"Wal-Mart Seeks Green Savings"
"'Green Roof' Research Takes Root"
"Illinois Police Station Goes Green"
"Green-Roof Advocates See a Big Target in Minneapolis"
"New Bethel School Nearing Completion"
"Gensler Design Lands First LEED-Rated Car Dealership"
"IBM Building Design Still Ahead of the Competition"
"SOLON AG Implements Photovoltaic Systems in Spain as Flagship Projects in the Dena Solar Roofs Program"
"Green-Roof Study Results Offer Positive Surprises"
"S.F. Hopes to Set Example With New Green Tower"
"Academy of Sciences' Living Roof"
"Green Roofs in Seattle Show 65 Percent Reductions in Run-off"

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is in the process of installing rooftop solar panels that will provide up to 30 percent of the power for 22 of its stores in California and Hawaii. These stores are being used as part of a test program to determine whether the retail giant will expand the use of solar power to more of its approximately 4,000 U.S. retail locations. The two target states have other appeals for solar panels than just plenty of sunshine. Both California and Hawaii provide generous rebates on solar power, as they are aiming to get 20 percent of their energy from renewable resources by the end of the next decade. In the case of the 22 stores, Wal-Mart is purchasing the output of the solar panels installed on its rooftops. Meanwhile, the vendors—BP Solar, SunEdison LLC and PowerLight—reportedly are receiving a federal tax credit amounting to 30 percent of each installation's cost in addition to ratepayer-funded rebates paid by utilities and other incentives. Kohl's Corp. is also trying out such alternatives in California, with recently announced plans to convert 64 of its 80 stores statewide to solar power use.
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Penn State scientists have begun implementing environmentally friendly green roof systems at University Park. The initial one, at the new Forest Resources Building, spans more than 4,000 square feet and incorporates a layer of soil that is between 4 and 6 inches thick with such perennial plants as cushion flowers and lavender. Experts note this green roof system should help protect the building, reduce utility costs and lessen negative effects of stormwater runoff. Besides the Forest Building roof, a root cellar close to the Tyson Building is being covered by a green roof system that is 4,500 square feet, and another two roofs are scheduled for the Dickinson law school facility and the new student health building. Electricity expenses for University Park are around $1 million per month. A green roof system can reduce the air-conditioning costs on a building by between 10 percent and 30 percent, reports associate professor of horticulture Rob Berghage. Although initial costs can be between $18 and $20 a square foot compared to around $14 per square foot for a traditional roof system, activists stress green roof systems as worthwhile investments in the long run. Although a regular low-slope roof may last 15 to 20 years, Berghage points out green roof systems in Germany have lasted a half-century.
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The new $12.5 million police station in Orland Park, Ill., has several environmentally friendly amenities, including a white roof on top of the building that reflects sunlight and saves energy. The building previously served as a carpet and tile store and was slated for razing. It is roughly three times as large as the existing police station located about five blocks away. Other innovations include porous bricks in the parking lots to reduce water runoff. Construction costs for the building were approximately 8 percent higher because of the green features.
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Minneapolis officials are investigating whether the 3.3-acre roof of the publicly owned Target Center can be transformed into a sustainable-design roof. Such a green roof system would cost $2.2 million though the model being proposed has not been fully engineered yet. The Target Center consumes approximately $60,000 worth of electricity per month. Studies show that the energy savings from a green roof system would pay for the cost of the sustainable technology in five years. Minneapolis Finance Officer Patrick Born says a green-roofed Target Center would give the city "bragging rights." It also would become one of the tenth largest sustainable-design buildings in the world if approved and completed.
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A new elementary school in Bethel, N.C., will be outfitted with passive solar roof panels. Although the panels do not give the school energy, they do pull heat away from the roof. This, in turn, stops heat from increasing in the school's attic area and makes the overall facility cooler. The rooftop panels are one of several features intended to make the school a "green facility," meaning it will have elements that help shield the environment. Although the new school is mostly finished, it will not be ready for use until sewer and on-site water systems are implemented in early July. It is costing $17 million to construct.
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Gensler has created the first ever LEED-certified car dealership for Pat Lobb Toyota of McKinney, Texas. Opened in summer 2006, the complex features a white roof, recycled aluminum in 85 percent of the exterior, exterior ivy to reduce solar gain and other energy efficiencies. Project director Rick Ferrara says energy savings can recoup building costs in three to five years. The dealership recycles waste oil from the quick lube to heat the auto shop. Its repair hub uses vegetable oil rather than hydraulic fluid on the car lifts. In addition, the dealership's car wash recycles its waste water. In 2004, Toyota created an Image USA II program "to create a holistic brand experience" that touts sustainable design and innovation across all U.S. dealerships. Gensler's design fits this program.
