campus and surroundings. The
chapel picks up on the brick and stone language of the campus, but expresses itself distinctly in a form that is understood
as a chapel. The brick bays in the chapel frame views to the
surrounding gardens while creating a barrier between the
chapel and the busy campus. Load-bearing double-wythe walls
create the bents, keeping them thin and allowing open views
to the side.

Municipal/Government/
Civic Category
Building Team
Architect: Matheny Goldmon Architects
Manufacturer: Jenkins Brick & Tile Co.
Mason contractor: Southern Masonry Construction
The architect created a design that reflects and enhances
the historic character of downtown Huntsville. By working
closely with brick masons, the architect was able to incorporate complex yet elegant design details, including the
rounded turret and spiral stairs found in the citys original
fire station.

124

november 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

PHOTO: Matheny Goldmon Architects

Brick Industry Association

Fire Station #1, West Police Precinct, Huntsville, Ala.

www.BDCnetwork.com

Input #31 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

CORE & SHELL SOLUTIONS

Multifamily Residential Category

Butterfield House, Washington, D.C.

PHOTO: Donna Chiarelli, Glen-Gery Brick

Brick Industry Association

Building Team
Architect: SGA Architects
Builder: Magellan Construction
Manufacturer: Glen-Gery Corp.
Distributor: Capital Brick
Mason contractor: Calvert Masonry
The challenge was to provide a design that offers residents
state-of-the-art amenities while blending into the diverse mix
of historical architectural styles found throughout Capitol Hill.
The solution called for the use of historical building forms
highlighted by intricate brick patterns inspired by 19th-century
architect William Butterfield. The use of brick allowed an expansion of the design expressions to include many architectural
elements like banding, arches, and corbelling. BD+C

Moisture and movement control are

two of the biggest challenges designers
and builders face on brick and masonry
projects, according to Scott Conwell,
director of technical services for the Illinois office of the International Masonry
Institute (IMI), an alliance between the
International Union of Bricklayers and
Allied Craftworkers (BAC) and their
signatory contractors to promote quality
masonry construction through training
and educational sessions.
Conwell offers the following tips for
getting moisture and movement control
just right.
Moisture control
Have skilled, trained bricklayers
perform the masonry work. Bricklayers
that are trained through official programs like the IMI have mastered the
specific moisture and movement workmanship techniques, says Conwell.
Keep the cavity clean. Maintain
clean work practices where only a minimal amount of mortar is allowed to fall
into the cavity. You dont want mortar
droppings obstructing the weep vents in
the cavity, says Conwell. To reduce the
risk of blockage, Building Teams should
consider incorporating some type of
mortar dropping collection device.

126

november 2009

Consider an air barrier. While

some areas of the country dont currently require air barriers by code, the
inclusion of an air barrier is good design
practice for minimizing air infiltration
and exfiltration and maximizing energy
efficiency. Many designers are focused
on vapor barriers, but its been proven
that air barriers are more effective at
keeping walls dry and heating and cooling costs down, says Conwell.
Ensure flashing is continuous.
Flashing should be continuous and
properly attached to the backup system. The key is to have a good attachment detail for the flashing to the
backup system, as well as a proper
drip edge made of stainless steel or an
equivalent, durable material, according to Conwell.
Movement control
Understand how buildings move.
Brick expands due to temperature
and moisture changes, while concrete
masonry shrinks. Therefore, brick walls
should have expansion joints, while concrete block walls should have control
joints. The two are detailed very differently, so designers need to ensure that
the proper joint is specified and correctly detailed.

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

PHOTOs: Mortar Net USA, Ltd.

6 tips on brick and masonry construction

A recent bricklayers training event at the International Masonry Institutes District Council Training Center in Addison, Ill., covered,
among other things, flashing techniques.

Be careful when substituting

materials. Designers and builders should
keep in mind the physical differences
between various masonry materials,
such as cast stone, calcium silicate, and
limestone. They may look the same, but
oftentimes they move differently, says
Conwell. Weve seen some wall failures
that occurred because a material was
substituted for another and the movement
joint design was not altered. BD+C

www.BDCnetwork.com

X 5-1/2 ft. Panels of

PRE-CUT FLEXIBLE
Y Built-In
FLASHING*
Z Built-In
NO-CLOG
All main components
DRAINAGE MATTE TERMINATION
BARS
are factory-assembled
lets water pass,
with pre-drilled
onto easy-to-mount
unobstructed,
holes, allow quick,
flashing panels.
to Weep Tabs.
one-man
installation.

