First Industrial Project To Receive USGBC LEED® Platinum Certification
11/25/2008
FSi’s Shoreline Recycling And Transfer Station First Industrial Project To Receive USGBC LEED® Platinum Certification
When King County residents visit their recently redeveloped Shoreline Recycling and Transfer Station, they may not notice the facility’s rooftop rainwater harvesting system, solar electricity panels, recycled content components and many other environmentally‐friendly improvements.
The U.S. Green Building Council noticed these features – and a lot more. The national organization dedicated to expanding green‐building practices awarded the Shoreline Recycling and Transfer Station with its highest designation – the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Platinum Certification.
The facility reopened in February after a two‐year rebuilding project on the site of an old landfill. There are only 60 projects in the United States and 65 projects worldwide with a USGBC LEED® ‐ NC Platinum certification, and Shoreline is the only recycling and transfer station to achieve the highest rating. Significantly, the Shoreline Recycling and Transfer Station is the first industrial project in the world to be certified LEED® Platinum.
“This Platinum certification recognizes the Solid Waste Division’s creative and forward‐looking approach to upgrading this facility,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “It also recognizes the talent and hard work of the many division employees involved in the design, building and operation of this new facility. And, it asserts the division’s leadership in environmental design and sustainability.”
“We had hoped to receive the US Green Building Council’s Gold project certification for this facility, and we are ecstatic with the news that our project received the higher Platinum rating,” said Kevin Kiernan, King County Solid Waste Division Director.
“The project was successful resulting from the complete commitment of King County Project Manager Lisa Williams, who brought exceptional energy to meet the project objectives,” said Doug Brinley, KPG, Inc. Principal Architect. “The design team was afforded the full opportunities to pursue the range of solutions to achieve synergies, which are essential to achieve the higher LEED project certification levels.”
The facility’s energy‐saving and sustainable features include:
•Rainwater harvesting system collects water to wash industrial floors, and to flush toilets. This reduces water needs by 57 percent, saving 254,000 gallons of potable water every year.
•15kW solar panel array generates electricity even during cloudy days, providing at least 10 percent of the building’s energy needs exclusive of industrial equipment.
•The facility design employs natural daylight through structured plastic glazing panels strategically positioned in exterior walls and overhead skylights, with the effect of reducing energy costs for lighting by 50 percent a year.
•Openings in exterior walls are located to promote controlled passive ventilation air movement through the recycling and transfer building, with the effect of reducing energy needs for ventilation by 80 percent compared to a conventional design. The passive system works in concert with active ventilation systems.
•Low volatile organic compound paints and adhesives contribute to healthy indoor air.
•Green building materials include: recycled content steel, Forest Stewardship Council‐certified wood, and concrete with 15% substitution of fly ash for cement equivalent.
•Landscaped bioswales slow water flow to reduce stream bank erosion along Thornton Creek, a stream on the site.
•Plants filter contaminants and sediment from surface water runoff.
•Pavement reduction achieved by providing parking for industrial vehicles beneath the building, reducing noise impacts on the neighborhood.
•A high percentage of construction waste diversion from landfills.
User feedback has been positive since the station’s reopening.
The LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus‐based national rating system for developing high‐performance, sustainable buildings. LEED addresses all building types and emphasizes state‐of‐the‐art strategies in six areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resources selection, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
2009 Judge’s Award for Sustainable Design – American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)
2009 Gold Environmental Award – American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)
2008 National Innovation Award ‐ Solid Waste Association of North America
2008 Green Project of the Year Award – Northwest Construction Consumer Council
2008 ‘What Makes it Green?’ Regional Top Ten Green Awards, Honorable Mention – AIA Seattle
USGBC LEED® NC‐2.1 ‘Platinum’ Project Certification
2007 Excellence in Building Green – King County
