Sustainable Design Blog

What's the biggest reason your company builds green and the biggest reason your customers say they want to build green?

"Green buildings are better buildings for the money than non-green buildings.  Now that there is a widely recognized, sophisticated way to determine how green a building is, and have that tested and verified by an independent 3rd party (the LEED rating system from the USGBC) we can determine how much better each design is.  We designed our first green building in 2000.  Our clients are motivated differently to build green.  Most like the savings generated by energy and water conservation combined with higher quality of interior space that is healthier to live or work in.  Both are quality of life issues.  Some are motivated to save money while others share our concerns about the future of the planet." - Michael Carlson, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Florida Trend Magazine, Cynthia Barnett

In the recent Chariety Register issue of Sarasota Magazine, the Cancer Support Community's new home was described as an Instant Landmark.

"Best Proud Moment - The crowd at the gala celebrating the Cancer Support Community's state of the art new $6 million Building Hope practically levitated with excitment. This instant landmark, with its soaring arch, was the perfect backdrop for the heartfelt speeches, congratulations and dancing under the gorgeous tent." -Sarasota Magazine, Pam Daniel

The Cancer Supprt Community Florida Suncoast is a non-profit organization providing free psychological and educational services for cancer patients and their loved ones. Our programs adhere to the “Patient Active” concept and focus on providing support, education and hope for anyone affected by cancer. The project was LEED NC Gold certified under the USGBC's LEED Green Building rating system.

The Cottonwood Cove Marina on Lake Mohave is registered for LEED Gold certification with the U.S. Green Building Council, making it the world’s first floating green building. This eco-friendly marina, located in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area just outside of Las Vegas, was designed by Florida’s premier green design team Carlson Studio Architecture (CSA). CSA, based in Sarasota, was selected for this unique project because of its diverse sustainable design experience including eight previous LEED Certified projects.

“Every building type has the potential to perform at a higher level with integrated environmental design considerations,” explained Project Architect Michael R. Carlson, AIA, LEED AP BD+C. “We jumped at the chance to work with this team to design a first-of-its-kind, first-class marine facility.”

The National Park Service and Forever Resorts, LLC, who will manage the marina operations at the park, conducted a dedication ceremony on June 6 at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area’s Cottonwood Cove Resort and Marina on Lake Mohave.

“All of us involved on this project are pioneers,” said Rex Maughan, Chairman and President of Forever Resorts. “We are very proud of this project, especially Michael Carlson and the exceptional vision he had in designing this building and this whole project.”

The floating eco-friendly structure features sustainable modular construction and state-of-the-art energy-efficient and environmentally responsible materials and fixtures. The modular wall and roof system is constructed of Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs) designed to lessen the amount of construction waste, improve the insulation value of the building and provide a tighter envelope than traditional construction. The SIPs also lowered the overall weight of the building, decreasing the load on the floating foundation system. Decking is made of a composite of rice hulls and recycled plastic, and the exterior stucco contains recycled tire particles. Use of low or no volatile organic compound materials, paints and adhesives will rid the building of the typical “new building” smell, improving the overall indoor air quality.

The project’s key green building design features include:

• Extensive energy saving materials and systems, including high-performance insulated glass
• High-efficient HVAC equipment and delivery systems
• Extensive use of recycled and regionally extracted and/or manufactured materials, such as steel, drywall, metal studs, carpet, etc.
• Finish materials, paints, adhesives caulks and sealants that contain low or no volatile organic compounds to ensure healthy indoor air quality
• Clerestory windows that provide natural daylight and views to the outdoors
• Operable high/low windows provide natural ventilation, lowering the dependence on air conditioning
• The standing seam metal “cool” roof lowers heat gain by reflecting the solar energy, and allows for future installation of PV electrical panels
• Recycled and recyclable building and landscape materials
• Prevention of night sky light pollution

Lake Mead National Recreation Area is the fifth most visited national park in the country and is located adjacent to Las Vegas. Its 1.5 million acres, which include Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, hosts more than 7 million visitors each year. (http://www.nps.gov/lakemead)

Forever Resorts, LLC is an authorized concessionaire of the National Park Service that focuses on properties with access to nature and one-of-a-kind surroundings for vacations. (http://www.foreverresorts.com and http://www.foreverearth.net)

Cottonwood Cove Resort and Marina is located 90 minutes from Las Vegas and offers lakeside accommodations, boat rentals, the Cottonwood Cove Café and a full-service RV park. It is situated on Lake Mohave. (http://www.cottonwoodcoveresort.com)

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized green building certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. (http://www.usgbc.org)

May 27, 2011     Sarasota, FL – When it opened last fall, the Cancer Support Community Florida Suncoast’s new facility turned heads with unique architectural elements like the reclaimed 150-year-old Florida pine entry pillars and environmentally-friendly building design.  The 11,142-square-foot building nestled on 2.2 acres of landscaped grounds surrounded by a nature preserve is home to a unique mission: providing free psycho-social support services to anyone affected by cancer.  Now the Sarasota nonprofit and those it serves have new cause for celebration: the building is the first health facility in Sarasota County to earn LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

“Facilities where health and healing occur are some of the most important construction types to benefit from green building design,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President of the U.S. Green Building Council. “Green buildings seek to reduce use of and exposure to toxic chemicals. For cancer patients with compromised immune systems, that means a healthier environment for healing.”

