Page 36 - Green Building Through Integrated Design
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14 THE RECIPE FOR SUCCESS IN HIGH-PERFORMANCE PROJECTS
The total project cost was $20,100,000 and the payback period is estimated to be
7.5 years. The facility was designed to exceed minimum energy efficiency require-
ments by 60 percent. Onsite renewable sources generate 17 percent of the building’s
required energy. A 65-kilowatt wind turbine provides 20 percent of the building’s
electrical needs and solar panels preheat water for occupant use. A 30,900-gallon
cistern collects rainwater from the roof. The harvested rainwater is used in
the cooling tower as well as for 100 percent of sewage conveyance. An onsite
retention pond captures cistern overflow and is home to a living ecosystem for
native flora and fauna.*
*U.S. Green Building Council [online], http://leedcasestudies.usgbc.org/overview.cfm?ProjectID=662, accessed
April 2008.