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In Austin five years ago, the IBM building was one of the city's first structures to receive a four-star (out of five) rating from Austin Energy's Green Building Program. The 200,000-square-foot building still boasts a white roof that reflects heat, along with large windows that let in natural light. In addition, Austin Energy recognized the structure for its location on four major public bus routes and its ample parking for bicycles. Maureen Scanlon of Austin Energy says local residents "demand environmental sensitivity. There's a focus on quality of life and quality-of-life issues."
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April 18 marked the deployment of a photovoltaic system on the building that houses the Madrid-based German Chamber of Foreign Trade for Spain. The event also marked the start of a countrywide information campaign in Spain aimed at spreading awareness of solar energy. Three other solar roof projects are also being implemented in Spain—at the German schools in Bilbao, Malaga, and Tenerife. At each of these locations, a photovoltaic system is being installed as a demonstration and reference facility. The campaign is being sponsored by the German solar module producer SOLON AG, by Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH(dena) and by numerous German and Spanish solar technology companies. The conditions for the use of solar energy are ideal in Spain. With an average of 2,500 sun hours per year and an average insolation of 1,650 kilowatt hours per square meter (kWh/m²), Spain has the highest technological use potential for solar energy in the European Union. "Our photovoltaic projects at the schools and the Chamber of Commerce are meant to demonstrate how important high-quality components and installation methodologies are for long lasting solar energy systems," said Andreas Liebheit, director of sales at SOLON AG.
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An environmentally friendly green roof system could have the power to reduce stormwater runoff from 65 percent to 94 percent, according to a new study by Magnusson Klemencic Associates. The research found that green roof systems permit building owners to lessen the size of stormwater detention containers required for peak rainfall. The study quantified how well stormwater management from a green roof system performed, based on rainfall and weather conditions, between July 2005 and January 2007. Drew A. Gangnes, the group's civil engineering director, noted that at most, just 6 percent of the rain in the study became runoff. The group also discovered the "magic number" for soil thickness to be 4 inches, not 6, as the thinner soil bed can dry faster and get ready for the next rainfall. Gangnes said he would like to see more cities provide incentives to developers for green roof systems and other energy-efficient features. Dick Lilly, the policy advisor for sustainable strategies at Seattle Public Utilities, said his city expects to offer drainage rate credits of some kind for green roof systems and additional low-impact development stormwater initiatives starting in the 2009 rate year.
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The headquarters of San Francisco's Public Utilities Commission (PUC) hopes to break new ground for energy-saving office buildings with its "green" government tower. The building will be outfitted with a variety of energy-efficient design features, including a water recycling system in the basement, rooftop solar panels and wind turbines. The project will also include a ventilation system that uses "thermal chimneys" on every floor to circulate hot air out of the building; faucet sensors; on-demand water heaters that cap water use to 5 gallons a day per occupant; and waterglass urinals. At a cost of approximately $3.1 million, the project is expected to produce 40 percent of the building's energy once completed. The project comes at a time when municipalities and counties throughout the Bay Area are requiring new public structures to integrate U.S. Green Building Council standards into their design. The PUC looks to begin work on the 12-story structure next spring.
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The California Academy of Sciences is set to open a new facility in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park late next year. The academy will incorporate such green features as an expansive living roof into the landmark park's natural environment. Designed by a partnership of architect Renzo Piano and Chong Partners, the facility had its groundbreaking in the fall of 2005.
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Magnusson Kelmencic Associates studied five downtown Seattle green roof systems during an 18-month period, gathering more than 1.5 million measurements. In April, it issued a final report in which it found that the green roof systems were able to reduce rainfall runoff by between 65 percent and 94 percent. That was substantially more than was originally modeled. The resiliency of these roofs in a market known for its plethora of precipitation year round was also noted. Researcher Drew A. Gangnes remarked: "Every inch of rain [or gallon of runoff] eliminated by a green roof is runoff that does not enter the municipal storm drainage collection system ... . Therefore, every gallon of rainfall eliminated at the building site by a green roof is a gallon that does not require treatment with chemicals, processing, etc."
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