Carlson Studio Architecture and Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc., the design-build team for the first-of-its-kind facility, will host a LEED Dedication Ceremony to formally recognize the Cancer Support Community’s accomplishment at 11:30 AM on Monday, June 13.  Representatives from the USGBC’s Florida Gulf Coast Chapter will preside at the event.  The ceremony is open to the public and building tours will be available.

“The Cancer Support Community board and staff demonstrated extraordinary dedication and perseverance to sustainability goals as well as adherence to best practice, evidence-based design standards throughout the process.  Their commitment to doing what was in the best interest of their mission and the people they serve was not only inspiring to the design team, but kept us all focused on creating an optimum environment where hope and healing could occur,” said U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Florida Gulf Coast President Michael Carlson of Carlson Studio Architecture.

LEED is an internationally recognized third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2000, LEED serves as a tool for buildings of all types and sizes. LEED certification offers third-party validation of a project’s green features and verifies that the building is operating to objective design standards. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. 

The Cancer Support Community’s $6.1 million project on a five-acre site just east of Interstate 75 in Lakewood Ranch is designed to be an optimal healing environment, combining healthful materials, art, design and nature in a “green” facility to support people whose immune systems often have been compromised.

The facility was financed through philanthropic donations and grants. “Our community should take great pride in this model facility and in the extraordinary generosity of local donors and foundations during a very difficult period,” said Alfred Rose, campaign chair.

Prior to construction or site design, all project team members, staff as well as program participants met for a series brainstorming, design meetings known as “eco-charrettes” to build consensus for programming elements of the building and to identify desired sustainability aspects and features of the facility.  This collaborative, integrated, whole systems design process helped prioritize and rank the desired healthy, green, sustainable and environmentally-friendly aspects of the building.  Including:

Proper site orientation:  The buildings are perfectly aligned along an East/West axis, so the long sides of the buildings face North and South.  This orientation has a positive impact on all other green decisions because the windows, overhangs and even the placement of the photovoltaic panels on the roof collectively bring the buildings all the advantages of natural light, while maximizing the best use of the sun and minimizing adverse effects such as heat gain.

Energy efficiency and water conservation features reduce the building’s operational costs and conserve resources.

The building is constructed from the most eco-friendly materials – there are no harmful chemicals in the paint, wood, concrete, adhesives, sealants, etc.  This produces a healthy environment for patients with compromised immunity.

The facility is located on a parcel of land located on a nature preserve that takes advantage of nature’s healing properties. The building overlooks a beautiful vista of natural scenery and wildlife.

Sustainable Design/Build Team Members

Architecture: Carlson Studio Architecture

Construction: Willis A. Smith Construction

Civil Engineering: Wilson Miller

Landscape Design: DWY Landscape Architects

Engineering: Stewart Engineering

Structural Engineering: Hees and Associates

Interior Design: TRO Jung/Brannen and Ringling College of Art & Design

Project Management:  Johnette Isham, Capacity by Design

Timeline:  Programming design began in 2006. Construction began July, 2009.  The building was completed and certified for occupancy in October, 2010.
 
Cancer Support Community Florida Suncoast provides hope, education and support to people affected by cancer, and all of its programs are provided free of charge. Through participation in support groups, informational workshops and mind/body classes, people affected by cancer learn vital skills that improve the quality of their lives and make them better partners with their medical professionals. Since 1996, more than 11,000 individuals have made more than 60,000 visits to the center in Sarasota and at satellite locations throughout the area.  For more information on programs and services:    www.cancersupportsuncoast.org

SEARCHLIGHT, NEV. (May 2011) – The National Park Service and Forever Resorts, LLC are dedicating the first floating building project in the world to be registered for LEED® certification on Monday, June 6, at 1 p.m. at Lake Mead National Recreation Area’s Cottonwood Cove Resort and Marina on Lake Mohave.  The building, which will serve as the marina’s operations office, is expected to be certified at the LEED® Gold rating.

“It was a visionary team made up of private industry and government led by our partner Forever Resorts that transformed this idea into action,” said Superintendent Bill Dickinson. “We’re setting the standard for eco-friendly floating buildings. There’s no better place than in a national park to do that.”

“Forever Resorts is dedicated to conservation and environmentally sustainable practices, and we couldn’t be more excited to make history by developing a building that embraces the eco-friendly principles we support,” said John Schoppmann, executive vice president, Forever Resorts. “We will use this building not only to welcome our customers, but also to educate them about sustainable building practices.”

Carlson Studio Architecture, based in Sarasota, FL, was selected to resolve the unique challenge of designing a floating green building based upon their diverse sustainable design leadership.  “Every building type has the potential to perform at a higher level with integrated environmental considerations,” explained Project Architect Michael R. Carlson, AIA, LEED AP. “We jumped at the chance to work with this team to design a first-of-its-kind, first-class marine facility.”

