Downtown Spokane government buildings get Green upgrades

Shortly after jurors are dismissed for the day and judges sign their final orders, darkness envelopes the Thomas S. Foley United States Federal Courthouse in downtown Spokane. Then, in the shadows, some 24-odd people enter the tightly secured building, tools in hand. As suspicious as this could look, these individuals are actually there on strict orders from President Barack Obama turn this and other federal buildings into highly efficient, green machines. On Oct. 8, 2009, the President signed Executive Order 13514, in which he proclaimed that, “In order to create a clean energy economy that will increase our Nation’s prosperity, promote energy security, protect the interests of taxpayers, and safeguard the health of our environment, the Federal Government must lead by example.” To implement this order, Congress and the President adopted the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, one of the “stimulus bills,” which put $5.5 billion towards making federal buildings more energy efficient. The agency charged with making this happen and also setting an example for private businesses is the General Services Administration. Essentially the federal government’s landlord, the GSA is responsible for the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and disposal of thousands of federally owned real estate holdings, including Spokane’s downtown post office and federal courthouse. Both buildings have received Recovery Act money for substantial renovations. The post office recently acquired a new roof and its neighbor, the courthouse, is currently undergoing what can most aptly be described as a deep internal system cleanse. This gutting is expected to result in a LEED Gold certification and a 30 percent per year reduction in energy consumption. LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system that rates buildings based on their use of various energy conservation and efficiency practices. The levels of LEED are Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. GSA project manager Michael Nuernberger said the original 1964 mechanical systems in the federal courthouse are at the end of their useful life and are due for upgrades. The plan calls for replacing the entire heating and cooling system and adding a new Building Automation System that will use information obtained from sensors located on interior walls, in duct work and outside the building to determine how to instruct the mechanical systems to react (less heat, more airflow, etc). The modernized system is will be able to sense and adapt to changing conditions throughout the building caused by fluctuations in outdoor temperature, air quality, sunlight, and other environmental variables. According to Nuernberger, such flexible, need-based energy output is key to reducing consumption. Similarly, the new light fixtures will be able to automatically dim or brighten according to how much natural light is entering the room through windows – “daylight harvesting” as it is called in the electrical trade. These new fixtures will also be equipped with motion sensors and timers so that lights will turn off when rooms are vacant or the building is closed. “Brains” will likewise be given to the elevators so that they can communicate which one of “them” is closest to the particular floor being called from. In addition to electricity, water savings is an objective of the renovation. Newly installed faucets in the public restrooms already override users by deciding to only spout water when hands are present. These touchless/self-closing faucets, as well as new landscaping practices, saved the courthouse a total of 385,220 gallons of water in 2010, a 12.32 percent reduction. This achievement earned the courthouse a “Champion of Environmental Leadership and Green Government Award,” which the Environmental Protection Agency presented to the renovation team on Feb. 2, 2011. Other “green” improvements on the contractor’s to-do list include re-sealing all the outside windows and installing a new revolving door at the main entrance to reduce the inflow of outside air. All said, GSA expects the $43 million project to be completed in June 2012. At the time of completion, a year-long LEED performance period will begin in which GSA, the construction management firm and the construction contractor will meet monthly to review consumption data collected by numerous gas, electricity and water meters. If the data shows that energy efficiency goals are not being met, then the GSA states that further changes will be implemented. The incentive for GSA to meet project goals is a government mandate, and the incentive for the contractor is money – each month that systems perform according to plan, the contractor gets more cash. The last step in the courthouse renovation project is a determination of LEED certification, a decision made by a national non-profit called the Green Building Council. This organization will study all the data compiled throughout the performance period and decide if the building is LEED “certified, silver, gold or platinum.” GSA has its sights set on Gold, Nuernberger said.