1. A LEED Platinum Case Study in Avon, Colorado

2. ?
What is
Rivers Flow…

3. ?
What is
Trees Stretch…

4. ?
What is
Mountains Walk…

5. ?
What is
Revolving and evolving, the earth and all of its creatures are in a
constant state of movement and change.

6. ?
What is
Mission: To awaken a sense of wonder and inspire environmental
stewardship through natural science education

7. ?
What is
Place-based natural science education fosters critical thinking &
teaches the scientific method.

8. Client Vision – Team Goals
Where did we Start?
• The Facility Exists to Support the Educational Plan
• Inspire and Teach Through Design
• Catalyze a Construction Industry Transformation
• Create a Regional Knowledge Resource
• Preserve and Enhance the Site
• Embrace Site Learning Opportunities
• Encourage Discovery
• Unify Exhibits, Buildings and Site as a Common Experience
• Create a Strong Indoor-Outdoor Relationship

9. Project Environmental Goals
• Achieve LEED Platinum… and beyond
– Client asked us what we could achieve and what would it teach?
• Use project to demonstrate and educate about sustainable design
• Reduce fossil fuel use on site
• Maximize the use of regional materials and materials with a story
• Minimize impact to wetlands and mitigate all impacts on site
• Use Bio-Mimicry design principals: work with the natural systems
• Maximize on site energy production: passive and active
• Create comfortable, healthy and inspiring workspaces

10. Project Overview
• Donated Land. Could not afford to build without land donation.
• Just over 4 acre site yet only .75 acres is buildable
• Completed campus is approximately 16,500 s.f. gross
• The program area is divided into four buildings
– The Mountain Discover Center (MDC)
– The Field Studies Base Camp (FSBC)
– The Meadow Learning Studio (MLS)
– The Graduate Fellows Residence (GFR)
• MDC and FSBC are nearing completion. Construction on the MLS is
beginning and will complete by October this year.
• GFR awaits additional funding.

11. The Concept
The Core Team:

12. So, how did we get here?
It all begins with the land and location…

13. Beaver Creek
Avon
Site

14. 5 acres of donated land at 7,600’ elevation

15. Historic Uses
Nottingham Homestead, 1975
View of Buck Creek, 1923

16. Site Constraints
• Jurisdictional wetlands
Surveyed
• High groundwater Delineation
• Buck Creek setback Of Wetlands
• 100’ power line easement
• Steep fill slope for Buck
Creek Road NW of site
• Lack of water rights to
pond and creek
• Existing vehicular access
inadequate for new uses
• No access to land east of
Buck Creek; steep slopes
• Bottom line: extremely
limited buildable area

17. Guiding Principles - Site Plan
• Maximum integration of
buildings with the outdoor
environment
• Campus-like layout of
multiple buildings
• Buildings oriented south
for sun, creek and views
• Pedestrian-only campus
core with central events
meadow & amphitheater
• Parking sited in power line
easement where buildings
are prohibited
• Multiple outdoor spaces of
varying sizes for classes
and gatherings
• All facilities to be ADA-
accessible

18. LEED Strategy
Three Core Concepts That Were Key to Our Success:
• Team commitment to an integrated design process
ensured that each decision supported multiple project goals
and LEED points.
• Client involvement in the campus design and clearly stated
environmental goals were essential to maximize environmental
and operational efficiency of the completed project.
• Bringing the contractor into the design team early in the
process was key to balancing budget and environmental goals.

19. ™
LEED Platinum
Is it possible in a small mountain town?
• It takes 52 points to achieve LEED Platinum (under LEED NC V2.2)
• Initial checklist revealed 8 points that were not achievable:
– SS C1 Site Selection: No opportunity to select a different site or
to avoid wetland impacts on this one.
– SS C2 Density and Community Connectivity: Avon isn't urban.
– SS C3 Brownfield Redevelopment: Not relevant here.
– SS C4.1 Public Transportation: No Avon or county buses stop
nearby…yet.
– WE C2 Innovative Wastewater Treatment: Colorado water laws
on consumptive use prohibit using rainwater or graywater.
– MR C1.1 Building Re-use (75%): No existing buildings on the site...
– MR C1.2 Building Re-Use (90%): ...at least not any more.
– MR C1.3 Building Re-Use (50% of interior): Ditto, no chance.

