New USGBC Board Member

DG’s own Jeff Zellner, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, has recently become a Board Member of the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) New Mexico chapter. Jeff is a Principal Architect and has been with The Design Group for nearly 11 years. We’re proud that his sustainable design expertise will benefit the green community statewide.

Congratulations Jeff!

http://www.usgbcnm.org/

DG Headquarters is LEED Platinum

The Design Group is thrilled to announce that our own Headquarters Building has been certified LEED Platinum!

Platinum is the highest level of LEED Certification which can be achieved, and we are honored that our sustainable design efforts have made the grade.

Our website profile of DG Headquarters has more information about the building and our green design features.

Wherry is LEED Silver!

The Design Group's recent classroom addition to Wherry Elementary School has achieved LEED© Silver Certification!

Back in January, APS reported that the new spaces were popular with their students and staff, and we're proud that the project is now a sustainable success as well.

Read more about the project at our website.

DG Nominated for Sustainable Business Summit Award

The Design Group has been selected as an Honoree for the 2012 Business Weekly Sustainable Business Summit Awards:
http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/blog/2012/06/business-weekly-announces-sustainable.html

Winners will be announced on July 26th.

Click here to view a slideshow of all the nominees.

GSA: "Green Buildings Pay Off"

A provocative issue within the green building movement has always been: are these green buildings really sustainable? Are they saving energy and money? Are the occupants happier and healthier? What are the real benefits to owners, occupants and the environment?

These very issues were recently addressed in a white paper released by the General Services Administration (GSA). For more than a decade, GSA, the real estate arm of the Federal government responsible for housing federal agencies, has been pursuing sustainable building practices. Their findings on green building performance cut through the conjecture and demonstrated bona fide benefits from going green.

The study compared 22 green buildings to the average commercial facility in the United States and found that the green buildings are producing results. These include:

• a 19% reduction in maintenance costs 
• a 25% savings in energy and water 
• a 36% reduction in CO2 emissions 
• 27% more occupants were satisfied with their space

These numbers establish real results for sustainable building practices and provide even more incentive to push for these numbers to become even higher.

For more information, follow the link below, and click on ‘white paper’ at the bottom of the article.

http://gsablogs.gsa.gov/gsablog/2011/10/24/commitment-to-green-building-practices-pays-off/

50% in Energy Savings

The Design Group Headquarters is estimated to be saving over 50%, or 42,446 kWh, in energy use annually when compared to the same building built to conventional code.  That’s enough energy to run a 100 W conventional light bulb for 24 hours a day for 50 years. (Assuming any light bulb could last that long!)  This energy savings comes from a variety of strategies Design Group has employed:  

-Building envelope upgrades have included efficient glazing in all the windows, additional roof insulation, and furring out the interior of the exterior walls with more insulation.  

-A more efficient lighting plan, using LEDs instead of incandescent lights saved over 60% alone.  

-Operable windows allow for the HVAC system to be turned off during shoulder seasons, and cross ventilation to cool the building.

-Solar Panels producing energy onsite contribute significantly to the overall energy savings.  In the month of April, they met almost 80% of the building’s total energy needs.

Of course, 50% is the projected energy savings.  In an effort to track real life performance Design Group has registered the building with Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager and is tracking its electricity, gas and water use based on its actual bills.  This real life data will not only be important in evaluating the performance of the DGHQ, but will be key to strategizing what works and what doesn’t in all of Design Group’s projects.

The Rise and Fall of the Workstation

When planning our new office, no detail escaped examination. Not limited to the design of the actual building, the future workstations themselves received scrutiny. As part of the office-wide design charrette process (both formal and informal), Design Group team members tested a seemingly endless parade of chair and desk options.


What might seem like a minor decision was actually quite important.


Beyond simple aesthetics, the ergonomics of the desks and chairs ruled the decision-making process. Like many other professionals, architects, designers, and engineers spend the majority of their work days sitting at a desk, staring at a computer screen. This makes selecting the right desk and chair essential for employee health. Citing the proven benefits of workstations that can be adjusted in height to suit the user, we decided upon Baker's Zydeco™ electric table. At the touch of a button, each employee will be able to adjust the height of his/her desk – and will even be able to stand to work if so desired.




The Zydeco™

 

A New Neighborhood, A Committment to Community



The New Neighborhood



Once the Design Group moves into its new Headquarters, the commute will get much shorter for several team members, including Emily Brudenell:

”Once we move, I will be able to walk to work in the amount of time it takes me currently to drive, or bike in even less time.  It’s going to be great; I can’t wait to move!”

The selection of this site was deliberate.  Owners Doug Majewski and Gregory Hartman considered dozens of sites before finally deciding to move forward with the location on Vassar.  Vassar offered the most opportunities to develop a project that would help cultivate a stronger community and support a diverse, walkable neighborhood. As Gregory observed,

"We are thrilled to become a part of a mixed use neighborhood where employees can live, work, learn, play and shop all within walking distance.  The Design Group was founded on community projects like this that positively impact our neighborhoods for future generations.  Adding another fifty years of life to a vacant building through revitalization is not only true sustainability but it also enriches our common cultural heritage.”

That many staff members will be able to walk or bike to work is a bonus.  Says one team member, Kirstin Kalberg:

“I love the fact that our new office is located on the cusp of a residential neighborhood.  It lends a sense of community to our office and work.  The location is really fantastic.”

Photovoltaic Panel Installation Begins



Installation of the PV panels


Progress continues at the new Headquarters building, and today marks a major "Green" milestone for the building.  Positive Energy, Inc. is on site installing the photovoltaic (PV) panels that will supply a significant amount of the building's power needs.  The PV panels, made by SunPower, employ unique technology making them more efficient than most panels on the market. More than simply a key LEED Certification requirement for the building, the use of PV panels represents The Design Group's committment to sustainability.

Click on the links below to view a couple of short videos of the installation in progress: