By: Wesley Holmes
APUS’ new Academic Center is being developed with a number of innovative technologies designed to reduce environmental impact and energy consumption. One of the technologies is an innovative new elevator operating system that promises to achieve significant energy savings and avoid the environmental threats of more traditional elevator systems.

Elevator from Kudda on Vimeo.

In the past, low rise buildings of only two to six stories utilized hydraulic lift systems. Hydraulic elevators function as a closed pressurized system, utilizing hundreds of gallons of oil to drive a piston which moves the elevator. The system has three basic components; A tank (the fluid reservoir), a pump powered by an electric motor and a valve between the cylinder and the reservoir. The pump forces fluid from the tank into a pipe leading to the cylinder. When the valve is opened, the pressurized fluid will take the path of least resistance and return to the fluid reservoir. But when the valve is closed, the pressurized fluid has nowhere to go except into the cylinder. As the fluid collects in the cylinder, it pushes the piston up, lifting the elevator car. According to relevant literature and product reviews, these systems suffer from some major disadvantages. Those being the size and space requirements of the equipment as well as the comparative inefficiency and potential environmental threat of hydraulic oil based technology.

Image provided by howstuffworks.com

As you can see in the diagram, the piston pushing the elevator is set inside a cylinder. The cylinder has to be a little bit longer than the piston, of course, since the piston needs to be able to collapse all the way when the car is at the bottom floor.  More stories mean a longer cylinder. The problem is that the cylinder structure must be buried below the bottom elevator stop. Meaning you have dig under the building slab to set in the cylinder. As systems age, hydraulic elevators can slowly leak oil from the cylinder into the earth, decreasing efficiency and contaminating the surrounding soil. This would be a particular issue for the Academic Center given that the buildings’ foundation is designed to cap the Brownfield contaminants underneath. Setting in a leaking cylinder would defeat the purpose of this cap.

The space requirements of a hydraulic elevator system are substantial. In traditional systems an additional room is needed adjacent to the elevator shaft to house the pumping equipment. Given that the Academic Center will have no basement, an elevator control room would take up substantial space on the first floor. Including a control room also involves a number of additional design and code specifications which translates to increased construction and design costs for the building owner. These costs can be compounded over the years given that hydraulic elevators are fairly inefficient. It takes a lot of energy to raise an elevator car several stories, and in a standard hydraulic elevator, there is no way to store this energy. The potential energy only works to push the fluid back into the reservoir. To raise the elevator car again, the hydraulic system has to generate the energy all over again.

Image Provided by KONE.com

To address the issues presented by traditional hydraulic systems, the Academic Center will utilize a new electric traction elevator system developed by KONE. KONE is one of the world’s leading elevator and escalator companies and the first in its industry to join the U.S. Green Building Council. At the USGBC Green Building Expo in Chicago in 2007, Vance Tang, President of KONE announced that they would discontinue manufacturing hydraulic elevators and introduced their new environmentally friendly EcoSpace Machine Room-Less (MRL) elevator technology. Machine room-less elevators are designed so that most of the components fit within the shaft containing the elevator car; and a small cabinet houses the elevator computer. In addition to the space savings, the traction rope is configured for force multiplication in a complex pulley system. In this configuration, the traction motor moves more rope per distance traveled, but works half as hard due to force multiplication factors of the pulley system.

KONE engineers find that these systems are up to 60 percent more energy efficient than traditional hydraulic elevators, potentially saving thousands of kilowatt hours per year for single elevators. KONE has seen through energy comparisons that the savings from a wattage and actual dollar value can be significant with a MRL elevator versus a hydraulic system. These energy comparisons have been conducted on several existing facilities to measure the “before” and “after” results of these two types of systems. For instance, at the Independent Bank facility in McKinney, Texas the results of replacing an existing in-​​ground hydraulic with a KONE EcoSpace elevator system resulted in the customer reducing 11,907 KWh and cost savings of $1,071 annually. These findings suggest a significant return on APUS’ investment in new elevator technology.

Useful Links

KONE elevator video

Academic Center as of 8/18/2010

By: Wesley Holmes

When passing through Charles Town one can’t help but to feel steeped in history. Charmed by the many historic homes and structures that line its quaint, quiet streets . The federalist stone work and colonial columns fill the imagination with visions of agrarian gentry living in the antebellum south. I’ve mentioned before that it gives me great pride to see my university help to breathe new life into this historic community. New life brings new growth and just at the edge of the downtown proper there now stands a behemoth addition to the Charles Town historic district. Its broad, it’s tall and it is only rivaled by the towns’ old courthouse as an eye catcher.  Preservation advocates like myself need not worry that this newest addition to the APUS organization will in anyway detract or overshadow the the colonial roots of this charming little town. Displaying their characteristic sensibility to the community they have embraced, the APUS administration and the talented folks at HarneBowen Architects have designed a building that appears to be blending seamlessly into the cultural fabric of Charles Washingtons’ legacy.

Last week I traveled to Charles Town to check on the progress at the site and sit in on one of the weekly progress meetings. As I rolled in on the east side of Charles Town, the first thing I noticed is that our new Academic Center is now a big part of the city skyline. It seems to be priming itself to take a center stage position in the landscape of Charles Town, WV. As I describe its largess proportions one might worry that the new building is imposing or out of place, however this is not the case.  Even now, standing unfinished, it looks like it fits. The brick facade of the building was carefully chosen to match the tones of its century old neighbors. The clock faces, or what will be clock faces, on all four sides give the building a classic town hall feel. You get the sense that when its done it will look as though it’s always been there.

