Latest Heartland News
- Bond Courthouse Achieves LEED Gold
- Federal Energy-Saving Tips You Can Use in the Home
- Congressman Yoder Attends Dole Child Care Center Graduation
- Heartland Region Receives More Than $385,000 in Energy Rebates
- Davenport Courthouse Receives First-Ever ENERGY STAR® Award
- Recovery Act Project at RAY Building Supports Small Business
- Neal Smith Federal Building Energy Rebates Fund Lighting Upgrades
- Veterans Benefits Administration's Lincoln, NE Facility Achieves LEED® Gold
Bond Courthouse Achieves LEED Gold
The Christopher S. Bond U.S. Courthouse at 80 Lafayette Street in Jefferson City, Mo., has become the first new courthouse in the Heartland Region to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification.
The LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health, including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
LEED certification was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 2000. The LEED rating systems are developed through an open, consensus-based process led by LEED committees. There are four levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. The Cape Girardeau U.S. Courthouse earned a Silver certification several years ago.
Specific LEED-credited strategies for the courthouse include:
- a reflective roof,
- water-saving fixtures,
- an improved thermal envelope,
- reduced interior lighting power,
- heat recovery systems, and
- dedicated recycling areas.
The project also diverted more than 80 percent of construction waste from the landfill and provides vegetated open space equal to nearly 60 percent of the total project site area.
For the Bond courthouse, which was officially dedicated in September 2011, the architectural design team worked with GSA to begin the process of identifying likely achievable LEED credits six years ago. As the project progressed, various members of the team -- including the architect Kallmann, McKinnell, & Wood, the mechanical engineer, the general contractor JE Dunn and GSA -- were called upon to complete the appropriate documentation.
The GSA project team included Mike Ryer, George Gourse, John Topi, Jean Dodd, Peggy Jewett, Rick Etem, Joe Wallace, Roger Haynes and John Heisner, among others.
The 118,000-square-foot Bond courthouse, overlooking the Missouri River, is named for the former U.S. senator and Missouri governor.
Federal Energy-Saving Tips You Can Use in the Home
As warm temperatures persist and with winter on the horizon, cutting energy costs is more important than ever. Since 2009, the U.S. General Services Administration has worked diligently to improve environmental, energy and economic performance of its federal buildings, and achieve the goal of a 30 percent energy reduction by October 2015.
“We continue to seek energy efficient improvements to our buildings to save taxpayer dollars,” said Jason Klumb, GSA Heartland regional administrator. “Small steps can lead to big savings. At the Neal Smith Federal Building in Des Moines, we’ve achieved an estimated $84,233 in annual savings.”
But the federal government is not the only one looking to save more on their utility bills - many homeowners are looking to do the same.
Here are several steps used by GSA that you can use in your home to save money:
1. Have an energy audit conducted on your home. This will tell you what improvements you can do to improve your home’s energy efficiency.
2. Asses and make repairs to any insulation or infiltration problems within the home. Sealing pipes and air vents throughout is another way to save money, and it is the first step for the following updates to be effective.
3. Ensure your appliances are running efficiently. Have annual checks done on equipment and replace air filters regularly to ensure it is running properly and efficiently.
4. When an appliance dies, replace it with an ENERGY STAR appliance. These appliances are rated to measure how efficiently an appliance works.
5. Replace all light bulbs in the home with high efficiency LED bulbs. This is an inexpensive way to conserve energy.
In Iowa, the Neal Smith Federal Building has made several similar environmental upgrades. From 2008 - 2011, various upgrades to Neal Smith have reduced its overall energy usage by 17 percent and its utility costs by 19 percent, which is an estimated $84, 233 per year in savings. ENERGY STAR also recognized the Neal Smith Federal Building in 2011 for delivering on the “guiding principles for federal leadership in high performance and sustainable buildings.” The building has also been nominated for the Better Buildings Federal Award, which recognizes federal buildings that lead in the amount of energy reduced annually.
In the last four years, the GSA Iowa Field office has received more than $212,000 in energy reduction rebates.
Congressman Yoder Attends Dole Child Care Center Graduation
It was not a public address nor a campaign speech that led Congressman Kevin Yoder from the 3rd District of Kansas to speak at the Robert J. Dole U.S. Courthouse on May 23. The congressman delivered the keynote address at the Uncle Sam’s Academy child care center graduation.
The center’s 11 graduates received their diplomas from Congressman Yoder during the ceremony, and the academy’s board president, Brenda Yoakum-Kriz, addressed the graduates and attendees, as well.
“It was great to get a congressional leader, as well as someone familiar with the program, at the ceremony,” Child Care Program Coordinator Rebecca Mausbach expressed. “Congressman Yoder was very impressed with our program and was thrilled be a part of such a big day for the children graduating."
Kansas Field Office property manager Bill Kelb arranged the Congressman’s appearance, as Yoder’s office used to be in the Dole Courthouse and Kelb knows the congressional staff well.
