Green Features

The founders of Northeast Veterinary Referral Hospital are environmentally conscious people. When building the facility, they chose to make many decisions based on their desire to create as small an eco-footprint as possible. Below are some of the considerations addressed during our construction.

ECOSYSTEMS

SITE SELECTION

PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED SITE – Rather than building on an undisturbed site, this site was a spoil area where construction debris from local construction projects had been dumped in the past. This required a geotechnical investigation and a 12” thick reinforced concrete mat slab foundation system to support building loads on the existing unconsolidated fill materials.

All building and parking areas are located outside 100-year floodplain.

LAND DEVELOPMENT

SITE IMPACT – To minimize earth disturbance on the sloping site, and to minimize the building footprint, a two-story design (with walkout lower level built into the slope) was chosen.

STORMWATER

Stormwater management system was designed to keep post-construction levels equal to or lower than pre-construction levels. Parking areas are separated by vegetated swales and roof drainage will pass through a rain garden and a series of underground, oversized culvert pipes to slow stormwater runoff and improve water quality.

Driving Surface Aggregate (DSA) – Parking areas utilize a porous pavement system, designed by Penn State, for natural and recreation areas. This eliminates all asphalt, stabilizes the surface and minimizes dust with a finely graded crushed stone mix that is carefully placed and compacted.

LANDSCAPING

Turf areas will be minimized by selecting indigenous vegetation, native plant and woodland materials that stabilize soils, control erosion and provide wildlife forage or habitat. Trees will be planted to shade parked vehicles and keep surface temperatures lower to minimize building cooling loads in the summer. Only plant materials that do not require irrigation will be used.

REGIONAL INTEGRATION

PROTECTION OF GLOBAL ECOSYSTEMS – Eliminated the ozone-depletion potential of refrigerants in cooling systems and rigid or blown foam insulation made with HCFC blowing agents.

SUPPORT FOR APPROPRIATE TRANSPORTATION – Site has access to bus routes in public transportation – Showers and changing areas provided for bicycle and pedestrian commuters.

ENERGY

BUILDING ENVELOPE

Selected insulated concrete form (ICF) foundation and exterior wall system to eliminate thermal bridging, provide high-mass walls with heat-wheel effect to improve thermal performance and provide sound isolation from adjacent railroad bed.

Mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems were installed within a conditioned plenum space between the suspended acoustic tile ceiling and below a gypsum wallboard air barrier applied to the underside of roof trusses that are insulated with 12 inches (R-50) of blown-in cellulose (made from recycled newspaper).

HEATING, COOLING, AND VENTILATION

Long axis of building was set with an east-west orientation, with appropriate roof overhangs to minimize solar heat gain – reducing cooling loads, but providing natural day-lighting to occupied areas.

High-efficiency, multiple-zoned air-to-air electric heat pump HVAC system was chosen to provide increased levels of comfort throughout the 5 separate zones of the building. It was designed to have the capability to harvest heat from the center zones of the building that will require cooling throughout the year, and distribute the heat to the perimeter zones that will require heating in the winter months, thereby reducing heating costs.

Three energy recovery ventilation (ERV) units were installed on the roof to extract 60 to 80 percent of heat or cold from exhausted air, and to pre-condition fresh air brought into the building, thus reducing energy loss in a building that by code must be capable of providing 15 air changes per hour to maintain indoor air quality.

LIGHTING

Oriented the floor plan on an east-west axis, and provided large exterior windows and high ceilings for best use of daylighting.

Tubular skylights were installed in central treatment rooms to provide natural light and reduce cooling loads from lighting fixtures.

High-efficacy T-5 fluorescent lamps were specified for lighting fixtures that are equipped with occupancy sensing light switches and timers to minimize energy consumption.

WATER HEATING

Point-of-use, instantaneous electric water heaters were installed in exam rooms to reduce pipe length, energy and water consumption. A circulating pump and pipe insulation were installed on all hot water piping to the service areas to reduce water consumption.

PLUMBING / FIXTURES

Selected low-flow toilets and surgical scrub sinks with foot-pedal faucet controls to minimize water consumption.

RESOURCES & MATERIALS

Selected standing seam sheet metal roof rather than asphalt shingles, for increased life expectancy, reduced dependence on foreign oil, and ease of recycling material to reduce impact on landfills.

Recyclable materials – countertops in reception waiting areas were made from agri-fiber sunflower seed hulls. Selected entry mats made from recycled rubber tires.

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

Thermal comfort – Used glazing with a low Solar Heat Gain Coefficient – Maintain relative humidity levels between 30% and 60%

Visual comfort—building envelope features – Oriented the floor plan on an east-west axis for best control of daylighting – Used large exterior windows and high ceilings to increase daylighting – Used skylights and/or clerestories for daylighting
Visual comfort—interior features – Placed primarily unoccupied spaces away from daylight sources

Visual comfort—internal light sources – Used electronic ballasts with fluorescent lighting

Acoustical comfort—managing mechanical system noise – Selected and installed mechanical equipment based on specific (low) sound level targets – Sealed air passages in partitions and ceilings, and around doors

Acoustical comfort—managing occupant noise – Minimized sound transmission between rooms with appropriate detailing and material densities – Specified acoustically absorbent materials to lower reflected noise levels

VENTILATION AND AIR DISTRIBUTION

Ventilation and filtration systems – Provided occupants with access to operable windows – Designed for optimum cross-ventilation through window placement

Ventilation and filtration systems – Provided heat-recovery ventilation – Designed ventilation system to exchange both heat and humidity between incoming and outgoing air

Distribution systems – Used hard-surface acoustic controls in ducts – Directed exhaust from high-source locations – Installed a quiet, effective fan in bathrooms

MOISTURE CONTROL

Foundations—rainwater and groundwater – Used foundation perimeter rainwater collection system to divert water from building. – Used landscaping and grading to divert water from the building

Walls, roofs, doors, and windows – Designed building envelope to avoid thermal bridging – Used windows that provide R-3 or better over their entire surface – Located air/vapor retarders near the interior surface of the building envelope

Mechanical systems – Designed ductwork to allow access for cleaning – Sealed any ductwork running through unconditioned space with mastic – Provided easy access to coils, filters, and drain pans – Insulated cold water supply pipes to prevent condensation – Insulated outdoor air ducts in conditioned space – Insulated exhaust ducts in unconditioned space

POLLUTION FROM MATERIALS

Elimination – Specified low-mercury fluorescent lamps – Avoided products that may release mineral fibers – Used finishes that are easy to clean using mild surfactants and water – Used only non-solvent-based adhesives – Used water-based wood finishes – Avoided the use of adhesives when installing gypsum board

Reduction – Avoided urea formaldehyde particleboard – Used only very low or no-VOC paints – Used only solvent-free floor finishes for wood and stone