I confess myself impressed with the architects’ ability to make such a new and sizeable addition to what is essentially a small colonial town look so appropriate. I got to meet the talented guys over at HarneBowen Architects at the weekly progress meeting. Congenial and almost always smiling , the principle architect for the project is Scott Bowen. Mr. Bowens’ associate,  Michael Summers, is the project manager handling all the many details and communications and LEED filings for HarneBowen; A job which includes responding to my many emails and thus earns my sincere gratitude. Now both of these men are super nice guys and they couldn’t be more generous with their time and efforts to help me understand this process, so I would like to take the time here to formally say Thank You.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to introduce HarneBowen Architects to our readers. The staff at HarneBowen are working really hard to make this project another success for APUS. To date they have done a tremendous job on the new building and I think we can all expect that with their continued dedication our Academic Center will be an amazing new asset to the university and the City of Charles Town. Below is a company profile on HarneBowen.

Intro to Bowen and Summers from Kudda on Vimeo.

HarneBowen Architects & Planners, was established in 2004. Our mission is to design buildings that enhance both the built and the natural environment. HarneBowen does not specialize in one type of project adding to our diverse design experience and excellence in residential, commercial, institutional, and educational projects. Teamwork forms the core of our firm’s philosophy, combining the professional skills of our firm’s personnel with job specific consultants to create focused and effective project teams. Principal M. Scott Bowen personally manages each project from beginning to end. Mr. Bowen’s personal involvement in the design process allows better communication with clients and decision making.

Project Managers Michael Summers and Ashley Mogenhan manage and coordinate the design team assembling the projects complex details for construction. Their involvement, with Mr. Bowen, in Client meetings is critical in communicating the Owner’s intent to the design team. Joann Leatherman, the voice of HarneBowen, maintains our files, contacts, and messages. If we are lost she finds us. Each team member at HarneBowen has full access to Mr. Bowen’s calendar and the authority to add meetings at will reducing back and forth communication with our Clients and Consultants when coordinating meetings.

The staff at HarneBowen brings a combined 25 years of sustainable design experience to every project. The firm aspires to produce projects that exist in harmony with their surrounding environment. We advocate the re-use of existing buildings and the use of local materials to reduce the impact our projects have on the environment.

When searching for a new office building in 2006, we found the perfect building. The old post office in Myersville provided an existing structure with plenty of natural light. HarneBowen implemented a recycling program to properly dispose of waste paper produced in the design process. Recently HarneBowen started archiving its completed projects in PDF format in place of the traditional method of keeping paper copies of each of its projects further reducing our use of paper.

M. Scott Bowen, AIA

“Combine art with architecture; create inspiring environments that meet the client’s needs” Scott Bowen graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from The Catholic University of America’s School of Architecture and Planning in 1995, where he was selected as a member of the Who’s Who of Collegiate Architects. Through a wide variety of work with the award-winning firms of Carlton Abbott and Partners in Virginia and Centerbrook Architects in Connecticut, Scott has met challenges in educational, civic, religious, and institutional architecture. Mr. Bowen is a member of Frederick Community College CAD Advisory Board and an adjunct faculty member at Frederick Community College teaching ‘Introduction to Architecture’ and ‘Advanced Architecture CAD.

By: Wesley Holmes

Wednesday I had the opportunity to visit the Academic Center construction site and get a guided tour from the site manager. One thing I have come to learn about the construction industry is that there are a lot of players. As a laymen coming into this process I expected that Cox Schepp Construction was handling all the developments on the new building. It can be called handling, but perhaps wrangling is the more apt term. In this construction project, as with most projects, there are several companies working on the development of one building. All of these sub-contractors, “subs”, are private companies, independent from Cox Scehpp, who bring a wide range of expertise from many different fields. There are electricians, plumbers, steel framers, HVAC installers, brick layers, dry-wallers, and waste disposal technicians just to name a few. But all of these diverse companies, whatever their expertise, all operate under the guidance and organization of Cox Schepp Construction, the company charged with assuring adherence to the architects design and the owners expectations. On a day to day basis, responsibility for administering this guidance falls to one Ryan Boedicker.

Mr Boedicker makes for an imposing figure at well over six feet with the build of a football player. This sizable stature belies his easy going North Carolina accent and affable character. As the site manager for the Academic Center, Boedicker stays in high gear. If he’s not talking on the phone to a sub, rest assured he’s talking to one in person while texting another. He is the guy out at the construction site every day representing the interest of Cox Schepp and by extension the interests of APUS. Making sure deliveries are at the site on time, managing the work schedule, and monitoring the work of the multitude of sub-contractors, this is just some of the work of a project site manager. Mr. Boedicker jokingly sums up his position as a “babysitter of grown men”. But this supersized babysitter plays a crucial function, not only in bringing the building up, but in making sure its done in the most environmentally responsible manner possible.

While the USGBC LEED program is the largest and most well known sustainable development certification program in the United States, it is still a relatively new construction management paradigm and not all contractors are familiar with its guidelines and standard practices. On a day to day basis the site manager assures adherence to the guidelines laid out by the LEED rating system. He follows the work of each sub-contractor and assures that they are using materials with the appropriate amount of recycled content. He monitors the chemical sealants and adhesives being used to assure they are low emitting materials. He even makes sure that the tires on the trucks driven off site don’t track mud and other sediment out into the street where it can be washed into storm drains.

The United States Green Building Council has crafted a very valuable guide and certification system in LEED. But the real benefits to environmental quality and indoor environmental health can only be achieved if the professionals doing the job habitually follow the standards of practice outlined in LEED. In playing the part of babysitter and helping to engrain these green habits into building professionals, Mr. Boedicker provides an invaluable contribution to helping the Academic Center become the high performance low impact building APUS is striving for.

By: Wesley Holmes

Academic Center 8-2-10

Greetings APUS community.

This blog is dedicated to delivering to the APUS community regular updates on the development of the new Academic Center in Charles Town, WV. Over the last several weeks we have been looking at the broad spectrum of sustainability issues. Topics have included trends in housing development, ecosystem driven biodiversity issues, and new rules, regulations and opportunities to help address sustainability issues. These are all important issues and it is my hope that the information has been useful to you, the readers. But, first and foremost this blog is about the work being done in Charles Town and I wanted to provide everyone with an update on where we are with the new development.