Read the Congressman’s comments about his graduation experience in his online newsletter.
Heartland Region Receives More Than $385,000 in Energy Rebates
The Heartland Region’s Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas City North Service Centers have collectively received more than $385,000 in energy rebates over the past five years. Iowa alone has earned over $211,000 of that amount and has reinvested or targeted the funds back into the energy program. The field offices’ efforts focused on the root of energy usage: building tenants and building system operators, addressing energy usage with a three-prong approach: auditing, education and community partnerships. Through an aggressive training program, they educated associates on new methods of tracking and evaluating energy use. They also partnered with outside agencies and companies in the community to make an impact with building tenants on a personal level. Iowa Service Center Director Doug Papineau received a commendable service award for his leadership in the energy program in Iowa. Nebraska’s success at the Roman Hruska U.S. Courthouse will be featured in the Omaha Public Power District's semi-annual magazine Ideas. In addition to energy rebates, the Heartland Region has 19 buildings that exceed the 75 percent score to qualify as an ENERGY STAR® facility and six facilities that have already exceeded the 30 percent energy reduction mandate required by Executive Order 13423.
Davenport Courthouse Receives First-Ever ENERGY STAR® Award
In December, the Federal Courthouse in Davenport, Iowa, received its first ENERGY STAR® designation. This accomplishment could not have been achieved without a partnership with building tenants and contractors who continually focus on energy conservation. The building earned score of 79, placing it in the top 79 percent of similar buildings nationwide.
To earn the ENERGY STAR® rating, GSA's Iowa Field Office approached energy conservation from a comprehensive standpoint. The Field Office partnered with the operations and maintenance contractor, MidAmerican Energy and Nexant Engineering, to conduct evaluations of all mechanical equipment and lighting systems. Everything from no-cost opportunities to new technologies was evaluated to find ways to decrease energy consumption. In addition, the field office engaged in a tenant education campaign and partnered with them to reduce energy usage.
These dedicated efforts have provided a high-quality environment for all tenants and the visiting public, while reducing energy consumption by more than 12 percent. Such measures will save tens of thousands of dollars in energy expenses annually and also set the standard for GSA’s energy conservation efforts.
Recovery Act Project at St. Louis RAY Building Supports Small Business
The Recovery project at the Robert A. Young Federal Building in St. Louis is now substantially complete. The scope of this project was divided into three different construction contracts:cafeteria improvements, envelope improvements and mechanical upgrades.
The cafeteria now boasts upgraded ENERGY STAR® equipment. Café 1222 serves the 3,000 RAY tenants, as well as the police academy and fire department across the street from the RAY building.
The envelope improvements included window replacement and masonry repairs that reduce air infiltration and improve blast performance. It is believed to be the single largest masonry restoration project in St. Louis.
The mechanical project included many mechanical upgrades including HVAC improvements, lighting, computer room air-conditioning unit replacement, and installation of an Advanced Metering System.
Most of the construction was done by small businesses. Approximately $42 million of the $46 million obligated for the project were awarded to small businesses, and the majority of the subcontractors were small businesses as well.
In addition, 80 percent of the demolition and construction waste from this project was donated, sold or recycled including 12,000 pounds of kitchen equipment.
Neal Smith Federal Building Energy Rebates Fund Lighting Upgrades
The Iowa Field Office recently completed an $18,000 lighting retrofit project at the Neal Smith Federal Building in Des Moines using previously-earned energy rebate dollars. The project replaced all exterior lighting with new energy efficient LED fixtures.
The project reduced power consumption for exterior lighting by 68 percent saving over $3,000 annually, delivering a six-year payback period. The project also tripled the existing lumen's, directly enhancing building safety and security. Tenant feedback has been tremendous.
Iowa has earned more than $136,000 in energy rebates over the last four years and are working towards earning an additional $100,000 or more statewide with post-Recovery Act equipment upgrades.
Veterans Benefits Administration's Lincoln, NE Facility Achieves LEED® Gold
The 61,000-square-foot facility, which processes financial and other forms of assistance for veterans and their dependents across the region, had achieved LEED Silver status after it opened in September 2010. Achieving LEED Gold status reflects independent verification that the Lincoln VBA facility incorporates features aimed at high performance in such areas as sustainability, water savings, materials selection and energy efficiency. Having another LEED Gold facility in the Heartland is a significant achievement for the region.
For the VBA, the LEED “points” that ultimately achieved Gold status came from a wide range of measures, according to Jim Krieger of Architectural Design Associates P.C., which participated in construction of the Lincoln facility. Among the key areas:
- Mechanical efficiency of geothermal heat pumps
- Water efficiency in plumbing fixtures and landscaping
- Recycled content, particularly with pre-cast concrete wall panels and regional materials
- Low-emitting materials for carpet and paint
- Construction waste management
