an amazing amenity that has made em- ployees happy.” When renovating existing buildings to
improve energy efficiency, there is a lot of focus on mechanical systems. Geothermal has especially impressed GSA because of its efficient means to transfer heat. For example, the Wayne Aspinall Courthouse, Grand Junction, Colo., is a 3-story Second Renaissance Revival-style building that was constructed from 1915-18. As part of its current renovation, GSA contracted for a geothermal system that greatly reduced the energy usage inside the building. “This is a historic building originally designed for natural ventilation and natural day- lighting, so when it’s all done we expect it to come in at net-zero energy,” Davis says. “For a historic existing building to come in at net zero is fantastic!” The American Recovery and Reinvest-
ment Act has been integral in providing funds for GSA’s recent projects. “The re- covery act was a great opportunity for us to go through our deferred maintenance list and really look at which technologies are going to give us the best bang for the buck from a sustainability, energy and water perspective,” Davis explains. “We were able to do window and roof replace- ments, insulation upgrades and lighting replacements—things that were likely to get a good return on the investment.” However, because GSA cannot depend
on an influx of cash like ARRA again, it fol- lows certain protocols with all its build- ings to ensure technologies perform as they should. “We require energy model- ing and commissioning for our projects, which allows a lot of these sustainability ideas to fit into our budgets,” Davis adds. “We can really push the envelope and think differently about these buildings and achieve so much more.” For example, the 6-story Hipolito F. Gar-
cia Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, San Antonio, is a neo-classical, Beaux- Arts style-building built in 1936 that has achieved LEED Platinum with its renova- tion that used a typical GSA budget. “The design team in the region was really able to use the budget Congress gave them and achieve much more than what I think a typical building is able to achieve because we’re already thinking at a higher level about our buildings,” Davis notes.
Listening to Buildings Davis believes the invention of air condi- tioning caused us to forget how to make a building fit into its community and en- vironment. But by “listening” to historic buildings’ original characteristics, we can retrofit them to meet today’s occupants’ needs and be more sustainable. “We can recognize a lot of the wisdom
that was designed into these historic buildings that we can take advantage of to make the buildings meet our modern- day needs,” he explains. “We currently have a great opportunity to look at our existing buildings and determine how we can better utilize them. At the same time, we can potentially save other fed- eral agencies money because our strate- gies will help them minimize their rent, and they can focus that money back on their core missions, which is something all of them would love to do.”
WAYNE ASPINALL COURTHOUSE
A PHOTOVOLTAIC CANOPY WILL ASSIST THE WAYNE ASPINALL COURTHOUSE, GRAND JUNCTION, COLO., IN BECOMING NET-ZERO ENERGY. THE 3-STORY SECOND RENAIS- SANCE REVIVAL-STYLE BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED FROM 1915-18.
Waterproofs windows in weather from mild to Category 5 hurricanes
Air & Waterproof Barrier Systems
Fluid Applied air and waterprrof barriers
for strip-&-reclad or new construction
• Withstands severe weather in excess of Category 5 hurricanes. • Applies to surfaces damp or dry, eliminating many weather-related construction delays.
• Turns leaky old buildings into energyefficient weatherproof top-performers. • Use as building-wide air & water barrier system or for window install retrofits, or both! • Fast, easy application.