From the Editor
Last week, I had the pleasure of touring the LEED Platinum certified Great River Energy headquarters facility in Maple Grove, Minn. The 166,000-square-foot facility recently was listed as one of AIA Committee on the Environment’s Top 10 projects of the year. 

Needless to say, the building is absolutely stunning – a paragon of sustainable design. It includes a giant wind turbine near the building’s parking lot, a rooftop solar array, and a geothermal heating and cooling system that uses 39 heat exchangers sunk in the adjacent lake. 

But what really makes the building a jewel in my mind was its emphasis on daylighting and natural views. The building is designed with a long east-west axis so  most of the glass faces north and south. For example, the conference room where we heard presentations from the project architect and engineer had a huge expanse of north-facing glass that looked out onto the lake. Not only were the electric lights all but unnecessary, it really was soothing to be able to "clear my head" by glancing outside at the beautiful scenery. 

As we walked throughout the building, there wasn't any place in the building (except a stairwell or two) where we couldn’t see outside. The building has a series of clerestory atriums, which, combined with the tall windows mean 84 percent of occupied space receives regular daylight.

The building also includes dimming ballasts and high-performance coatings on exterior glass to minimize glare and heat gain. Those strategies, combined with the emphasis on daylighting, contribute to the building using 47 percent less energy (metered) than ASHRAE 90.1-2004. Quite an achievement!

Cheers,

Greg Zimmerman, editor
 

PS. Happy Earth Day, one day early.  

Green Strategies
How Daylighting Works 
This article explains the potential benefits of daylighting and some practical tips for overcoming challenges. 

In the News
EPA Classifies Greenhouse Gases as Pollutants
This game-changing ruling by the EPA paves the way for stricter regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, including a cap and trade system. 

Green Toolkit
Whole Building Design Guide — Daylighting  
This site provides a wealth of information, tips and strategies on how to use daylight effectively in buildings.  

Green Pulse
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