Built-In
[EDGE
DAM

Weve factory assembled EVERY modern moisturecontrol device onto each handy panel of topquality flashing*! It slashes the risk of mold or
moisture-damage...yet actually installs faster (and
more reliably) than flashing alone!
No extra deliveries to wait for! No cutting of
flashing-rolls! No lap-joint problems! Just take
a 5-1/2-foot panel of TOTALFLASHTM out of the
box and mount it to the wall. (One man can do it
alone.) Masons report speeds of 150 lineal ft. per
hr.! Pre-fabricated Corners/Boots can make it even
faster!

directs
moisture
out of
building.

18

Built-In
^ NO-CLOG
] Built-In
Pre-Formed
CORNER BOOTS,
STAINLESS STEEL
CORNERS & END DAMS
for perfect corners
every time.

All Screws &

Adhesive Tubes
included in
each box of
TOTALFLASH

WEEP TABS
deliver
moisture
to the
outside
of the
building.

STAINLESS
STEEL
Clearly
DRIP EDGE \
Specified
releases
LAP JOINTS
moisture
enforce
away from
complete
building.
secure
coverage.

*Standard height is 18; 12, 15, and custom heights and configurations are available for restoration
work, windows, doors, etc. Uses 40-mil polymeric, reinforced, UV stable flashing membrane, incorporating
DuPonts Elvaloy KEE polymer.

Water can infiltrate any masonry, even with

IWR. But now its easy to expel. Simply drop a
lightweight Blok-Flash pan atop each cell on
the first course of block. Forget about peagravel for the second course, too--our new,
feather-light Mesh Inserts are quicker & easier.

BLOK-FLASH has NO or equal!

Input #32 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

Using these products may

help your project qualify
for LEED credits

PRODUCTS

Products at Work

Triple-glazed
window unit

Guardian Industries

Architectural-grade window system

includes a triple-glazing feature with
integral blinds that provides strong solar
heat gain control for structures such
as office buildings, hospitals, schools,
and condominiums. When used in
combination with standard glazing, the
YOW350T provides a U-value of 0.32 in
a fixed window option. Thermal breaks
minimize the flow of thermal energy
between conductive materials, enabling
the unit to conserve energy, reduce operating costs, and have separate interior
and exterior finishes to meet design
needs.

Input No. 206 at BDCnetwork.com/BDCinfo

YKK AP

High-performance privacy glass

Architectural glass offers the solar control of high-performance coated glass with
an acid-etched, translucent appearance for commercial faade applications.
SatinDeco provides a classic translucent look for use as decorative glazing in hotels, healthcare facilities, offices, and retail buildings. The glass is manufactured
using an acid-etching process, which creates a flat, smooth glass surface that
disperses light and transforms transparent float glass into translucent glass.

Input No. 204 at BDCnetwork.com/BDCinfo

Two-faced safety glass

Dual-surface, laminated safety glass allows for two distinct aestheticsone on
each side of the glassfor increased design flexibility. Decorative surface options include etched and rolled patterns, and different colors that sandwich a
mirror interlayer. EchoMirror was developed for architects and designers looking
for an opaque material with luminous properties. Its front and back surfaces can
be identical, if desired.

Bendheim
Input No. 203 at BDCnetwork.com/BDCinfo

128

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

The Big House gets a big makeover

High-performance Tercem 3000 blended cement is playing a key role in the
$226 million renovation and expansion of Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. The
projects Building Team, which includes Clawson & Killins Concrete Companies
and Walker Parking Consultants, specified the cement for major portions of the
three-year projectincluding construction of a replacement bowlfor its high
strength, durability, and ideal placing and finishing qualities. Tercem 3000
is a blend of slag cement, silica fume, and Portland cement that provides improved, 28-day strength, reduced permeability, improved rheology and pumpability of concrete (especially in hot weather), reduced concrete bleeding, and
improved resistance to alkali-silica reaction when compared with standard
cement products.

Window system tilts

and turns
The new TRACO NX-3700 Tilt Turn
Window System offers indirect ventilation using tilt operation and ease of
cleaning with 90-degree turn operation. The window is designed to allow
for larger-sized manufactured window
units for increased daylight area. A
thermal barrier provides up to 50%
better thermal insulation than PVC or
polyurethane units.

