Monthly e-Newsletter July 2009

We are proud to be on the team for this innovative, energy efficient new building for Puget Sound Energy in Bellevue. The hallmark of this project was the sense of collaboration and commitment by all the people involved, from the kick off charette, to the filing of the final documents for LEED certification. The building not only has energy efficient HVAC and lighting, but outdoor features as well, such as a green roof and a drought proof landscape in addtion to the efficient envelope and daylighting features. The interior includes an underfloor HVAC system, 100 % dedicated outside air, direct digital controls and CO2 sensors. The building is constructed with recycled materials, and provides an attractive, comfortable work environment. Gary Womack, the project manager, says the Bellevue PSE Building will be open for occupancy by the end of August. We are gratified to have completed this project for Puget Sound Energy with such an incredible group of consummate professionals – go Silver!

Fuel Stations Fuel economy is on everyone’s mind these days, which has lead to a rise in some pretty interesting companies entering the fuel station market. Major chains such as Costco, Safeway, and Kroger are building new stations around the country and giving their clients effective incentives to stay and fill-‘er-up, rather than going down the street to the more traditional stations.

This presents some unexpected new opportunities for architects and engineers. At Abossein, we just completed this new fuel facility for the Navy in cooperation with Saybr Contractors. Abossein has designed over 300 fuel stations, including: Arco, Texaco, BP, 7-11, Union 76, Citgo, AM/PM, Chevron, and Safeway. By providing all the engineering needed for fuel station design, we offer all civil site, fuel, and MEFP services necessary to replicate complete success every time.

Whether you’re working on a LEED project or just trying to conserve resources; waterless urinals can go a long way toward saving water, but they may not be right for every project. Some things to consider when looking at waterless urinals are: What is the maintenance schedule of the facility?

Waterless urinals can be a good choice for restaurants or similar facilities that clean their restrooms daily. Odors can be a concern for facilities like offices which may be on a less frequent cleaning schedule. Also, we would want to consider the goals of the building owner. There is no doubt that waterless urinals conserve resources, but they may not present a long term savings to the owner. The cost of replacement cartridges can offset the cost of the water saved. In addition, waterless urinals utilize replaceable cartridges that must be disposed of, but currently the used cartridges are considered hazardous waste and cannot be recycled. They are typically discarded in the trash and ultimately may end up in landfills. As with any new technology, care must be taken when designing systems using waterless urinals. Urinals deal with a highly acidic waste. This has not been a problem in the past since the acid is diluted by water, but take away the water and this can spell trouble when coupled with metallic pipes. The acid can aggressively corrode the pipes causing leaks and damage in nearly new buildings.

So are waterless urinals a bad idea? Not at all, they are perfectly suitable depending on the type of business or facility. And for the rest, there are a myriad of water saving choices available. ½ gallon per flush units are commonly available with ¼ gallon and even 1 pint per flush available from some manufacturer’s. As the building designers, it’s our job to understand an owner’s needs and help ensure they have the best fit for their project.

Last Month's Answer: LEED 2.2 registration is 6/26/2009; document submission to LEED is 12/31/2009.

Question of the month (see next month's issue for the answer):

In regard to the LEED EA credit minimum (Version 3.0), how much more energy efficient does the proposed building energy model need to be over the standard building baseline (new construction)?