To achieve Leed Gold certification, the
project’s Construction Management policy and use of materials was closely scrutinised and implemented.
Construction waste was reduced through recycling. Fly-ash was used in the concrete sections of the building. Additionally, glass tiles, steelwork and carpets all included recycled material.
Renewable materials included cork floors, bamboo wall panels and doors made with rice hull cores. All wood-based materials were certified in accordance with the Forest Stewardship Council’s principles and criteria. A regional sourcing policy on materials was also adopted in an attempt to reduce transportation as far as possible.
The development of the EPA’s eco-roof (Fig. 11) was implemented by the designers, Zimmer Gunsal Frasca, in consultation with the EPA’s own experts in this field.
In the Front Range climate zone precipitation is scarce. The team’s goals were to demonstrate to local authorities that Denver’s first eco-roof could remove pollutants from storm water and reduce the run-off rate of this precious resource.
It is thought that green roofs, where appropriate, adopted as a city policy can greatly reduce the ‘heat island effect’ produced by conventional, dark, untextured roofing in dense urban areas. The EPA roof was installed over three terraced levels totalling 20,000 square feet. The vegetation is made up of native plant species and soil media. The performance of the roof’s components is being monitored by various groups including the EPA, the city, the Department of Horticulture at Colorado State University and the Denver Botanical Garden. This study hopes to inspire the future development of these technologies in the Denver region.
In a further effort to achieve a 44% water saving compared to standard buildings, high efficiency and waterless plumbing fixtures are employed throughout the building.
In order to fulfil the EPA’s mission statement “To protect the public’s health and safeguard the natural environment”, post completion evaluations are conducted by the EPA and architects, Zimmer Gunsel Frasca demonstrating that the project’s aims have been achieved, including the predicted significant energy and water usage savings.
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