Lafarge

TRACO

Input No. 207 at BDCnetwork.com/BDCinfo

Input No. 215 at BDCnetwork.com/BDCinfo

Insulated wall panel or precast concrete?

A new insulated wall panel features a hard, aggregated, fiber-reinforced polymer
coating that provides the appearance of finished precast concrete and the efficiency of an insulated metal panel. Tuff-Cast is ideal for industrial park settings
that wantor requirea tilt-up concrete look. Unlike field-applied finishes that
are vulnerable to damp or cold weather during installation, Tuff-Cast panels can be
erected in virtually any weather condition. The finish provides a durable, impactand abrasion-resistant coating that can withstand severe weather conditions.

Metl-Span
Input No. 201 at BDCnetwork.com/BDCinfo
www.BDCnetwork.com

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

129

1 Business

BESTSELLER

Turn the page to distinctive architectural effects using steel joists!

Free guide elevates design ideas and lowers project costs.

Vastly expanded steel joist specications are based on accepted engineering
standards. Joist proles include gable, bowstring, scissor and arched. Cost-effectively
go from design and engineering to accurate takeoffs. Reduce a range of related costs,
backed by our dynamic, just-in-time manufacturing.

Order your FREE copy today

or download as a pdf:
www.newmill.com/turn

Engineering specications are now available for nearly 40,000 steel joist
design possibilities.
Establishes design loads from 250 plf to 1000 plf in steps of 50 plf.
Based on the Steel Joist Institute (SJI) specications with modications
to accommodate special joist geometries including bracing.
Includes data for determining span, design load, dimension of pitch
or curve, and more.
New charts for design cost comparisons, with approximate
weight-per-foot for each design.

Flexible to the Finish

MIDWEST
(260) 868-6000

Input #34 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

EASTERN
(540) 389-0211

SOUTHERN
(386) 466-1300

PRODUCTS

Products at Work

Wireless controls
reduce hotel room
energy use by 33%
A recent independent study conducted at a Wyndham Hotel in Boston
showed that hotel rooms controlled
by the Verde wireless/batteryless
energy control system consumed
33% less energy than rooms without
the energy harvesting controls. The
Verde hotel room energy system determines if a hotel room is vacant or
occupied according to the status of
the systems keycard access switch.
When a guest enters the room and
inserts the key card into its dock,
a radio signal is sent to alert the
system that the room is occupied.
When the guest leaves the room,
the removed key card automatically
shuts off controlled lights and other
electronics and sets the in-room
HVAC system back to its unoccupied/
energy-conservation mode.

Plant a green roof in an instant

Carlisle SynTecs Roof Garden system provides instant vegetative coverage through
the use of Vegetated Sedum Tiles, which are shipped to the site and dropped into
place over the growth media. The tiles eliminate the need for landscapers, as well
as the tedious labor associated with planting a large roof area.

Carlisle SynTec
Input No. 214 at BDCnetwork.com/BDCinfo

Reformulated
VOC-free paint

EnOcean

Fifteen years after Benjamin Moore

introduced its first zero-VOC paint,
EcoSpec, the company launched a reformulation of the product line and made it
available in all of the companys 3,300plus colors. EcoSpec WB is 100%
VOC-free, has virtually no odor during
application, and dries rapidly, allowing
for spaces to be used within two hours
of being painted. The paint is available
in a primer and three topcoat finishes:
flat, eggshell, and semi-gloss.

Input No. 216 at BDCnetwork.com/BDCinfo

Benjamin Moore
Input No. 208 at BDCnetwork.com/BDCinfo

Gypsum board can take the abuse

Ideal for schools, hotels, health clubs, and other high-traffic commercial applications, ProRoc Extra Abuse Gypsum Board with M2Tech protects against
indentations, offers moisture and mold protection, and is fire resistant. The
board features a fire-resistant, noncombustible core and is enclosed in 100%
recycled paper that is treated to protect against mold growth. This combination also offers greater resistance to abuse over standard gypsum products.