20. ™
LEED Platinum
Is it possible in a small mountain town?
• Another 6 points were certain to be difficult:
– WE C1.2 Irrigation with Non-Potable Water: Requires water rights.
– MR C3.2 Materials Re-Use (10%): budget may not support higher %.
– MR C4.2 Recycled Content (30%): Added cost hard to justify for a
non-profit organization reliant on donations.
– MR C5.2 Regional Materials (20%): Not much manufacturing in CO.
– MR C6 Rapidly Renewable Materials: Very few regional sources.
– EQ C2 Increased Ventilation: Mixed ventilation strategy - more $.
This left the project with 55 points the team felt were realistic and
achievable….with effort. Not much of a margin to achieve Platinum.

21. Sustainable Sites Credits
Integrating Buildings and Nature on a Sensitive Site
• No ability to affect site selection; wetland impact unavoidable.
• Large undeveloped project area is an advantage for earning credits
related to habitat preservation, open space, and heat island effects.

22. Sustainable Sites
Wetlands and the Soul of an Environmental Organization
• Sensitive treatment of wetlands is central to school’s mission.
• Wetlands lost for the access road totals 0.07 acres (about 3,000 SF).
• Approved mitigation plan: replace wetlands lost at 1:1 ratio by creating
new self-sustaining wetlands on site; salvage hydric soils and plant
material from disturbed wetlands.

23. Sustainable Sites
Strategies to Mitigate Wetland Impacts
• Innovative road construction technique
reduces extent of grading into wetlands.
• New wetlands are supported by redirected
surface and ground water flows.
• Surface run-off is filtered naturally before
it flows into wetland areas.

24. Sustainable Sites
Making the Wetlands An Opportunity for Learning

25. Sustainable Sites
Maintaining and Restoring Natural Hydrologic Systems
Portions of Buck Creek were reconstructed to prevent further undercutting of the channel.

26. Sustainable Sites
Integrating Buildings and Nature on a Sensitive Site
Vegetated canopy collects, absorbs and filters roof runoff and directs overflow to wetlands.

27. Sustainable Sites
Integrating Buildings and Nature on a Sensitive Site
Pervious paver system, graveled courtyard and unpaved pathways allow runoff to infiltrate.

28. Energy and Atmosphere
Keep it Simple!

29. Energy and Atmosphere
Modern Agrarian- building for the sun and wind
• Building design and locations respond to natural forces on the site
including Solar Access, Wetland Impact and Natural Cooling potential,
and embraces Views and Educational Opportunities on the site
• Simple building forms recall the rich cultural history of this site AND
simple building forms are easier to insulate and seal and less reliant
on complicated energy strategies
• Elongated buildings east and west for maximum solar collection
• Narrow profile north to south for natural ventilation, cooling and
natural light
• No interior connections between buildings purposefully make the
elements part of the daily experience of the campus
• Cluster glazing on façade to promote transparency and indoor-outdoor
connections

30. Energy and Atmosphere
Timeless Strategies and Inspiring Design

31. Energy and Atmosphere
Building Envelope - its OK to be Obsessive Compulsive
• Efficient building envelope is an
important first strategy – keep
energy where you want it!
• Eliminate thermal bridges with
continuous insulation.
• Double wall chosen because of
unique condition at foundation
and slab
• Seal the building up and control
infiltration and ventilation
• Strong team approach, need
everyone looking for and
eliminating “holes”
• Result:
“Seal Tight, Insulate Right