For the last two months construction has focused on establishing the frame and exterior structure of the three story building. If you have been monitoring the construction site camera you can see that the exterior walls are nearly complete as well as the roof. On the back side of the building, out of camera view, the brick exterior is being set in place. Expect to see the brick wrap around to the front of the building over the next couple of weeks. Now that the exterior work is nearing its end, interior work is beginning to ramp up with the installation of drywall for the interior wall structures.

The majority of the LEED credentialing system focuses on the interior of the building structure. Addressing issues such as water and energy efficient fixtures as well as indoor environmental quality management will take the focus of this blog for the weeks to come. We have a lot of LEED credits to cover before the Academic Center’s scheduled completion in October so expect to see many more detailed posts on each achieved LEED credit as we move forward.

Currently, the design features for the on-site renewable energy system and HVAC system are being finalized and calculated into the buildings energy model. These features are integral to the enhanced energy performance sought by APUS and will play a key role in reducing the energy consumption and operating costs over the life of the building. With this in mind KLG Jones, the commissioning agent for the Academic Center, will soon be meeting with APUS administration as well as responsible contractors to review the energy system design and progress to assure compliance with APUS’ high design standards and expectations. You may remember that this review process is a USGBC requirement and an essential component of the commissioning of the building energy systems.

So, while we have diverted to broader sustainability topics and issues during the exterior development, this blog will now have a more specific focus as LEED credits start be addressed and finalized in rapid succession. The property at 330 North George Street has come a long way from an underutilized brownfield and we are beginning to see the APUS Academic Center take its shape. However, as far as we have come there is still much to be done. For our part, apusgreenbuilding.com is excited about the weeks ahead and we are looking forward to getting to the “guts” of the new structure. From here, the real benefits and performance of sustainable design become readily apparent and we look forward to highlighting those benefits for the APUS community.

Thanks for reading, and lets all keep working toward a greener future.

In 2008 the primary greenhouse gas emitted by human activities in the United States was carbon dioxide (CO2), representing approximately 85.1 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. The largest source of CO2, and of overall greenhouse gas emissions, was fossil fuel combustion; from 1990 to 2008 total emissions of CO2 increased by 16.1 percent. Some of these emissions were partly offset by terrestrial carbon sequestration (TCS). TCS is the process through which carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is absorbed by trees, plants and crops through photosynthesis, and stored as carbon in biomass (tree trunks, branches, foliage and roots) and soils. When professionals refer to carbon sinks, this is a reflection of these terrestrial ecosystems ability to absorb and retain carbon emissions. When land is tilled and trees are cleared, agriculture and forestry activities can also release CO₂ to the atmosphere. A carbon sink occurs when carbon sequestration is greater than carbon releases over some time period. In 2008 CO2 emissions were partly offset through TCS, around 13.5 percent of total emissions were sequestered.

The US EPA states that the potential to sequester additional carbon and reduce emissions of other greenhouse gases (GHGs) in agriculture and forestry is an important element for U.S. climate policy. They recommend a number of key practices to enhance sequestration and reduce other GHG emissions in U.S. through changes in cropland tillage, tree planting, changes in forest management, and forest preservation. Studies suggest that approximately 200 to 560 million metric tons of additional CO₂-equivalent units per year could be achieved through changes in agricultural soil and forest management, tree planting, and biofuel substitution. These particular results considered the incentive to improve land-use practices at prices of $10 and $50 per metric ton of additional carbon stored.

Carbon sequestration through conservation efforts is rapidly becoming a huge global business. The UN REDD Program is the United Nations Collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries. The Program was launched in September 2008 to assist developing countries prepare and implement national REDD+ strategies. REDD is an effort to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development. REDDgoes beyond deforestation and forest degradation, and includes the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. It is predicted that financial flows for greenhouse gas emission reductions from REDD+ could reach up to US$30 billion a year. Where is this $30 billion coming from? Carbon credit sales to industrialized nations and individual polluting industries through cap and trade regimes.

Cap and trade programs establish a limit on the total tonnage of emissions of a particular GHG that may be emitted in a single year, the “cap”. Based on these limits, permits are allocated to polluting industries. The “trade” aspect of the deal allows companies who are allocated emissions permits but have been able to reduce their emissions below their allotted amount to sell their credits to companies who emit GHG’s in excess of their permit. The program is designed to encourage research and innovation on the part of private corporations to reduce their emissions.  While the U.S. has yet to sign on to international cap and trade programs such as the Kyoto Accords, there have been successful U.S. cap and trade programs such as the Acid Rain Program, NOx Budget Trading Program and the Clean Air Interstate Rule.

Cap and trade programs also present a new financial opportunity for landowners as well as non-profit environmental groups. As carbon sequestration valuation becomes more sophisticated, it becomes easier to assign a carbon storage value to undeveloped lands including forests, wetlands and certain farmlands. These carbon sinks can then become certified through third party reviewers to sell carbon credits to polluters; essentially turning carbon sinks into carbon banks. This novel approach is proving to be very attractive to polluting industries looking for low cost approaches to offsetting their emissions. Rather than spend substantial sums on retrofitting old equipment and changing production methods companies are spending a fraction of the cost to collaborate with landowners and non-profit management agencies to establish conservation easements and preserves to offset their own pollution. For environmental groups and land owners this approach creates new financial opportunity for land conservation efforts and is driving significant private investment to NGO’s and new land management companies who facilitate the acquisition, measurement and verification of these carbon banks.