CertainTeed
Input No. 209 at BDCnetwork.com/BDCinfo

www.BDCnetwork.com

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

131

PRODUCTS

Products at Work
Self-cleaning brick pavers
Hanson Hardscapes entire line of
cement brick pavers is now available
with TX Active self-cleaning, pollutant-reducing cement mix. TX Active is

used as a catalyst to naturally break

down organic and inorganic pollutants,
including carbon monoxide, nitrogen
oxides, sulfur oxides, and volatile

Hanson Hardscapes

FlexHead Industries is
committed to the environment
and green building principles

Input No. 211 at BDCnetwork.com/BDCinfo

Interior gypsum panels

pass 12-week mold test

FlexHead Industries demonstrates

its commitment to sustainability
by supporting LEED (Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design)
principles and USGBC (U.S. Green
Building Council) objectives.
Millions of gallons of water are
drained from sprinkler piping
every year. FlexHead products can
help minimize hydrostatic testing
during initial installation and
eliminate the need to drain
sprinkler piping during tenant
fitups and/or sprinkler head
relocations.

organic compounds, such as benzene

and toluene. It also helps maintain the
products aesthetic appeal by preventing the buildup of soot, grime, mold,
mildew, algae, and bacteria, which can
discolor pavements over time.

FlexHead sprinkler
connections are not
only environmentally
friendly, but they also
facilitate fast-track
construction, perfect
aesthetic uniformity,
simplified project
management and
cost effective code
compliance.

Flexhead sprinkler
connections have been
seismically qualified for
use and meet all of the
International Building
Code (IBC) requirements
without the need for an
oversized ring, sleeve or
adapter through the
ceiling tile.

Its just one more way FlexHead

helps reduce operating costs as
it increases the value and
sustainability of your property.

Two Dens brand interior gypsum panel

products from Georgia-Pacific have
passed the industrys most-stringent
mold-resistance testthe 12-week
ASTM D 6329 protocol. DensArmor
Plus High-Performance Interior Panel
and DensShield Tile Backer each
passed the test with zero mold growth.
The test, which is three times longer
and more rigorous than the current
industry standard (ASTM D 3273),
was conducted by an independent
third party.

Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC

Input No. 213 at BDCnetwork.com/BDCinfo

56 Lowland Street
Holliston, MA 01746
toll-free 800-829-6975
(508) 893-9596
fax (508) 893-6020
[email protected]

800-829-6975

www.flexhead.com

www.flexhead.com

U.S. and international patents pending: #6,123,154, #6,119,784, #6,752,218,

#7,032,680, #6,488,097. FGG/BM, FlowGuard Gold, BlazeMaster, and Corzan
are registered trademarks of Noveon IP Holdings Corp.
USGBC and LEED are registered trademarks of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Input #35 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

132

NOVEMBER 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

www.BDCnetwork.com

ADVERTISEMENT

PRODUCT & LITERATURE DIGEST

November

2009

Send for FREE Product Information

CF Architectural Insulated
Metal Wall Panel
Snake Tray - Smart Power
Distribution and Cable
Management
Snake
Trays patented power distribution
Headline

and
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toCompanyName
install quickly. Snake Bus power
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a pre-wired system for
Input #XXX atisBDCnetwork.com/quickaccess
floors and is energy efficient and
Response
reusable. Snake Tray cable trays are
hand bendable to save on labor and no
material waste. Visit www.snaketray.com
or call 800-308-6788.

Snake Tray
Input #15 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

The Metl-Span CF Architectural wall

panel is ideal for high-profile architectural
applications. The panels may be installed
either vertically or horizontally for
maximum design impact. Available
features include custom widths and
varying side joint reveals. Other specialty
features that can be incorporated into
the wall design include curved and
radius panels, and the Metl-Vision
window system with a flush frame design
for unlimited variation and dramatic
building designs. To learn more, visit us
online at www.metlspan.com.
877-585-9969

Metl-Span
Input #151 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

Kullman Bathroom PODS

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Kullman

Input #152 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

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Brochure Introduces
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Input #154 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

Input #153 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

www.BDCnetwork.com

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BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

NOVEMBER 2009

133

ADVERTISEMENT

LIT DIGEST
November

2009

Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation

Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation (Required by Title 39 United States Code 3685) for BUILDING
DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION (ISSN-0007-3407; Publication number: USPS 070-160), published monthly at Reed Business
Information, 8878 S. Barrons Blvd., Highlands Ranch, CO 80129-2345 for October 2009. Annual rates: $145.99 USA;
$189.99 Canada; $189.99 Mexico; $279.99 other foreign. Complete mailing address of known office of publication is Reed
Business Information, 8878 S. Barrons Blvd., Highlands Ranch, CO 80129-2345. Complete mailing address of headquarters
or general business office of publisher is Reed Business Information, Division of Reed Elsevier, Inc., 360 Park Avenue South,
New York, NY 10010. Publisher: Dean Horowitz, General Manager, Reed Construction Media, 2000 Clearwater Dr., Oak Brook,
IL 60523; Editor-in-Chief: Robert Cassidy, Reed Construction Media, 2000 Clearwater Dr., Oak Brook, IL 60523; Managing
Editor: Dave Barista, Reed Construction Media, 2000 Clearwater Dr., Oak Brook, IL 60523. The owner is Reed Business
Information, Division of Reed Elsevier, Inc., 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010.

