Green Up -- Ideas to improve the eco-friendliness of your facility

Green Up

Ideas to improve the eco-friendliness of your facility

By Stacy St. Clair

Plenty of ideas to improve the eco-friendliness and health of your facility—and save some greenbacks, too

For more than three decades, environmental advocates have used Earth Day to broaden support for eco-friendly programs and rekindle public interest.

Though, arguably, we could all stand to live a little greener every day. It's not only a moral imperative; for many recreation managers it has become a fiscal one as well.

Soaring energy costs have led to increased interest in so-called green building, structures designed to be energy-efficient, water-conserving and protective of air quality, among other things.

Several facility managers nationwide have turned to the LEED—Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design—Green Building Rating System to help them achieve their eco goals. The voluntary standards and certification program recognize structures that are more environmentally responsible, healthier and profitable.

The Four Rs

We all know landscaping can do some serious damage to your budget. What you may not realize, however, is how much it could be costing the environment. The wrong plants, irrigation plans or outdoor materials can do more harm than good to the great outdoors. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has developed a GreenScapes program to address the problem. By simply following the federal agency's guidelines, you can save money and prevent pollution. The program encourages participants to make holistic decisions regarding waste generation and disposal by focusing on the four Rs—reduce, reuse, recycle and rebuy.

Here are steps to put you on the GreenScapes path:

REDUCE

Waste

Select low-maintenance or slow-growing plants and grasses.
Reduce or eliminate plastic silt fencing and substitute with blankets, berms or filtersocks made of compost for erosion control.
Consider switching from pressure-treated wood to recycled-plastic lumber for decks, benches and signs.
Return wooden pallets and other shipping materials to your supplier whenever possible.
When replacing an existing hardscape or structure, deconstruct, reuse and recycle all possible materials such as metal, wood, shingles, concrete and pavement.
Minimize site and soil disruptions to the maximum extent possible.
Cluster structures to maximize open space.
Minimize turf grass and paved areas. In other words, keep as much natural area as possible.

Water

Conserve water through xeriscaping.
Incorporate compost to the soil to help improve water absorption and retention.
Top-dress your turf with compost.
Reduce non-permeable hardscape wherever possible.
Place mulch over a plant's root zone to reduce moisture evaporation and conserve water.
Install drip irrigation systems.
Install composting toilets in remote locations to reduce water and servicing requirements.
Clean equipment with compressed air whenever possible. Grass clippings and debris should be collected and composted.

Air/Energy

Strategically plant vegetation outside and around buildings to reduce indoor heating and cooling needs.
Use hand or electric equipment wherever feasible to reduce emissions.
Use bio-based fuels and lubricants in place of petroleum.
Implement scheduled equipment maintenance program for increased efficiency and reduced emissions.

Fertilizers and Pesticides

Use compost as a soil amendment to help reduce the need for chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
Incorporate native plants in your landscape—they generally require less fertilizers and pesticides.
Spot-treat whenever possible.
Set mower blades higher to fight weeds and diseases without pesticides.
Grasscycle—leave grass clippings in place (don't bag) when mowing.
Produce less green waste by limiting fertilizer and water use.
Use mulch around trees and in flowering beds as weed prevention.
Purchase only what you need and can use for a specific treatment.
Return unused excess product to supplier if possible.
If you cannot return excess product, contact your local solid-waste agency and your state pesticide-disposal program to determine if a waste or pesticide program now commonly called "Clean Sweep" is available. These efforts by state and local governments typically focus on agricultural pesticides but also may include other pesticides used by homeowners, golf courses, and highway departments.

Climate Change

Plant trees to shade paved areas and help reduce the summer "heat-island" effect.
Compost organic waste in lieu of burning or burying.

REUSE

Waste

Take apart non-returnable wood pallets to reuse the wood (for example, edging around plant beds) or chip it for use on-site for mulch.
Chip woody waste and tree clippings into mulch for use on-site.
Donate healthy plants to local nonprofit organizations when reconfiguring or removing trees and shrubs from your landscape.
Reuse or increase the use and efficiency of existing sites before cutting into new sites.
Reuse soils within the work site; create mounds or berms to serve as wind breaks or to add visual interest.

Water

Use gray water, reclaimed water or collected rainwater for irrigation and equipment wash downs.