For example, in July of 2009 The Conservation Fund, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting land and water resources, and Delta AirElite Business Jets announced a comprehensive effort to offset the annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of its headquarters offices in Cincinnati and a complementary initiative to help address the CO2 emissions associated with customer travel. A market leader in carbon sequestration, the Conservation Fund has restored 20,000 acres and planted 6 million trees which will capture an estimated 7.2 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from the atmosphere over their lifetime. Another example is the Trust for Public Land (TPL). TPL is currently reforesting nearly 9,000 acres in Louisiana’s Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley for addition to the Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge to restore habitat and sequester carbon. The 2.5-million bottomland hardwood trees being replanted will capture more than 3.0 million tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over the next 100 years. The plantings have been registered under section 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the Department of Energy (DOE’s) Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Reporting Protocols. TPL is selling the carbon credits they are generating to underwrite more reforestation. Current purchasers of carbon credits from TPL projects include Entergy, Detroit Edison, Conoco-Phillips and Volkswagen of America. The revenue stream generated from carbon sequestration has the potential to drastically increase the amount of conservation land across the globe.

In addition to the non-profit sector there is also new opportunity for land management agencies in the private sector. To verify and monitor the efficacy of these conservation efforts third party reviewers are contracted to assure that these targets are met. For the TPL project in Louisiana, Environmental Synergy Inc. and Winrock International are providing planting and monitoring support. Ecosystem Restoration Associates (ERA), a Canadian firm specializing in forest-based carbon offset programs and project development, recently signed a deal with McCandless Ranch (MCR) in Hawaii to cooperate towards preserving and restoring Hawaii’s biological carbon sinks, through Improved Forest Management (IFM), Avoided Deforestation (AD) and Avoided Conversion (AC) types of carbon offset projects. For each project, ERA will provide financing for direct offset project costs and be responsible for preparing a Project Design Document (PDD) in accordance with an approved methodology and standard. Net revenues derived from the sale of carbon credits will be shared between ERA and MCR.

The new conservation for profit paradigm promises to dramatically change the global landscape. Never before has there been such financial opportunity in not developing land. This potential wellspring of cash flow to landowners, NGO’s and private management firms is going change the way we view and value land preservation. Now, when a municipality looks across the landscape they may decide that there is greater value in preserving their “empty” land than in the strip mall they were considering. Who knows, with its 60,000 plus online community, maybe one day APUS will be able to achieve carbon neutrality with the creation of an APUS Park and Preserve.

Useful Links

The Trust for Public Land- Carbon Credits

Environmental Defense Fund Cap and Trade Success Story

Conservation Fund Go Zero Program

EPA Clean Air Market Resources

EPA Carbon Sequestration FAQ’s

By: Wesley Holmes

When considering how to improve our natural environment through changes in our built environment, one of the chief concerns is how to reduce the impact of harmful emissions associated with building operations and power supply. One of the leading causes of respiratory health problems and related deaths is poor air quality driven by emissions. On July 6, 2010 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new rules that would protect the health of millions of Americans by helping states reduce air pollution and attain clean air standards. This rule, known as the Transport Rule would require 31 states and the District of Columbia to significantly improve air quality by reducing power plant emissions that contribute to ozone and fine particle pollution in other states. The Environmental Protection Agency is issuing the rules to replace a plan from the administration of President George W. Bush that a federal judge threw out in 2008, citing numerous flaws in the calculation of air-quality effects.

The Clean Air Act requires EPA to address the problem of interstate transport of air pollution. EPA is proposing to put in place a new approach that helps states meet their obligations to reduce transported pollution and attain and maintain compliance with the national ambient air quality standards. The newly revamped Air Transportation Rule is designed to help the EPA better achieve this mission. Specifically, this proposal would require significant reductions in sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions that cross state lines. These pollutants react in the atmosphere to form fine particles and ground-level ozone, what we know as smog. These emissions are transported long distances, making it difficult for other states to achieve national clean air standards. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said of the new rule. “We’re working to limit pollution at its source, rather than waiting for it to move across the country. The reductions we’re proposing will save billions in health costs, help increase American educational and economic productivity, and — most importantly — save lives.”

Emissions reductions will begin to take effect very quickly, in 2012 – within one year after the rule is finalized. By 2014, the rule and other state and EPA actions would reduce power plant SO2 emissions by 71 percent over 2005 levels. Power plant NOx emissions would drop by 52 percent. Gina McCarthy, head of the E.P.A.’s air and radiation office, said the new rules would reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides by hundreds of thousands of tons a year and bring $120 billion in annual health benefits. The emissions reductions from this proposed rule would lead to significant annual health benefits. The EPA has calculated that by 2014, this rule would protect public health by avoiding:

• 14,000 to 36,000 premature deaths,

• 21,000 cases of acute bronchitis,

• 23,000 nonfatal heart attacks,

• 26,000 hospital and emergency room visits,

• 1.9 million days when people miss work or school,

• 240,000 cases of aggravated asthma, and

• 440,000 cases of upper and lower respiratory symptoms.

The proposed rule is expected to yield between $120 to $290 billion in annual health and welfare benefits in 2014. This far outweighs the estimated annual costs of $2.8 billion for polluting industries to achieve compliance. While this proposal shows substantial promise to improve national air quality it still faces the final review and approval. The EPA will accept comment on the proposal for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. The proposal will be identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0491. Those who wish can find instructions on how to comment at the EPA website linked below.

Useful Links

EPA Air Transportation Rule Presentation

EPA Air Rule Factsheet

By: Wesley Holmes

One of the principle concepts of sustainable development is to avoid devouring unspoiled landscape and find ways to make our existing infrastructure more efficient and affordable. To avoid the continued decline of natural habitat and ecosystem services it is becoming increasingly necessary to take a fresh look at the homes we have already built and try to make them more affordable and attractive to first time home buyers. A new report, issued by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, finds that the weak economy coupled with an increase in government programs to support home renovation and first time homebuyers have made sustainable re-development the most promising growth sector in the housing market.