FlexHead Flexible Fire

Sprinkler Connections
FlexHead Industries manufactures
high-quality flexible fire sprinkler
connections, which connect sprinkler
heads to the branch lines. FlexHeads
connections install at least five times
faster than traditional hard-pipe while
offering tremendous benefits to the
construction team, including fast-track
construction, GREEN benefits, superior
seismic protection, perfect center-oftile placement, and simplified project
management. Please call 800-829-6975
or visit our Web site at www.flexhead.com
for more information.

FlexHead Industries

Input #155 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

Extent and Nature of Circulation

(Sept. 2009 issue)


a. Total No. of Copies (Net Press Run)
b. Legitimate Paid and/or Requested Distribution
1. Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions (PS Form 3541).
2. In-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions (PS Form 3541).
3. Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales
and Other Paid or Requested Distributuion Outside USPS
4. Requested Copies Distributed by Other Mail Classes
Through the USPS (e.g., First-Class Mail)
c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation
d. Nonrequested Distribution
1. Outside County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541
2. In-County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541
3. Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through
the USPS by Other Classes of Mail
4. Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail (e.g., trade shows)
e. Total Nonrequested Distribution
f. Total Distribution
g. Copies Not Distributed
h. Total
i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation

Average No. Copies

Each Issue
During Preceding
12 Months
64,399

No. Copies
of Single Issue
Nearest
Filing Date
61,536

62,347

60,652

61

46

62,408

60,698

743

585

167
910
63,318
1,081
64,399
98.56%

585
61,283
253
61,536
99.05%

I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or
misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal
sanctions criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties). Simon
Young (signed), Group Audience Marketing Director

RBI Statement of Digital Circulation

Printed Circulation (PS Form 3526, line 15a)
Digital Circulation
Total Circulation

Sustainable Commercial
Entrance Products
Special-Lite provides the single, sustainable
solution to the multiple challenges
of commercial entrances! Custom
fabricated to match any architectural style
GREENGUARD Children & Schools
Certified for IAQ Superior flush door
thermal performance No need to finish
or refinish Extends life of entire entrance.
Request our Green brochure to learn more:
visit www.special-lite.com/green or call
800-821-6531.

Special-Lite Inc.

Input #156 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

12-month avg.
64,399
13,124
77,523

September
61,536
15,164
76,700

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION (ISSN 0007-3407, Vol. 50, No. 11, GST#123397457) is published
monthly by Reed Business Information, 8878 S. Barrons Blvd., Highlands Ranch, CO 80129-2345. Reed
Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc., is located at 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY
10010. John Poulin, CEO/CFO, RBI-US; Jeff DeBalko, President, RBI-US. BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION
copyright 2009 by Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION is a registered
trademark of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc. used under license. Periodicals postage paid at Littleton, CO
80126 and additional mailing offices. Circulation records are maintained at Reed Business Information,
8878 S. Barrons Blvd., Highlands Ranch, CO 80129-2345. Phone: (303) 470-4445, fax: (303) 470-4280.
Periodicals postage paid at Littleton, CO 80126 and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address
changes to BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION, P.O. Box 7500, Highlands Ranch, CO 80163-7500.
Please address all subscription mail to Building Design+Construction, 8878 S. Barrons Blvd., Highlands
Ranch, CO 80129-2345., e-mail: [email protected]. Rates for nonqualified subscriptions, USA,
$145.99; Canada, 189.99 (includes 7% GST, GST#123397457); Mexico $189.99; all other countries, $279.99.
Single copies of regular issues are available for $10.00; July issue, $39.95. Reed Business Information does
not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or
omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result
from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever. Publications Agreement
#40685520, Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: RCS International, Box
697 STN A, Windsor Ontario N9A 6N4. E-mail: [email protected]
Produced and printed in the U.S.A.