RECYCLE

Waste

Recycle bedding trays and plant containers from annuals and other greenery.
Triple rinse and recycle plastic commercial containers.
Recycle used oil and tires from your vehicles and equipment.
Provide recycling receptacles next to trash receptacles.
Reclaim land—turn waste land into usable property and a valuable asset.

Water

Recycle gray water for irrigation and equipment wash downs.

REBUY

Waste

Select plastic lumber made from recycled bottles and bags for benches and other outdoor structures.
Incorporate rubberized asphalt (made from recycled tires) for parking lots, walking, running, bike or cart paths.
Purchase patio blocks and lawn edging containing recovered plastic or post-consumer rubber.
Amend soils and turf with high-quality compost.
Use recycled glass for golf course bunker sand, beach sand or filter media.
Specify high-performance concrete, which can contain fly ash and/or other recycled materials to double the life of conventional pavement, wall and bridge applications.
Restructure waste-disposal contracts to pay only for waste actually disposed: weight-based vs. fixed rate. If a weight-based rate is not possible and your dumpster is only half-full each time, switch to less frequent pickups.
Install composting toilets in remote locations such as parks and golf courses to save on waste-disposal costs.

Water

Buy hoses, tubing and trickle-irrigation systems made from recovered plastic and old tires.
Use bio-based cleaners and solvents for equipment.
Install a green vegetated roof to reduce or eliminate storm-water and heat island effect.
Purchase and incorporate plants that require minimal or no supplemental watering.

Air/Energy

Purchase biodiesel and bio-based lubricants for your equipment.
Compost makes an excellent air-filter media for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
Plant trees to replace those removed or damaged during construction.
Buy locally produced goods and services whenever possible to reduce transportation emissions and costs.
Purchase or rent fuel-efficient vehicles for your fleet.
Use high-efficiency lighting for roadways, parking lots, security and landscaping.
Use solar-powered lighting and signage wherever possible.
Use solar, wind and other renewable energy sources. Purchase "green power" from renewable energy sources if available.

Fertilizers and Pesticides

Purchase organic, bio-based or slow-release fertilizers.
Use biopesticides instead of conventional pesticides.

Conservation on my mind

Georgia State Parks have followed LEED standards in several buildings, including the Len Foote Hike Inn. Located in Amicalola Falls State Park, it is one of several existing LEED buildings in the Peach State and has earned the system's gold rating.

In order to accomplish this, a team of experts from various backgrounds met at the inn to study the building. They came up with innovative plans that reduced energy and water consumption by, among other things, using recycled materials, installing solar-energy collection and implementing the latest storm-water management techniques.

The lodge, which is nestled into the forest landscape in the Appalachian foothills, was built with odorless composting toilets, solar-energy panels, rainwater collection barrels and reduced construction waste. The inn also sits on poles to minimize land grading.

Designers also made sure visitors would do no harm to the local ecosystem.

Nearly all food and waste, for example, is composted with redworms, a process called vermiculture.

Patrons also reach the building by taking a five-mile hike. No cars, motorcycles or bicycles allowed. And to help maintain the ambiance, pagers, beepers and radios are forbidden as well.

The inn reflects a concerted effort undertaken by Georgia State Parks in the past five years. Several of its buildings serve as models for other recreation facilities looking to be a little greener.

The Okefenokee State Park in Fargo, which opened in 2003, boasts a visitor center that also received a gold rating under LEED. The visitor center features pervious parking areas to reduce water runoff, odorless composting toilets, solar-power exterior lighting and high-efficiency heat pumps.

At Richard B. Russell State Park golf course, the clubhouse has low-profile lighting to reduce pollution and shaded parking areas to minimize heat islands. Much of the buildings materials were purchased or manufactured locally, a move that lessens the transportation pollution.

Some newer buildings have been designed to produce a blast of cold air when a door opens. This saves energy by helping to combat the hot air that rushes in when people come inside.

A future building is taking the park system's use of recycled products to a new level. The structure's base is being built from old car dashboards.

Another will have a grass roof to help with cooling costs. Both features are examples of how Georgia officials have dedicated—and will continue to dedicate—themselves to thinking greener.

"When it's financially feasible, we will be constructing all of our new buildings according to LEED standards," parks spokeswoman Kim Hatcher says.

Being an eco-friendly recreation system, however, means more than just embracing solar power and building standards. It's paying attention to the little details, something Georgia Park officials have done amazingly well.

