For Release: Monday, July 6, 2009

DEC's Warrensburg Office Earns "Green" Certification

Site Design and Energy-Saving Features Garner "Gold" Rating

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) Region 5 Office in Warrensburg has been certified as a "green building" in accordance with national building standards, Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today. The U.S. Green Building Council gave the building a "Gold" rating under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System.

"This is the first DEC building to be recognized with a LEED Gold rating and the first building in the Adirondack Park to receive a Gold rating," Commissioner Grannis said. "Utilizing buildings designed to meet LEED specifications demonstrate DEC's commitment to conserve, improve and protect our environment, combat climate change, and build a sustainable future for generations to come."

The DEC office, located just north of the center of town at 232 Golf Course Road, was completely renovated and expanded in 2005 to become more functional for DEC staff, more accessible to the public, more energy efficient and more environmentally friendly.

Approximately 8,000 square feet of office space and meeting rooms was added onto the original building, which first opened for business in 1963. The original portion of the building then received a complete renovation, making the entire building energy efficient for heating, cooling and lighting. Recycled and other environmentally friendly materials were used to construct and furnish the building.

Some of the features of the building that resulted in the LEED Gold rating include an energy analysis indicating that the building is greater than 29 percent more energy efficient than conventional construction, while providing better interior and exterior lighting, and air distribution. There are also triple-glazed windows, extra insulation in the walls and roof, and 100 percent stormwater retention onsite. DEC also provides alternative fueled vehicles for staff field work, electric vehicle recharging stations and a bicycle rack for employee and visitor use.

The LEED rating system was designed by the US Green Building Council to encourage and facilitate the development of more sustainable buildings. LEED provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. For more information visit: http://www.usgbc.org/

Commissioner Grannis also announced other "green" highlights for the Department:

DEC travel mileage has been reduced 10 percent since last August, when Governor Paterson called for belt-tightening measures in response to the economic downturn and the record state deficit;
DEC's "green purchasing" program has been honored in May by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The program helps reduce the environmental impact of use and disposal of computer equipment, by implementing the recycling of old materials and facilitating the purchase of EnergyStar compliant products;
DEC now has nine "green building" projects in various stages of design, construction or application for LEED certification all across New York State;
DEC now operates more than 500 alternative-fuel, light-duty vehicles;DEC has surpassed a Governor's Executive Order that at least 20 percent of agency electricity purchases come from renewable energy sources by 2010. At this point in 2009, 24 percent of the electricity DEC uses now comes from renewables.

List of the Building's Environmentally Friendly Features

Site Design
1. Alternative Transportation Features
  1. Bicycle secure storage & employee shower/changing rooms
  2. Electric vehicle charging stations
  3. Designated car pool parking spaces
  4. Trash and Recycling - centralized trash and recycling areas
2. Reduced Site Disturbance & Development Footprint
  1. Minimized addition and parking footprint
  2. Eliminated and revegetated redundant entrance road
  3. 100% on-site stormwater management retainment
  4. Erosion & Sedimentation Control Plan
3. Light Pollution Reduction - Shielded lighting, directing light down instead of scattered.
Energy Saving Features
1. General
  1. Overall energy savings exceed NYS Building code by 29.7% (Executive Order 111 requires 20% savings over NYS building code.)
  2. 100% of building electricity is obtained from renewable sources
2. Heating System (Boiler Equipment)
  1. High efficiency boiler - over 88.1% efficiency rating
  2. Temperature Control
    1. Night setback temperature control
    2. Optimum morning start-up control
3. Cooling System
  1. Equipment
    1. High efficiency central chiller - minimum Energy Efficiency Ratio = 13.3 (btuh/watt)
    2. No HCFC-based refrigerants used
    3. Central indoor handling units
    4. Variable Air Volume distribution
  2. Temperature Control
    1. Automatic reset for chiller condenser water temperature
    2. Outdoor air flow measurement & control
4. Electrical System
  1. Automatic lighting control systems provides a minimum average lighting level
  2. Sensor controls in meeting rooms, restrooms and basement areas automatically turn off lights if area is unoccupied
5. Insulation - Extra insulation included in roof and walls
  1. Main Roof
    1. 8" fiberglass insulation (R-25); and
    2. 2" rigid insulation (R-10)
    3. Total R = 35 (NYS Building Code for the zone requires R-30)
  2. Walls
    1. 6" fiberglass insulation (R- 21); and
    2. 1/2" rigid insulation (R- 2.5)
    3. Total R = 23.5 (NYS Building Code for the zone requires R-13)
6. Windows
  1. 5/8" Insulshield argon filled multi-layer low-E coated dual seal insulating glass
  2. R Value = 3.7
7. Plumbing - Water saving design reduces water use by minimum of 20% over standards
  1. Faucets - 0.5 gpm flow
  2. Toilets - 1.6 gpf
  3. Shower heads - 1.8 gpm flow
  4. Waterless urinals - 0 gpf
Materials & Resources Features
1. Recycled Content
  1. Structural Steel (columns, beams)
    1. minimum 35% recycled content
    2. fabricated within 500 miles of the site
  2. Carpets in meeting rooms
  3. Vinyl tile and linoleum
  4. Acoustic ceiling tile
  5. Office furniture
2. Construction Waste Management - Recycled/salvaged over 78% by weight of construction, demolition, and land clearing wastes.
3. Local/Regional Materials - Stone veneer for stair tower, exterior building accents, and lobby
4. Certified Wood - wood used in interior trim, plywood sheathing, and cedar siding were certified by the Forest Stewardship Council
Indoor Environmental Quality
1. Carbon Dioxide (CO2 ) Monitoring - control fresh air flow
2. Variable Air Volume Controls - 21 units consistently distribute air throughout building (functional capacity of each unit ranges from 100 to 2,000 cfm)
3. Operable Windows
4. Low-Emitting Materials
  1. Adhesives & Sealants
  2. Paints
  3. Carpet
5. Daylight & Views for 90% of building spaces