Operations Center
| High
Performance Building Features | Green Roof
Information | Permeable Paving Project | FAQ's |
The North Carolina Arboretum’s Operations Center is 10,492 square-foot and provides a modern and safe environment for the Arboretum’s landscape and maintenance staff and their equipment. This facility provides office space and workspace for 15 staff members and 35 volunteers. Work areas include: an automotive, electrical and carpentry shop; research library; laboratory; loading dock; and shipping and receiving area. Outside the building, there is a vehicle washing station, a bulk storage and soil mixing area, and a pesticide mixing building. A 5,160 square-foot steel structure adjacent to the facility provides additional storage space for vehicles and equipment.
The Arboretum’s Operations Center is the first
of 15 state constructed facilities included in the North Carolina Office
of Energy’s pilot program following the Triangle J “High Performance
Building Guidelines.” These
guidelines, adapted from the U.S. Green Building Council, require the
facility to meet criteria for innovative design, energy efficiency, and
environmentally responsible practices. Rather than relying on high-tech
materials, the Operations Center uses standard building components
innovatively. Over time, the facility will save the Arboretum energy,
water and money, which which is translating into savings for North Carolina taxpayers. At current rates, the Operations Center is avoiding over $13,000 in annual utility costs . Furthermore, the staff finds the building a
healthy and productive place to work because of the space design and
day-lighting
features.
The goal for the Operations Center was to save 40% over standard building design practices. To date, the savings have averaged over 60%. This success as well as numerous initiatives throughout the Arboretum campus resulted in a three-year cost avoidance of over 27%; and the Arboretum was one of only four State agencies receiving the
Governor's "Utility Savings Initiative Performance Leadership Award," in March 2006.
Some of the environmental high performance features include:
- A cistern for collection of rainwater runoff reduces the demand on new water usage.
- Solar panels on the roof preheat water before it goes into the water heater, reducing heating costs. These solar panels also power a charging station for electric vehicles. The Arboretum currently has two electric vehicles and plans to add more alternative fuel vehicles in the future.
- North facing, operable, clerestory windows in both office and workshop areas provide natural airflow, called the chimney effect, reducing the need for cooling. They also provide natural daylight for workers inside, reducing the use of artificial lighting.
- The workshop area utilizes natural air circulation rather than air-conditioning. “Air curtains” at interior doorways of all the workshop areas produce a blast of air, providing extra insulation and protecting interior air quality.
- A geothermal heat pump cycles water through a series of nine, 380-foot deep underground wells keeping the water for the building’s heating and cooling system close to a constant temperature of 55 degrees. This will save money throughout the year by eliminating the need to cool or raise water temperature greatly.
- An oil-water separator filters pollutants from water used to wash vehicles and equipment before the water is recycled for irrigation.
- Lights controlled by photo sensors and timers lessen the usage time.
- Water conservation methods such as two waterless urinals each save 40,000 gallons of water a year.
And finally a living “green roof” cools the building in the summer and mitigates the harmful effects of storm water runoff. Ways in which a green roof helps reduce impacts to the environment include:
- cooling
air temperatures through a process known as transpiration, in
which plants release moisture into the air;
- making the roof last longer by reducing the degree in which the surface temperatures fluctuate
- insulating to reduce heating and cooling needs
- treating and reducing water runoff by slowing it down and allowing it to evaporate into the air or be absorbed by the plants growing on the roof.
Green roofs are composed of a series of material
layers including waterproof and root barrier membranes, filter fabric,
lightweight well-drained growing medium and plants. This 3,000 sq ft roof
is bordered with limestone gravel to allow access for roof maintenance and
to buffer rainwater as it passes through. Due to
a 3:12 slope of the roof, a retention grid is used to hold 
the soil in
place.
For the purpose of comparing overall plant growth and water quality runoff, two different soil mixes were used on each half of the roof. One from Carolina Stalite Company in Salisbury, N.C, is 80 percent expanded slate aggregate, 10 percent USGA root zone sand and 10 percent yard waste. The other soil mix, is from Earth Products in Peachtree City, GA is 80 percent expanded clay aggregate, 10 percent river sand, 10 percent composted peanut hulls and municipal solid waste. The roof faces north and will be subject to extreme conditions ranging hot, dry and windy to cold, wet and frozen. A site this tough calls for tough, low maintenance plants appropriate for Zone Six and so a composition of plants – sedums, ice plants and chives was selected for planting. This mix of more than 8,000 plants, in a random meadow type planting, provides year-round interest with extended flowering, fall color and some evergreen presence during winter months.