ADVERTISERS INDEX

Accelerated Building Technology

AISC
American Express
Arcom Master Systems
Armstrong World Industries
Belden Brick Co., The
Bilco Company, The
Bluebeam Software
Bradley Corp.
Construction Specifications Institute
Delta Faucet Company
Dow Corning
ECORE International
Georgia-Pacific
Halsey Taylor
Holcim Inc.
Hunter Panels
International Exposition Co.
Kawneer Company Inc.
Kullman Buildings Corp.
Merit Professional Coatings
Nora Systems Inc.
Owens Corning
Perfect Polish
Sage Software
Sika Sarnafil Inc.
Simpson Strong-Tie Co.
Southern California Gas Co.
Sloan Valve Co.
Timely Industries
Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
World of Concrete

Page
no.

Circle
no.

12
9
C2
1
35, 37
11
8
25
15
125 31
38
19
27, 29 16,18
92
39
13-16
39
20
4
4
40
21
8
6
135 36
C3
37
3, 89 3, 22
122 30
22
13
21
12
118 28
19
10
90-91 23, 24
24
14
C4
38
2
2
10
7
118
27
6-7
5
28
17
20
11
121
29

Page
no.

White Paper Sponsors

ASBE
WP47
Construction Specifications Institute WP16a-b
IAPMO
WP15
Kohler
WP31
Lafarge
WP2
Sloan Valve Co.
WP9
Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
WP23
U.S. Department of Energy
WP41
U.S. General Services Administration WP25
Watertronics
WP31

Circle
no.

SAME GREAT TASTE

less waste

Greenbuild Supplement

BASF
96, 99, 110
Graphisoft
107
Honeywell
94, 99, 110
Lutron
103, 106
Sage Software
101
Wausau Window and Wall Systems 105
Lighting and Daylighting Supplement

EFCO
ARCAT

115
117

Green Products Supplement

Kingspan
Mortar Net
New Millennium

128
127
130

25
26
33
32
34

The advertisers index is published as an additional service. The publisher does not assume any liability for omissions or errors.

REED CONSTRUCTION MEDIA

Director of E-Media
Mary Nasiri
630/288-8576
[email protected]
Marketing & Client Services
Coordinator
Dawn Batchelder, 630/288-8141
dawn.batchelder@
reedbusiness.com
Custom Reprints and
Electronic Usage
The YGS Group: Jeanine Pranses,
(717) 505-9701 x136
jeanine.pranses@
Eastern Region
theYGSgroup.com
Director Building
Midwest Region
Design+Construction
Director Midwest Region
Advertising Production Manager
Director Eastern Region
Rick Blesi, 630/288-8140
Mike Rotz, 630/288-8427
Dan Colunio, 781/734-8360
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Key Accounts Integrated Sales Advertising Contracts
Key Accounts Integrated Sales Mary Adee
Melinda Werner, 630/288-8065
Adam Grubb, 317/913-1608
630/288-8134
melinda.werner@
reedbusiness.com
[email protected] [email protected]
States: CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, States: AR, IA, IN, KS, LA, MO,
Graphic Production Manager
PA, RI, VT, Eastern Canada
ND, NE, OK,
Shirley Surles
SD,
WI
John Huff, 630/288-8189
630/288-8442
[email protected]
Tim Gillerlain
[email protected]
States: AL, DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, 630/288-8168
Direct Marketing Lists
MS, NC, SC, VA
[email protected] For direct marketing lists:
States:
IL,
KY,
MN,
OH,
TN,
WV
Product Specialist - Integrated
800/323-4958
Sales
Product Specialist - Integrated
Subscription Inquiries
Jan Varnes, 630/288-8143
Sales
For subscription changes:
[email protected]
Rob Bertrand
303/470-4445
630/288-8615
Western Region
fax 303/470-4280
[email protected] subsmail@reedbusiness
Director Western Region
Jeff Elliott, 616/846-4633
[email protected]
General Manager,
Construction Media
Dean Horowitz, 630/288-8180
[email protected]
Group Director Sales &
Business Development
Tony Mancini, 610/688-5553
[email protected]
Director E-media Solutions
Shannon Wasiolek,
630/288-7963
shannon.wasiolek@
reedbusiness.com

www.BDCnetwork.com

Key Accounts Integrated Sales

Brian Grohe, 630/288-8159
[email protected]
States: AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV,
TX, UT, WY
Mike Ostrowski, 424/237-2362
michael.ostrowski@
reedbusiness.com
States: AK, CA, HI, OR, WA,
Western Canada
Product Specialist - Integrated
Sales
Brian Grohe, 630/288-8159
[email protected]

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Input #36 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

november 2009
BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION
135

thought leaders

Joan Racki

is a policy and operations officer with the Iowa Board of Regents,

president-elect of the Society for College and University Planning, and recipient of the Societys
2008 Distinguished Service Award. Prior to joining the Regents staff in 1993 she was facilities
planner for the Idaho Board of Education and served as a capital and operating budget analyst for
the Illinois Board of Higher Education. She has also been a review panel member for the National
Science Foundation. Racki holds a bachelors degree from Scripps College and a masters in International Studies from the University of Denver.