At the Sweetwater Creek State Park, for example, rainwater is captured and used in the restrooms. Meanwhile in the new Franklin D. Roosevelt Museum at the Little White House Historic Site, waterless urinals have been installed.

"Not only do these urinals not use water," Hatcher says, "they surprisingly have no smell either."

The parks' resorts have made several eco-friendly moves, too. Officials decided to put bulk shampoo dispensers in the bathroom to cut down on the packing waste produced by individual bottles.

Guests also are given the option of keeping their towels for reuse. This cuts down on the energy and materials needed to launder them after just one use.

"Our goal is to make all our buildings as energy-efficient and environmentally responsible as they can be," Hatcher says. "It's a commitment that's very important to us."

LEED Time

More and more organizations are turning to the LEED—Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design—Green Building Rating System when designing their facilities. The voluntary standards and certification program honors high-performance, eco-friendly buildings as defined by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Here are a few more facts to encourage you to go green:

LEED buildings have lower operating costs and higher lease rates.
Occupants are often healthier and happier than those in conventionally constructed structures, thanks to improved air, thermal and acoustic environments.
LEED projects aim to minimize the strain on the local infrastructure.
USGBC has more than 60 local organizing groups and chapter throughout the nation.
There are LEED projects in all 50 states and more than a dozen countries.
LEED has been licensed for use in Canada by the Canada Green Building Council

Source: U.S. Green Building Council, www.usgbc.org

Green up the small stuff

But let's be realistic. Not all recreation departments can do what the Georgia State Parks has done.

Every agency has its own financial and logistical constraints, but that doesn't release it from environmental responsibilities. There are little things every fitness center and recreation facility can do to be a tad greener.

For example, health clubs can put eco-friendly flooring in their weight rooms. The flooring industry now offers rubber turf made out of old rubber tires. The recycled floor can withstand repeated water dousing, heavy loading and exposure to the elements.

Recreation managers also could consider putting spectrally selective film over their windows. According to the California Energy Commission, 30 percent of a structure's cooling requirements may be a function of heat entering windows. Clear, almost colorless, spectrally selective window film applied to existing glass lets in light while blocking heat better than most dark and tinted window films. By blocking heat, not light, at the window, spectrally selective film cools off indoor temperatures, saves energy and lowers air-conditioning loads without darkening building interiors or changing a building's aesthetic appearance.

After Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., placed the film over its Encina Hall windows, the school's air-conditioning bills fell by $4,891.95 annually. Over a nine-year period, the school should see a $43,000 return on investment.

St. Joseph Academy in Brownsville, Texas, saw similar benefits when it installed film on its gymnasium windows. The glass-walled, non-air-conditioned gym was an unpopular venue because of its oppressive heat and the glare from the windows.

For school officials, it seemed the only answer was a budget-busting air-conditioning system. But while it would address the heat problem, it would not reduce the glare.

The school eventually turned to spectrally selective film to solve its problems. The change reduced temperature, minimized the glare and made the game more enjoyable for both the teams and their fans.

Evangel University officials in Springfield, Mo., also found an eco-friendly way to reduce their energy bills. When they installed a new roof on the campus athletic facility center last year, they did more than just improve its aesthetics.

The Ashcroft Activities Center—home to Evangel basketball and volleyball teams—was opened in 1967 without air conditioning. The heat produced during summer basketball practice made it nearly unbearable.

When the roofing contractor addressed the concerns by stripping the existing microform coating off the roof and replacing it with a new monolithic coating, the internal air quality improved.

"The indoor environment changes surprised the people using the center," roofing contractor Charlie Jones says. "And, of course, it left them very pleased when the project reached completion."

Easy Green

Kermit the Frog swears it ain't easy being green.
But what does that hyperbole-prone amphibian know?
Mark Piepkorn, associate editor for Building Green Inc., offers several ways to be more eco-friendly. And they're not as hard as you—or any Muppet—might think.

Five things you can do

Know your environment. Make sure your design complements the local climate and culture.
Choose environmentally friendly building materials. Use durable materials that will not need to be replaced—or disposed of—with any regularity.
Do your research. Talk to other recreation managers. Learn what has worked for them and what hasn't.
Use the GreenSpec menu. The online directory, which recently published its sixth edition, offers the industry's most complete list of eco-friendly products www.buildinggreen.com/menus
Communicate. Make sure your designers keep open lines of communication with the community. This helps ensure the project meets community expectations before it's too late—or too costly—to rectify.