The State of the Nations Housing Report provides a periodic assessment of the nation’s housing outlook and summarizes important trends in the economics and demographics of housing. Predictably, this years report is short on good news. Fewer homes were started in 2009 than in any year since World War II. Census Bureau estimates show that construction permits totaled just 583,000 in 2009, compared with 2.16 million at the 2005 peak and an annual average of 1.32 million in the 1990s. This is the first time since 1959, when records began being kept, that annual permits have numbered less than 900,000. One of the most interesting key facts in the report is that while new home sales were down by 23-percent, the sale of existing homes in 2009 climbed five-percent. Much of the growth in existing home sales is credited to declining real estate prices, along with government tax credits marketed to first-time homebuyers. The report notes that controversial bailout programs helped spark a turnaround and drove all of the increase in existing home sales in 2009.

Experts note that the outlook for the housing market will continue to be rather bleak until employment and income, the leading indicators of housing development, begin to rise. One of the chief impediments to home ownership is the issue of affordability. All told, 40.3 million households spent more than 30 percent of their incomes on housing in 2008, while 18.6 million of these households spent more than half—up from 13.8 million in 2001. After holding steady at 12 percent in both 1980 and 2000, the share of “severely burdened” households (those spending more than half their incomes on housing) jumped by a third, to 16 percent, in 2008. More than half of the 4.5 million low-income single-parent households spent 60 percent or more of their incomes on housing in 2008.  Lower income households with children who dedicated more than half their income to housing had less than $600 per month left for all other necessities. Similarly burdened elderly and single-person households had even less (under $500) left over after housing expenses.

While the housing market and new home development face a long road to recovery, experts do see opportunity to make significant gains in energy efficiency for municipalities and reduction of utilities expenditure for homeowners. In a recent press release, Casius Pealer, director of affordable housing policy for the U.S. Green Building Council, noted that “As existing home sales begin to rise, there is a great opportunity to bring the energy and water efficiency aspects of these homes up to today’s standards,” The Housing Report found that if all pre-2000 homes were brought up to the same efficiency as post-2000 homes in their regions, residential energy consumption would fall by 22.5 percent! Indeed, the only sector to show growth in the 2010 Housing Report is in energy efficiency home renovation. In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) extended energy efficiency tax credits for homeowners and funded low-income home weatherization programs. The share of professional remodelers reporting that they had worked on projects linked to the energy efficiency tax credits increased from 39 percent in 2009 to 53 percent in early 2010. Mohsen Mostafavi, Dean of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design noted that “Today’s homeowner has the ability to significantly reduce home energy costs through environmentally-conscious building materials and design approaches”.

As home prices move consistently higher, the Housing Report predicts that some of the equity that owners lost over the last decade will be restored. But rising prices will also put additional strain on the already large number of households facing affordability challenges. One of the reports seminal conclusions is that tackling affordability issues while leveraging the potential of housing to anchor neighborhood revitalization and achieve energy savings will need to be national priorities in the decade ahead. Contrasting with oft heard calls for an end to federal domestic spending, the report calls for a continuation and expansion of policy implements like those found in the ARRA that will encourage efficient home and community design as a means to drive down housing costs and make homeownership more affordable. Longer-term federal commitments include HUD’s new Sustainable Communities Initiative, to encourage more energy-efficient and transit-friendly development patterns on a local level. Additionally, homeowners and builders alike continue to make homes more energy efficient, led by regional certification programs such as the USGBC’s LEED for Homes and LEED for Neighborhood Development programs, both of which offer credits for smart location and linkages and location efficiency. At stake are potentially large savings in the energy consumed to heat and cool homes, as well as in the number of vehicle miles traveled and related carbon emissions.

Projects like the APUS Academic Center are at the forefront of this growing development paradigm. The success of our project in Charles Town will serve as a guiding example of how we can utilize sustainable development practices to bring new vitality and much needed economic opportunity to communities across the country.  Simultaneously lowering the cost of property ownership through increases in efficiency and sensible project siting.

Links of Interest

HUD-DOT-EPA Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities

By: Wesley Holmes

Amherst Presenters

I would like to open this weeks post with a note of gratitude to the APUS administration for allowing me to represent our institution at last weekends Green Remediation Conference at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The Conference was a great success. Dr. Carol Pollio and I were proud to present a well done poster presentation on our project in CharlesTown, along with an impressive collection of projects from students gathered from around the country. Present at the event were scholars, professionals and agency representatives from across the country. There was even a delegation from Milan, Italy, giving the event an international flair.

While not exactly riveting, I did get to attend a number of interesting lectures. Representatives from the EPA’s Beneficial Use of Mine Waste (BMW) workgroup presented their preliminary findings on methods and considerations for the utilization of historic mine waste as brick making and fill material for commercial and, in some cases, residential projects. In an international parallel to our development of the new Academic Center, public and private representatives from the municipality of Milan, Italy presented a case study on the reclamation of contaminated and under-utilized sites to address large European cities “hunger of land”. Their project examined the effective cooperative efforts of public and private enterprise to turn an abandoned rock quarry in urban Milan into a mixed use commercial property complete with high-rise offices and residential properties as well as public park amenities. Other presenters from included public officials, private consultants, and remediation firms who highlighted topics such as innovative technologies for green remediation, methods and tools for selecting effective green remediation processes, and how to reduce the environmental impact of the processes utilized to remediate contaminated sites.

Dr. Pollio presents

The poster session allowed students and professionals to show the emerging scientific methods and pilot programs that may be utilized to lessen the impact of environmental remediation. Topics included the reuse of contaminated groundwater to reduce municipal burden, tree filter systems for stormwater management, and on-site soil blending as means to avoid costly offsite removal of contaminated soils. One project that caught my eye is a research project examining the use of Biopolymer Salt injections to immobilize metal contaminates found within soils. Finding a way to immobilize metal laden soils would go a long way to reducing mitigation and capping costs for metal contaminated properties, such as the site APUS is currently developing.

