The Environmental Protection Agency ranks poor indoor air quality among the top five environmental risks to public health. Plus, buildings account for 48 percent of the carbon emissions in the U.S., and are responsible for nearly 40 percent of all energy use. These are the types of problems Timothy Buckley hopes to solve.
Buckley is principal of Greenstone Architecture, a Vancouver firm focused on holistic, high-performance construction. Started in February 2007, Greenstone is already profitable, thanks to Buckley’s reputation – he was an Associate Architect with Vancouver-based LSW Architects for more than 12 years, was past president of the Vancouver American Institute of Architects Component and is president-elect of the AIA Washington Council. He is also a National Council of Architectural Registration Certified Architect and a LEED Accredited Professional.
Buckley developed an interest in green building early on in his career – even before he graduated.
“I realized how much world resources our buildings use,” said Buckley.
Most people think of green building as concentrating on energy efficiency. But Buckley says trash, building materials, air quality and the use and disposal of water affect a building’s impact on the environment and on occupants.
To this end, Buckley’s firm addresses three main areas – occupant health, energy efficiency and general environmental issues – during a commercial or residential building’s design. He also serves as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) project manager for other architectural firms and developers. In this capacity, Buckley offers eco-workshops to the entire project team, including property owners, architects and structural, mechanical, electrical and landscape engineers. By involving everyone at the start, said Buckley, “you can find some fantastic synergies.”
Buckley offers the following simple, low-cost revisions to standard building practices to increase the performance of a building.
Air quality. Use non-toxic materials with little off-gassing, and pay close attention to construction detail (such as window flashing) to avoid moisture and mold. Wes Wilson, president of the Eagle Institute, a Vancouver-based green building consulting company that often works with Buckley, said that 90 percent of building failures are due to water damage. A healthy building also uses mechanical systems such as fans to make sure the inside air remains fresh.
Energy efficiency. Use insulation values beyond the standard. Also use smart controls and efficient mechanical systems. Another low-cost way to reduce energy use is in smart piping. Buckley said that 15 percent to 20 percent of the energy used by hot water heaters is lost “in transit” through the pipes. Routing the pipes through the “conditioned space” of the building keeps the lost heat in the building’s envelope. Similarly, Buckley recommended locating furnaces, hot water heaters and ductwork in the conditioned space as well. Wilson said that, using the techniques suggested by his company, homeowners who would normally spend $250 to $400 per month to heat their homes could expect their energy bills to drop to about $80 per month.
Environmental issues. Buckley said these include conservation of natural resources, water use, buying locally and responsibly and support of alternative transportation. For example, on one project, Buckley and the property owners are considering locating a Flexcar onsite, so that employees are encouraged to use mass transit, but still have a car available during the day if needed.
Summing up the green building approach, Buckley stated that “our built environment needs to mimic the natural environment.”
Green doesn’t mean expensive
According to Wilson, the average premium for building green is less than five percent. What’s more, said Buckley, businesses must look beyond first costs. A 2003 study showed that a high-performance building recoups its extra costs in four to eight years. For example, green buildings use about 30 percent less energy than standard buildings.
Buckley also emphasized the less tangible, but equally important benefits of building green:
•Employee productivity increases by as much as 2 percent to 16 percent
•Property owners can demand higher lease rates
•Tenants see employee recruitment and retention benefits
•Real estate companies are finding that green means better resalability
Financial institutions and insurance companies are beginning to see the business sense of building green. For example, Shore Bank, headquartered in Ilwaco, offers higher loan-to-value ratios for EarthAdvantage, EnergyStar or LEED certified projects.
Building green boils down to what Buckley calls the “triple bottom line”: balancing economy, environment and the social aspect, or human needs.
Green grows up
“Green building is in its infancy,” said Buckley. “The percentage of construction companies doing it is growing incredibly fast, and the demand is increasing almost faster than supply.”
Brandon Tauscher, founder and board president of Project Green Build, a local non-profit group promoting green building, said that a recent McGraw-Hill publication stated that the green building industry would grow from $2 billion today to $20 billion in five years. The National Association of Home Builders stated recently that by 2010, green construction would account for five to 10 percent of all new homes – translating to $19 to $38 billion worth of construction.
Two examples of the momentum behind green building are the “2030 Challenge” issued jointly by the AIA and the U.S. Council of Mayors (to which Vancouver Mayor Pollard belongs) and the “Living Building Challenge” from the Cascadia Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council.
The 2030 Challenge calls for a 50 percent reduction in the use of fossil fuels in U.S. buildings by 2010, and for all new buildings to be carbon-neutral by 2030, while the Living Building Challenge proposes that buildings generate energy with renewable resources and use resources efficiently, such as capturing, treating and reusing water.
“It’s not just about climate change,” said Buckley. “It’s about energy security, national security and saving building owners from future energy cost spikes.”
Locally green
“Clark County is very commendable for their movement toward the green process,” said Wilson. “It’s that attitude that counts.”
For example, Buckley is working with the Al Angelo Co. on a five-story, 60,000-square-foot office building on Mill Plain Boulevard. Albert Angelo III, executive and project manager, said they hoped to finish the $18 million project by the first quarter of 2009, and will pursue LEED certification.
The Al Angelo company plans to occupy the top floor of the building and lease out the remaining four floors.
Buckley has held team workshops for the project, which is the Angelo company’s first LEED project.
“It’s been an education for us – we’re leaning on Tim to give us good info,” said Angelo.
However, Angelo said that his firm was already doing many of the things they have since learned are part of the LEED process, such as using insulated windows, white or light-colored membrane roofing, variable air volume mechanical systems, low volatile organic compound carpet and paint and low water volume flush valves and shower heads.
When asked what motivated them to build a LEED certified building, Angelo replied, “What is good for the community and the nation will be good for us, too.”
Buckley works with many of the other local green building resources, such as Project Green Build and the Eagle Institute, for which he is an “Eagle-certified strategic alliance partner.”
It is Buckley’s commitment to his community and environment that inspired him to found Greenstone Architecture and offer his expertise to the rest of the development community.
“If we can improve or expand the green building practices in our region, it will have great benefit to the community,” said Buckley.
THINKING LOCALLY
New Buildings Institute comes to Vancouver
Dave Hewitt, executive director of the New Buildings Institute, headquartered in White Salmon, said the ten-year-old national-level think-tank, which works on research and technical guidance related to energy efficiency in commercial buildings, opened a new office in Vancouver on Nov. 1. The office is located in the Hidden Barn on Washington Street, next to the Hidden House.
Other local organizations dedicated to improving green building in Clark County offer consulting, technical assistance, and information to contractors, engineers, architects and property owners:
New Buildings Institute
www.newbuildings.org
Eagle Institute
www.eagle-institute.com
Project Green Build
www.projectgreenbuild.org
Greenstone Architecture
www.greenstonearchitecture.com
ON THE WEB
These websites may also be of interest:
www.greenbuildingblocks.com offers info on green building materials and techniques, as well as a directory of green builders.
www.usgbc.org/LEED is the official LEED website.
www.greenbuilding.com offers general information on green building and a professional directory.
www.buildinggreen.com is the publishing company of green building-related news, product directory and online tools.
www.epa.gov/greenbuilding is the EPA’s green building website.
www.greenhomebuilding.com offers a wide range of information about sustainable architecture and natural building.
https://oikos.com/ is a news feed related to green building.
www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook is a one-stop source for things related to green building.
www.greenerbuildings.com is a free, web-based resource to help companies of all sizes and sectors understand and address building design, construction and operation in a way that aligns environmental responsibility with business success.
