Winter/Spring 2004

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Innovation Continues: Main Interior Building Joins Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings

Sustainable features of renovated 6th wing office - peel and stick carpet, pendent lighting, occupant controlled heating and cooling fan coil units.

By Gay Bindocci

Sustainable features of renovated 6th wing office - peel and stick carpet, pendent lighting, occupant controlled heating and cooling fan coil units.

In previous issues of the NBC Profile newsletter, we discussed life safety and indoor air quality in the Main Interior Building. In this article, we will address the environmentally sustainable aspects of the modernization project and opportunities afforded through participation in the Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB).

Completed in 1936, the Main Interior Building was said to be "a symbol of a new day," with spacious central corridors, air conditioning, moveable steel partitions, acoustical treated ceilings, windows in most rooms, fire resistant design features, and a separate floor dedicated to mechanical equipment. Designed with the comfort and needs of the employees, and costing less than other government buildings to operate, the Main Interior Building became one of the most innovative government office buildings in the Washington area. Today, almost seventy years later, the innovative spirit continues as we work toward bringing the building to sustainability standards of the 21st century.

In January of 2002, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Department of the Interior, General Services Administration (GSA), and the US Green Building Council (USGBC). The purpose of this agreement was to enter into a partnership and to participate in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings Pilot Program (LEED-EB), a third party rating pilot program developed by the US Green Building Council to promote the use of sustainable practices and products in design and construction, building renovations, and on-going building operations. Participation in the LEED-EB Pilot Program affords the Department of the Interior the opportunity to be a major contributor in determining how sustainability standards for government buildings, often historic in nature, can be applied, integrated, and/or improved upon. Pilot participants contribute to weekly conference calls with the LEED-EB staff to discuss and review the draft standards, public comments, and innovative ways to address issues and concerns, can submit questions for review by LEED-EB technical staff, and participate in USGBC workshops and meetings.

LEED-EB focuses on six categories, each with prerequisites and a number of additional requirements from which the participant can choose to meet. The categories focus on: sustainable sites; water efficiency; energy & atmosphere; materials and resources; and indoor environmental quality. The sixth category, Innovation in Operation and Upgrades, affords the opportunity for the participant to develop and tailor credits for exceptional performance above the LEED-EB stated requirements and/or for innovative performance not addressed by LEED-EB.

The LEED Green Building Rating System is the national benchmark for high performance green buildings. Click the image above to read more about LEED programs and certification requirements.

Four levels of certification - initial baseline certification, silver, gold, and platinum are attainable, each requiring achievement of additional standards. To obtain certification, appropriate documentation must be submitted for each prerequisite and standard and the submission must be reviewed and approved by the USGBC. Recertification, a measure and verification of sustainability over the performance period of one to five years, allows building owners to track progress and identify strategies for addressing deficiencies. The Department of the Interior and General Services Administration are working toward silver certification as the goal.

Protecting and improving indoor air quality is one of the most important sustainable efforts. Because the work in being conducted in an occupied building, GSA's contractor has been tasked with implementing worksite management measures that go beyond traditional construction practices. These practices include housekeeping, dust control measures, and construction zone exhausting. Additional protection is accomplished through the use of adhesives, paints, and sealants containing low volatile organic compounds (VOC's). GSA is working with the contractor to ensure that Phase 2 will benefit from the lessons learned during the first phase of the project. A revised Construction Indoor Air Quality Protection Plan is being developed prior to commencement of the next phase.

Additional steps to improve indoor air quality include the increasing amount of outdoor air introduced into the building and use of "peel and stick" carpet tiles, reducing the need for carpet adhesives and eliminating padding that increases the potential for mold and mildew growth. On-going operational efforts to maintain high quality indoor air include the use of certified green, high efficiency particulate air filters (HEPA) vacuums and electrostatic dust cloths. Use of low impact integrated pest management techniques will be adopted to reduce exposure of occupants and maintenance personnel to potentially hazardous chemical, biological, and particle contaminants. Only Green Seal environmentally preferable products that meet the US Environmental Protection Agency Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines will be used in cleaning to insure a safe and work environment for maintenance personnel and staff.

Use of renewable resources will be encouraged. Existing cork flooring will be refinished and the use of linoleum will be installed in the kitchenette and selected areas.

Energy efficiency and comfort go hand in hand in the new space. Offices will have individual fan coil units. Point-of-use heating and cooling will save energy and afford the occupant the opportunity to regulate room temperature. Low mercury florescent light tubes will be installed throughout the building and in the typical office a pendent light fixture will provide the occupant the choice of direct and indirect lighting, depending on the requirements of the task.

The use of recycled materials and furnishings are additional sustainable practices incorporated in the modernization effort. During both occupant relocation and construction process, enhanced recycling efforts will redirect materials otherwise destined for disposal into marketable end products.

As occupants prepare to move into the completed 6th wing, they will be encouraged to cleanout files and evaluate materials and supplies. Recycling bins will be provided to collect paper and will be located in the respective hallway. Bins for the collection of newspaper, glass, plastic, and cans will remain in the freight elevator alcoves. The Office Eagle Store now serves as a collection point for toner cartridges, transparencies, rechargeable batteries and computer disks, CD's, and reel to reel/4mm/8mmm tapes.

Recycling is not only the responsibility of the occupants. Contractors working in the building are required to follow recycling guidelines and to recycle construction debris that leaves the building. In addition, the Modernization Office is working with the Facilities Management to identify light covers, carpet, clocks, coat hooks, light motion sensors, and sink fixtures in good condition to be reused as replacements in the portion of the building not under construction.

Energy conservation will be improved by the installation of a new ASHRAE compliant HVAC system that will allow occupants to regulate the temperature and air flow in each office. The Department of the Interior has been purchasing electricity from producers of renewable power for the past months and will continue to explore this opportunity in the future. Only Energy Star appliances will be purchased for the new kitchenettes.

In keeping with the Secretary of the Interiors Standards for Historic Preservation, cork flooring, and lighting fixtures in various designated historic areas as the office of the Secretary and Library will be restored instead of replaced to maintain the historic character of the building. Windows frames throughout the building are being cleaned, stripped of any lead paint, repainted, and reinstalled.

By achieving sustainability, the Main Interior Building will continue to be a leader by serving as a model for environmental standards for other government buildings and by providing a healthy work place for the occupants.

To learn more about the sustainability, visit the Modernization website at: www.doi.gov/modernization.

For more information, please contact:
Gay Bindocci at Gay_M_Bindocci@nbc.gov