I explain our work in Charles Town

The myriad of ideas and projects presented at the 2010 Green Remediation Conference suggests tremendous growth for the remediation sector of environmental sciences. This is great news for the environment and APUS graduates looking to get into the field. As land scarcity couples with increased valuation of natural landscape functions it will become increasingly necessary to concentrate new development on contaminated and underutilized properties across the country. The technology and public policy approaches outlined out last weekend in Amherst promise to help advance the cause of sustainability and land reclamation.

BY: Wesley Holmes

Today marks the beginning of the Green Remediation Conference at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. The conference is providing professionals from around the country a terrific opportunity to discuss the state of green remediation strategies and technologies and their role in shaping future development. Camera in hand, I will be there to learn all I can about the latest and greatest in green remediation and bring it back for the APUS community. But APUS isn’t just a spectator at this conference. As of this morning, the APUS’ Academic Center project went on display as part of a collection from around the country to showcase green remediation strategies, projects and products. Our project will be on display throughout the conference as a case study on the use of sustainable development as a means to bring new life and new economic opportunity to brownfield properties. From 5-7pm tomorrow (Jun 16), I will be on hand to highlight our Academic Center project for academics, industry professionals and laypersons alike. Below I have posted the formal paper which will accompany the terrific looking poster put together by the APUS graphic design department (thanks again David!). The paper highlights APUS use of LEED design principles to control the watershed threat posed by the property at 330 North George Street and the ability of such projects to revitalize brownfield properties across the country.

American Public University System Converts Brownfield into 45,000sqft of LEED Gold Work Space

By Wesley Holmes and Carol A. Pollio

American Public University System

May, 25, 2010

Abstract:

American Public University System (APUS) is a regionally and nationally accredited online institution of higher education. In October of 2009, APUS broke ground on its first new construction development project in Charles Town, West Virginia. In keeping with the institution’s sustainable development policies, this project is following the design, development, and operating procedures specified by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to achieve a Gold performance rating under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) 2009 rating system. The 1.59 acre property under development is designated as a Brownfield. APUS has selected to use their planned property development as a means to remediate the contaminated site. The buildings foundations and parking facilities have been designed to contain the contaminants embedded in the soil and cap the brownfield site to prevent groundwater seepage by controlling the flow of stormwater on site. Through effective control of stormwater runoff, the former brownfield is being rehabilitated into a successful commercial property. The APUS project serves as a case study for the use of “green remediation” principles to rehabilitate a brownfield property into an ecologically viable economic development.

The Project Owners

American Public University System (APUS) is a regionally and nationally accredited online institution of higher education. Operating through two universities, American Military University and American Public University, APUS serves more than 60,000 adult learners worldwide. The institution’s curriculum offers students undergraduate and graduate degrees in subjects ranging from homeland security, military studies, and criminal justice, to technology, business administration, and environmental management. Since locating to Charles Town, West Virginia in 2002, APUS operations have grown from eight employees occupying a single building, to more than 240 employees occupying 10 facilities. Despite substantial growth of infrastructure, APUS has been able to achieve minimal landscape impact by selecting pre-developed properties for renovation. Throughout its growth, APUS has demonstrated an institution-wide approach to sustainable development practices.

As an online institution, American Public University System is able to achieve significantly lower environmental impact than traditional “brick and mortar” higher learning institutions (Roy, Potter & Yarrow, 2008). The online format provides a medium through which more than 750 faculty and over 60,000 students attend classes without the impact of commuting to campus. Institutional policies also allow staff members to work from home one day or more each week, further saving on fuel consumption and emissions. To further reduce environmental impact, APUS utilizes two electric vehicles for local business travel at its corporate offices in Charles Town, West Virginia.

As an early signatory to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), APUS has taken several significant steps toward reducing its overall carbon footprint and working toward achieving carbon neutrality in its operations.  Under President Wallace Boston’s guidance, APUS has implemented a Sustainability Committee that is tasked with managing the various aspects of the Commitment. The school has implemented a recycling program in both its Charles Town, WV, and Manassas, VA locations.  Additionally, the school’s admissions process is now completely paperless. The school is currently working to implement systems to create a paperless accounts payables process as well.  In late 2009, the University installed an environmentally friendly porous paving system in its Charles Town, WV location.  The system prevents stormwater runoff by providing a compacted layer of stone beneath the pavers which serve as a filter for water prior to its absorption into the ground.  Nearly all buildings in both APUS campus locations have been outfitted with occupancy sensors that have greatly increased energy efficiency.  Members of the school’s Sustainability Committee have recently launched a blog, http://apus-sustainability.com, which will serve as an outreach mechanism for sharing ideas related to sustainability in higher education, in general, as well as a means of documenting and sharing APUS’ experiences as it works toward achieving a more sustainable future. The APUS approach to sustainable development can be described as strategic (Barker, et al 2009). APUS policies fully incorporate sustainable strategies to help reduce operational costs and sustain the human and natural resources they need to continue future operations over the long term

The Project Site

APUS’ first new construction development is located at 330 North George Street, Charles Town, WV. The four story masonry and steel structure will serve as the new academic center and admissions building. The 45,000-square foot building will be constructed on a 1.59 acre parcel located in the heart of the Charles Town – Ranson “Commerce Corridor”. The “Commerce Corridor” is a stretch of abandoned and under-utilized former industrial sites located between the central business districts of the two cities, within walking distance historic residential streets, and served by major rail, road, public transit, and utility systems. The 330 North George Street parcel was formerly utilized as a scrap metal waste disposal site. Stormwater seepage through old machinery and metal products became inundated with soluble metal forms and petroleum based lubricants and compounds, which were then transported into the soil. The residual wastes imbedded in the soil remained, following removal of the scrap metal wastes. The presence of these residual wastes was confirmed in the property’s Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments and the site was designated as a Brownfield.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines Brownfields as real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant (EPA, 1995). The U.S. General Accounting Office estimates that there are more than 450,000 Brownfields in the U.S., amounting to estimates as high as 5 million acres (GAO, 1998). Cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties protects the environment, reduces blight, and takes development pressures off Greenfields and working lands (EPA, 2010). In the Green Remediation Primer (2008), the EPA recommends that strategies for green remediation rely on sustainable development, whereby environmental protection does not preclude economic development, and economic development is ecologically viable today and in the long run.