32. Building Envelope
• Must be airtight
• Efficient windows are key
• Only then is extra insulation
worth it.
Our solution:
• 4” (min) of spray polyurethane foam on the
exterior side of the wall
• Prevents air infiltration and condensation
within the cavity
• Foam sprayed around structure and
blocking.
• Remaining wall filled with cellulose
• Cellulose can absorb and release moisture
• Blown Cellulose fills the space between the
walls creating a thermal break
• Total wall is roughly R45
• Roof is 4” rigid foam over 14” rafter space
filled with cellulose = R75

33. Thermal Bridges R-45
• Architectural Style dictated an exposed concrete
base to recall historic barns in the region
• Deep foundation and a structural slab meant no
under-slab insulation R-28
• Exposed polished concrete floor finish
• Solution: hi-load rigid foam insulation
between the slabs thermally
connected to a double stud wall
• Wall and floor insulation connected
with only wood blocking between
• Topping slab thickened to provide
thermal mass for radiant heating
• 1” continuous space between walls to
provide a thermal break

34. Slab to Wall Detail in the Field

35. Slab to Wall Detail in the Field

36. Double Wall Construction

37. Double Wall Construction

38. The Finished Wall

39. High Performance Glazing
Fixed Windows: U-0.11
Operable Windows: U-0.16
(these are whole unit values)

40. Weather Barrier and Exterior Penetrations

41. Weather Barrier and Exterior Penetrations

42. Energy and Atmosphere
Mechanical Systems – Complicated Simplicity
• Goal - To minimize fossil fuel burning on site
• Solutions:
– Centralize the Mechanical System
• Makes the 3 stage system possible
– 3 stage mechanical system – maximize heat from earth and sun
• Stage one: Solar Thermal Collectors
• Stage two: 3-5 ton ground source heat pump (Solar PV to offset elec. use)
• Stage three: 95% efficient boiler.
– Monitor Everything - Only Smart Buildings can Learn!

43. The Central Mechanical Plant
96% efficient boiler (the size of a suitcase) Solar hot water storage and piping

44. The Central Mechanical Plant
boiler and heat pump (right) btu meter

45. Indoor Environmental Quality
Natural Light and Ventilation
• Natural cooling and ventilation is easy in our mountain environment,
but you have to use good design principals from the beginning
• Unwise to rely on opening windows for ventilation in the winter so a
redundant mechanical ventilation system is also installed
– All mechanical ventilation uses energy recovery ventilators
• Buildings are narrow to promote natural light and cross ventilation
– The interior walls of the conference rooms and executive director’s office have
operable and fixed windows to promote cross ventilation and convey daylight
• Building orientation takes maximum advantage of daily diurnal
breezes in the Buck Creek valley
• Sunshades and roof overhangs are tuned to shield interior from the
summer sun

46. Indoor Environmental Quality
Natural Light and Ventilation

47. Indoor Environmental Quality
Natural Light and Ventilation

48. Diurnal Breezes

49. Innovation and Design Process
Focusing on Energy and Education
• Model showing a 70% reduction in energy use for the MDC and
85% reduction at the FSBC
– 45.5% needed for EP
• Project will produce 36% of electrical energy needed on site
– 17.5% needed for EP
• Entire project is designed to teach sustainability in buildings, site
and in personal actions
– All major systems and consumables are monitored 24/7 and the data is
reported on a building dashboard touch screen and over the web. This
includes gas, major electrical circuits, water, irrigation & btuh’s created
and used
– Wetland Mitigation will be monitored by school children and reported to
the Corp of Engineers as part of the mitigation plan
– Small icons will identify sustainable features of the project and
correspond to a brochure walking tour

50. The Result

51. The Result

52. Thank You
Opportunities to Learn More
• www.walkingmountains.org
– Organization Website
• http://be.net/gallery/Walking-Mountains-Science-Center/3212193
– Web project portfolio
• https://picasaweb.google.com/brisiCO
– Weekly photo albums of construction progress since September 2010