Permeable pavements are a Best Management Practice with increasing popularity and usage throughout the United States and established use in Europe. The Arboretum installed a permeable paved parking area adjacent to our Operations Center using interlocking concrete pavers. These pavements allow rain and snowmelt to pass through them, thus reducing stormwater runoff to local surface waters. Most porous pavements also reduce the pollutant load as the water filters through the system. Permeable pavements are generally placed over a bed of open-graded gravel which acts as a temporary storage reservoir. Geotextile fabric underlies the gravel and keeps it from migrating to the soil below. The amount of gravel storage and possibility of adding perforated drainage pipes are modifications that vary with the specific site design and goals.Advantages of installing permeable pavement include:
-
Treatment of pollutant load
-
Less need for curb and gutter
-
Better skid resistance and improved safety
-
Recharge to local aquifers
-
Requires no additional land (good for a densely developed area)
Disadvantages to permeable pavement include
- Higher cost of installation
- Many engineers and contractors not trained in this technology
- System failure if not installed properly
- Can only be used on gentle slopes (< 5%)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
What is the function of the Operations Center?
What environmental high performance features will be included?
Why was the Operations Center selected by the state to participate in the pilot program?
How was the construction of the Operations Center funded?
Did these innovative building techniques increase the cost of the building?
How will the benefits and cost savings be measured?
How will the work environment be improved?
How will the Education Center basement be used in the future?
What is the function of the Operations Center?
The facility provides a modern and safe environment for the Arboretum’s landscape and maintenance staff and their equipment. The building and adjacent landscape demonstrates sustainable construction practices, in keeping with the Arboretum’s mission area related to conservation.
This space provides office space and workspace for 15 staff members and 35 volunteers. Work areas include: an automotive, electrical and carpentry shop; research library; laboratory; loading dock; and shipping and receiving area. Outside the building, there is a vehicle washing station, a bulk storage, soil mixing area, and a pesticide mixing building. Also, a 5,160 square-foot open air structure that will provide storage space for vehicles and equipment.
What environmental high performance features will be included?
-
A cistern for collection of rainwater runoff reduces the demand on new water usage.
-
A living “green roof” cools the building in the summer and mitigate the harmful effects of stormwater runoff. As the plants grow, they will filter and slow rainwater before it has a chance to hit the ground and wash away topsoil.
-
Solar panels on the roof preheat water before it goes into the water heater, reducing heating costs. The Arboretum currently has two electric vehicles and plans to add more alternative fuel vehicles in the future.
-
North facing, operable, clerestory windows in both office and workshop areas provide natural airflow, called the chimney effect, reducing the need for cooling. They also provide light for workers inside, reducing the use of artificial lighting.
-
The workshop area has natural air circulation rather than air-conditioning. “Air curtains” at interior doorways of all the workshop areas produce a blast of air, providing extra insulation and protecting interior air quality.
-
A geothermal heat pump cycles water through a series of nine, 380-foot deep underground wells keeping the water for the building’s heating and cooling system close to a constant temperature of 55 degrees. This saves money throughout the year by eliminating the need to cool or raise water temperature greatly.
-
An oil-water separator filters pollutants from water used to wash vehicles and equipment before the water is recycled for irrigation.
-
Lights controlled by photo sensors and timers lessen the usage time.
-
Water conservation methods such as two waterless urinals each save 40,000 gallons of water a year.
Why was the Operations Center selected by the state to participate in the pilot program?
The “High Performance Building Guidelines” were originally designed for government buildings 20,000 square feet or larger. Regional studies show that the typical commercial building is approximately 10,000 square feet, the size of our Operations Center. We proposed using the Operations Center as a prototype to test the same design and construction practices on a smaller building, as it would be more relevant to the business community in our area. If these guidelines prove successful, the state may adopt them as a mandatory standard for all its buildings.
How was the construction of the Operations Center funded?
This $1.6 million project is funded through the North Carolina Higher Education Improvement Bond, a $3.1 billion capital program approved by North Carolina voters in November 2000 for capital projects for the University of North Carolina system. It is the first of four bond projects slated for the Arboretum. A $25,000 grant, awarded by the Creel Foundation, funded the green roof.
Did these innovative building techniques increase the cost of the building?
The cost of the Operations Center is approximately five percent more than if conventional building methods were used. Yet, the total energy savings, when compared with a building using standard design and construction practices, is estimated to be about 50 percent. The use of recycled rainwater will reduce water use by an estimated 15 percent.
How will the benefits and cost savings be measured?
Under the High Performance Building Guidelines, the Operations Center uses “life cycle” costing to determine the real lifetime costs of operation. Life cycle costing considers the cost of design, construction, operation and expected maintenance, as well as the retirement or replacement costs of the building. Data collected on the Operations Center and other high-performance prototypes over time are used to validate the guidelines result in reduced economic and environmental impact.
How will the work environment be improved?
The landscape and maintenance staff have a safer, healthier and more organized environment to do their work, which will in turn positively impact their productivity. Special features include a chemical hood that staff can use to safely extract potentially toxic materials; a dust collector and floor sweep to minimize the breathing of sawdust; and a durable, easily maintained, nonskid epoxy floor.
How will the Education Center basement be used in the future?
The VEC basement has been converted to work classrooms, which was the original intent for that space. The basement provides a location for students to do environmental science projects as well as space to offer hands-on programs such as dyeing with plant materials and papermaking.
How
can I learn more?
You can also visit the following Web sites: www.greenroofplants.com
and www.energync.net .