Stormwater Control

Stormwater  is a pulse disturbance that is capable of conveying large quantities of chemical contaminants to recipient environments in a short period of time. These contaminants may accumulate in sediments and microalgae and have been linked to the chronic degradation of watershed health (EPA, 1993; Center for Watershed Protection, 2003; Sanders et al, 2006; Roberts et al, 2008). Brownfield sites are often polluted by a variety of contaminants such as fuels, metals, solvents, and volatile organic compounds. These contaminants can impair a community’s water quality if they seep into groundwater or run off into surface water. Remediation of brownfield sites can address these water quality concerns and also prepare the sites for other uses (EPA, 2001). To prevent further leaching of metal contaminants present in the soil, the site has been capped with concrete and asphalt.  The APUS Gateway Building provides the means to seal off the environmental hazard and contain the contaminants at 330 North George Street.

The cap consists of building footings (4′ of concrete, compacted stone and a vapor barrier) and an asphalt parking lot. To aid in the control of stormwater flows, the cap is graded to direct the flow of water to retention and treatment ponds or stormwater management (SWM) ponds. In accordance with stormwater best management practices outlined by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP, 2009; WVDEP, 2010) and the USGBC (2009), the site cap is designed to capture and treat stormwater runoff from 90% of the average annual rainfall. Elements utilized for treatment are designed in accordance with standards and specifications from the West Virginia Stormwater Management Plan, which is capable of removing 80% of the average annual post development total suspended solids (TSS) load (WVDEP, 2010). For the project in Charles Town, APUS is utilizing a wet SWM pond. The retention areas will serve the building site and primary parking lot as well as the overflow parking area. The ponds, designed by the Civil Engineering firm Dewberry & Davis, have a combined volume of 3,051 cu.ft.

Once water has collected in the pond, a flow regulator will hold the water for several hours. In a standard SWM pond, a flow regulator is attached to the pond drain pipe to reduce the size of the outlet. A smaller outlet causes the pond to collect excess flow and reduces the erosion potential of the initial pulse of water. Conventional stormwater retention ponds will release stormwater over 2-3 hours. The treatment ponds on this site will release the water over 2-3 days, allowing for optimum removal of sediment and nutrient loads (EPA, 1993; Brown & Schueler, 1997). Following on site treatment, water volumes will be released to municipal storm drains.

The Gateway Building

The Gateway building, designed by Harne-Bowen Architects, is a 45,000 sq ft facility on four floors. The four story masonry and steel structure is being constructed in compliance with the energy and environmental design standards set by US Green Building Council (USGBC) pursuant to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification at the Gold Level. Some of the environmental features include efficient insulation and windows, lighting controls to manage energy use and solar panels on the roof to provide a portion of the building’s energy requirements. When completed, the building will initially accommodate approximately 140 personnel and contain one of the world’s largest book collections on military history. The building is on track to achieve significant performance gains over the average building of this size.

(See LEED Credit Scorecard for performance details)

Conclusions

Through adherence to LEED design and construction principles, APUS is effectively creating new economic opportunity, while preserving landscape integrity and protecting watershed health.  In attendance at the site’s groundbreaking was David R. Lloyd, Director of the Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization, who stated, “The EPA is proud to have provided some of the environmental assessment funding that allowed this impressive project to develop.  The outcome from today’s groundbreaking event will represent an important goal of the EPA Brownfields Program – to help assess and clean contaminated sites, and to help communities reuse land in a sustainable way that will benefit the environmental and economic health of the community” (Symanoskie, 2009). Through effective control of the site’s stormwater runoff, the former brownfield is being rehabilitated into a successful commercial property. In making this strategic investment in sustainable development, the institution is also embracing a transformative, participatory educational opportunity to showcase the process and results of green remediation as a mechanism for landscape management and business development. In doing so, APUS is making a significant stride in establishing their institution within the campus sustainability movement (Sterling, 2001; Wals & Jickling, 2002; Sharp, 2009).

Works Cited

Barker, J, Besland, L, Mahler, D, & Schulz, O (2009). Companies With a Commitment to Sustainability Tend to Outperform Their Peers During the Financial Crisis. Environmental Valuation and Cost Benefit News, March, Retrieved March 12, 2009, from http://www.envirovaluation.org/index.php Full Report at http://www.atkearney.com/main.taf?p=1,5,1,223.

Brown, W. and T. Schueler (1997) National Pollutant Removal Performance Database for Stormwater BMPs. Center for Watershed Protection. Chesapeake Research Consortium.

Center for Watershed Protection (2003) Impacts of Impervious Cover on Aquatic Systems. Center for Watershed Protection. Ellicott City, MD. Available Online:

http://www.cwp.org/Store/guidance.htm.

Environmental Protection Agency (1993) Guidance Specifying Management Measures for Sources of Nonpoint Pollution in Coastal Waters. EPA-840-B-92-002. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. Washington, DC. Available Online: http://www.epa.gov/nps/MMGI/

EPA: Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (April 2008):

Incorporating Sustainable Environmental Practices into Remediation of Contaminated Sites EPA 542-R-08-002

General Accounting Office (March 1998) Superfund: EPA’s Use of Funds for Brownfield Revitalization. GAO\RCED-98-87. www.gao.gov

Roberts , D. A., Johnstona, E. L. , Müllera, S. , & Poore, A. G.B. (2008). Field and laboratory simulations of storm water pulses: Behavioral avoidance by marine epifauna.