How do you cope with fewer resources?

BD+C: As president-elect of SCUP, youre in touch with
many college and university officials. Whats worrying them
most today?
Joan Racki: Thats easymoney. But its a mixed situation. For
many public institutions, its state funding, or the lack thereof. For
independent privates, it may be a falloff in endowment or philanthropy, or concerns about enrollment numbers (which affects
their tuition base), or the rising cost of operations. For community
colleges, its being able to handle rapidly increasing enrollment.
In general, however, theyre asking, How do you cope with fewer
resources while likely being asked to do more things?

BD+C: Any signs of improvement?

JR: A little. This fall, higher education benefited from a largely
stable enrollment, with institutions having improved access to
credit. But those of us at public institutions are worried about next
year. I read in The New York Times that total state tax collections
were down 16.6% this year. The state of Iowa has 10% across-theboard cuts in effect for fiscal 2009.

BD+C: Any finance innovations youre hearing about?

JR: The no-frills campusno recreation center, no dorms, no
student union. [Southern New Hampshire University has opened
such a facility in a suburban office park for first- and second-year
students, who pay 40% of the regular tuition.] Will students and
parents buy in to this concept? I dont know. My personal opinion is
that it wont catch on.

BD+C: Is the stimulus helping universities?

JR: Stimulus funds were allocated to the states for maintenance
of effort for K-12 and higher education. In addition, theres money
from NIH, NSF, and DOE for competitive grants. For example,
there will be grants for energy efficiency research projects, and for
renewable energy sources for facilities, as well as other construction
activities. So theres probably going to be a lot of construction and
renovation money that will be announced in the next few months.
Higher education institutions, at least in the Midwest, are getting
very competitive bids, so some projects are being speeded up in terms
of the timeline for bidding. I dont know if theres been an adjustment
in how architecture and engineering firms are computing the cost, but

136

november 2009

BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION

I do see the reductions. The thing thats most expensive, compared to

the past, is asphalt, due to the huge demand for highway projects.

BD+C: How else are higher education facilities being affected today?
JR: I am hearing about cutbacks in maintenance and postponing
nonessential maintenance and repair, because those expenses are
coming out of operating dollars. But for self-liquidating facilities
things like residence halls, student unions, recreation centers, or
parking facilities, where there are feesthose facilities do not rely
on general funds, and students are even voting to pay higher fees
for them. If youre building a new academic building, you have to
stretch your operating budget. But if you invest in energy improvements, you can save money. Also, natural gas prices are lower.

BD+C: Youre a member of Iowas Green Jobs Task Force.

What is that group doing?
JR: The task force represents a variety of entitiesutility companies, the Regents, the Iowa Workforce Development, community
colleges, and othersand were looking at the future workforce
needs. For example, theres a lot of stimulus money that could
create green jobs in weatherization. Looking down the road, though,
how you can redeploy those people when the weatherization funds
go away? How could their training be tweaked to do other functions,
such as building commissioning for K-12 schools or government
facilities? Thats a big area of discussion.

BD+C: Any interesting facilities innovations youre seeing?

JR: At our recent SCUP board meeting at the University of Michigan, we had a tour of the Ross School of Business. Its a beautiful
facility, with lots of tiered classrooms where students can turn
around in their seats so that they can have more of a dialogue with
other students. There were these little conference rooms for 6-8
people, and at 6 oclock on a Friday evening, half of them were full,
with students working together. So that kind of collaborative work is
becoming very important.
The other thing were seeing is living/learning communities,
where like-minded groups of studentssay, women engineering
studentsshare a floor or a whole residence hall. Were finding that
this really helps in retention. BD+C
www.BDCnetwork.com

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Input #37 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

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2009 Sage Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Sage, the Sage logo and Sage product and service names mentioned
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Input #38 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse

Avoid delays
Improve overall project
efficiency