Five products to consider:

Post-consumer recycled-plastic lumber: perfect for boardwalks, site amenities and trash cans.
Lighting: Use efficient lighting to reduce energy usage and bills.
Proper plantings: Native plants benefit nearly all landscaped areas. Before selecting plants, however, consider how they'll work in your park or facility. If there's not a lot of irrigation sources, for example, do not select plants that require a lot of water.
Synthetic turf: With the improvements to artificial turf in recent years, it's become an acceptable option for recreation managers. This is welcomed news for some green advocates, who may prefer the artificial playing fields because they don't require watering, fertilizing or gas-powered mowing.
Organic fertilizers: Over-fertilized lawns and landscapes contribute to most of the country's groundwater pollution. Use alternatives with low or nonexistent phosphate levels.

Bigger ideas

Some times going green, though, means going some place few have gone before. Enter Architect Thomas Kincaid.

He has embraced the monolithic dome as an environmentally responsible way to construct a building. The concrete structures may not seem eco-friendly or aesthetically pleasing at first, but Kincaid is on a mission to change that misconception.

"It's a real struggle for conventional buildings to meet the LEED standards," the Wisconsin-based architect says. "But a monolithic structure can waltz right into a platinum rating."

Such statements will be for the U.S. Green Building Council to decide. The truth, however, is that monolithic structures can benefit the environment in several ways.

First, they use less energy. At the most basic level, the shape of the monolithic dome is one of the reasons for its energy-efficiency. There simply is less surface area per square foot to heat or cool compared to the square or rectangular building.

The materials used in its construction also contribute to its energy savings. The polyurethane foam used on the exterior is considered one of the best insulating products on the market. By putting the insulation on the structure's exterior, the concrete is protected from the actual temperature outside the building.

The concrete's thermal mass also boosts the dome's energy-efficiency. When the building is heated or cool, the concrete maintains the temperature for a longer period of time and radiates it back into the dome's interior.

A church that Kincaid designed in North Carolina, for example, turns on the heat for only five hours each week. The design helps maintain a comfortable temperature the rest of the time.

"We maintain a temperature between 66 and 73 degrees," says Kincaid, who also recently designed a monolithic sports facility in Austin, Texas. "It just has terrific energy-efficiency."

The Texas-based Monolithic Dome Institute estimates the design reduces heating and cooling bills roughly 50 percent over conventional buildings. The energy savings amortized over a 20-year period, institute experts say, often can cover the cost of building a sports facility.

Domes also can help the environment because they require few materials. It's basically a steel-enforced concrete structure with a polyurethane exterior.

"A dome structure encloses the most amount of space with the least amount of material," Kincaid says.

The dome itself is virtually a maintenance-free structure, though it will need to be washed and painted over the years. And if it's used as a sports facility, the maintenance on the field, track, bleachers and restrooms may be greatly reduced because everything has been moved indoors.

Detractors, however, suggest gray concrete is anything but green. Not surprisingly, Kincaid and the cement industry believe otherwise. They argue it's one of the most environmentally friendly building products on the market today.

"There are no free rides, of course," Kincaid says. "All building materials consume natural resources. But concrete scores high in environmental life-cycle cost analysis [in terms of] the impact on building material production, distribution, use and ultimate disposal."

Often times, industrial byproducts—which otherwise would end up in a local landfill—can be used in ready-mixed concrete. Of the 20 million tons of fly ash produced annually by coal-burning electrical plants in North America, roughly 7 million tons (35 percent) are used to make concrete.

In most cases concrete also is made locally, reducing transportation costs. Concrete typically is mixed on an on-need basis in most places, Kincaid says, eliminating the waste frequently found in sheet goods and dimensional building products.

In addition to being environmentally friendly, domes also can be environmentally impenetrable. The Dome Institute contends the buildings are invaluable to a community because they can withstand the pounding of a hurricane or tornado.

The domes also transform seasonal fields into year-round facilities. They could be an important revenue-generator for recreation centers that want to rent out the building for tournaments, graduations and sports camps.

"There are just so many benefits to going with a monolithic dome," Kincaid says.

Of course, many people are closed-minded when it comes to the design. Kincaid says many school boards and businesses have resisted the structures because they fear the community will find them ugly.

He addresses their worries by mentioning the structure that's generally considered the most beautiful building in the world.

"It's called the Taj Mahal," he says. "And it's a dome."