Roy,  Potter, & Yarrow. (2008). Designing low carbon higher education systems: Environmental impacts of campus and distance learning systems. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 9(2), 116-130. Environmental Pollution, 152, 153-162.  Taken from: http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy2.apus.edu/science/

Sanders, B., Grant, S., Horne, A., Keller, R., & Sobsey, M (2006) Final Report: Identification and Control of Non-Point Sources of Microbial Pollution in a Coastal Watershed. National Center for Environmental Research

Sharp, L. (2009) Higher education: the quest for the sustainable campus. Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy 5(1):1-8. http://ejournal.nbii.org/archives/vol5iss1/editorial.sharp.html.

Sterling, S. (2001). The name assigned to the document by the author. This field may also contain sub-titles, series names, and report numbers.Sustainable Education: Re-Visioning Learning and Change. Schumacher Briefings, Bristol, U.K.

Symanoskie, C. (2009) APUS Press Release: APUS Breaks Ground on New Academic Center in Charles Town, WV. Retrieved from http://www.apus.edu/news-events/news/2009/101509_Groundbreaking.htm, April 21, 2010.

US Green Building Council (2008).  LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations Project Checklist.  Retrieved August 20, 2009 from www.USGBC.org.

Wals, A. and B. Jickling (2002).  “Sustainability” in higher education: From

doublethink and newspeak to critical thinking and meaningful learning.  International Journal of Sustainability in Education, 3(3): 221 – 232.

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (2006) West Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Best Management Practice Manual.

http://www2.wvdep.org/dwwm/stormwater/BMP/index.html.

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (2009) Water Quality Monitoring Web page. Division of Water and Waste Management. www.wvdep.org/item.cfm?ssid=11&ss1id=192. Accessed Dec, 21.

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (2010) Storm Water Management – Ground Water Protection Plan Guidance Document. Taken on April, 21 from http://www.dep.wv.gov/WWE/permit/individual/Documents/367_gppguide.pdf

Renewable Energy World Magazine; May/June 2010-Volume 13, Issue 3

In the most recent issue of Renewable Energy World International Magazine (May/June 2010), an article was published on the power of small and midsize local governments to drive sustainable development in their communities. The article was written by Ralph Sims, a Professor of Sustainable Energy at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand. The article is derived from a similar paper Sims produced on the subject for the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2009. The paper details the variety of methods and legal authorities local governments can bring to bear to drive sustainable developments in their communities and highlights the achievements of some small communities.

The IEA reports that more than 50% of the world’s population currently resides in urban environments and this proportion will continue to grow over the next few decades. According to the IEA, urban areas produce around 71% of global, energy-related, CO₂ emissions and are on track to rise to 76% by 2030. With this kind of consumption at the community level, it is important for local governments to take a more proactive role in guiding community development and reducing environmental impact. Sims research finds that local governments have significant power to influence the energy choices of their citizens. They administer and regulate water supply, waste collection, public transport, and infrastructure. They own buildings, land, waste treatment facilities and vehicle fleets and they have close proximity to citizens and businesses.

Successful policies instigated by large and small city councils and local municipalities from around the world have resulted in the significant advancement of renewable energy projects. For example, the borough of Merton in London, England, introduced a regulation that all new buildings would have to meet at least 10% of their total energy demand from renewable energy technologies that are integrated into the building structure. This regulation has now been copied by many other local authorities throughout the UK. Another ordinance, introduced in Barcelona in 2000, required that solar water heaters be installed on all new and retrofitted buildings. This ordinance, with various modifications, has now been replicated throughout Spain as a national directive. Projects such as these demonstrate how leaders and officials of local governments are getting more involved in climate change policy-making by strategic planning; formulating, approving and implementing policies; evaluating their effectiveness; and disseminating successful actions for replication elsewhere.

Sims article also offers a variety of suggestions on how local governments can affect positive change in their community. Given that a municipality owns and operates a range of buildings and facilities it can do what it wishes in terms of their management and energy supply, this offers an opportunity to lead by example. The local government also collects, treats and disposes of solid and liquid wastes, the control and treatment of wastes is a major component of sustainable development. As a property owner and management firm, a city council can take a sustainable leadership role by introducing, designing and developing renewable energy projects and systems for their own activities. The city thereby becomes a role model for local businesses and citizens to follow where appropriate, as well as for other similar size municipalities to emulate.

For municipalities looking to stimulate actions outside of their owned properties, a local government, to varying degrees, can employ a variety of governing mechanisms to educate, encourage, or by regulation force the adoption of healthier and more efficient technologies and practices. For instance, larger local governments are often in a position to provide governance by provision; in which various forms of financial incentives are offered to encourage renewable energy project deployment. Local governments also often have the power to employ governance by authority; in which it can thereby determine and introduce regulations set to meet certain objectives. The target might be fairly broad, such as reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions, or be more specific, such as a mandate that all local buses and taxis will be run on a specified blend of biofuels, or that all new building construction will have to include the installation of a ground source heat pump. Finally, most local municipalities are usually in a good position to undertake governance through enabling; by providing education, training, advice, research and information services for its local businesses and citizens. In many cases it has been shown that both regulations and financial incentives can be more successful when undertaken in parallel with an information and educational campaign.

Various types of municipalities can exercise their functions by using a range of specific policy instruments. Sims research notes that successful policies are rarely implemented in isolation and it is more typical to develop and introduce a suite of complementary policies simultaneously. The local approach can help demonstrate what is possible, at what costs and who the winners and losers might be. This localized form of sustainable policy development serves as a proving ground for national policies. Sims notes that “Social experimentation relating to renewable energy deployment can be undertaken at the local level and, where successful, adopted nationally”. In his summation, Sims calls for national governments to enable action at the local government level in order to fully integrate renewable energy and climate considerations into urban development strategies.