Lake Mead National Recreation Area is the fifth most visited national park in the country and is located adjacent to Las Vegas, the nation’s top tourist destination. Its 1.5 million acres, which includes Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, hosts over 7 million visitors each year. The park offers an unparalleled variety of outdoor experiences, a surprising contrast that complements a Las Vegas or Laughlin, Nev visit. (http://www.nps.gov/lakemead)

Forever Resorts, LLC is an authorized concessionaire of the National Park Service dedicated to providing a collection of destinations that provide hospitality services throughout the world. Forever Resorts focuses on properties with access to nature and one-of-a-kind surroundings for vacations. (http://www.foreverresorts.com and http://www.foreverearth.net)

Cottonwood Cove Resort and Marina is located 90 minutes from Las Vegas and offers lakeside accommodations, houseboat and powerboat rentals, the Cottonwood Cove Cafe and a full-service RV park. It is situated on beautiful Lake Mohave, part of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which features miles of unspoiled shoreline, plenty of secluded, sandy beaches, crystal-clear water and consistently high lake levels (http://www.cottonwoodcoveresort.com).

Green architect Michael Carlson has been elected to the Florida Caribbean Regional Council of the USGBC, and will serve as the organizations Vice-Chairman.  Regional Council members are selected by each USGBC Chapter’s Board to serve in this leadership role and represent the Chapters in the region. 

The Regional Council is made up of two representatives from each of the 8 USGBC Chapters in the region.  The Council functions as a network to chapters and coordinates the efforts of the chapters. The Regional Council shares best management practices between the USGBC chapters, and establishes task teams to solve regional issues for the benefit of the chapters, and leverages resources to impact the entire Florida Caribbean region.

Mr. Carlson is a founding board member of the USGBC Florida Gulf Coast Chapter (2004) where he presently serves as the Chapter’s President.  In 2009 he was the founding chair of the Myakka River Branch of the USGBC Chapter for the Sarasota/Manatee area.  Carlson is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Florida Gulf Coast Chapter, and chairs the chapter's Committee on the Environment (COTE). He also serves as Chair of the Green Business Leadership Council for the Greater Sarasota Area Chamber of Commerce.   His Sarasota-based firm, Carlson Studio Architecture, has been a regional leader in green design for the past 11 years.  The firm has 8 LEED Certified projects, including the HGTV Green Home for 2009.

The beautiful offices of Lakewood Ranch Plastic Surgery & Skin Care and Lakewood Ranch Family Medicine have earned the LEED Certification.  This is the first private physician’s office and medical spa in the state of Florida to be LEED certified.   In honor of this, Drs Joshua and Andrea Kreithen will host a party and LEED certification ceremony on Tuesday, December 7, from 4 until 7 pm. The office is located at 6310 Health Park Way, Suite #110 behind the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.

The office space is recognized for energy use, lighting, water and material use. The medical practices have also incorporated a variety of sustainable strategies in their everyday practices. Ultimately, LEED certified facilities reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to an overall healthier environment.

Michael Carlson, AIA, LEED AP of Carlson Studio Architecture, based in Sarasota, served as the architect for the project. The company is a recognized leader in green building design in Florida. They were able to incorporate natural light, renewable resources and overall healthy design to create a space that is pleasant, calm, healthy and relaxing.

“Utilizing as many sustainable building practices as possible, our goal was to make our office a beautiful place that promotes a healthier environment,”  states Joshua Kreithen, MD Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. “We use energy, water and other natural resources more efficiently, in turn reducing our impact on the environment while creating a sense of health, serenity and well-being.” “It was an easy decision for us to ‘go green.’ We know that a LEED certified area is healthier for our clients and our staff. It’s the right thing to do.”

The LEED ceremony will take place at 4 pm. Immediately following, there will be a party for the public. Tickets are $5 in advance and $10 at the door. There will be demonstrations of services and products available at the health care facility.

U.S. Green Building Council

The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.

With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 155,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013.

LEED

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. More than 32,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising over 9.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries.

By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.

By WALKER MEADE Correspondent
Herald Tribune

There is no better evidence of the great change in our attitude toward breast cancer than the pink-ribboned bumper stickers that we see all over town: "Save the Ta-ta's."
A decade ago, lightheartedness about such a serious subject would not have been possible. A breast cancer diagnosis then was experienced as a death sentence. Now, medicine has achieved a five-year survival rate of close to 90 percent for those diagnosed with stage one cancer, and the support system for those suffering from cancer is vast. An organization in Southwest Florida that has been dedicated since 1996 to helping women get healthy again is The Wellness Community Southwest Florida, now called The Cancer Support Community Florida Suncoast after merging with Gilda's Club last summer. Its mission is "to help people affected by cancer enhance their health and well-being through participation in a professional program of support, education and hope."

The organization recently moved from its longtime home on Clark Road in Sarasota to a new facility on Communications Parkway in Lakewood Ranch and hired Sarasota businessman Carl Ritter as its CEO. The five-acre campus, surrounded by more than two acres of gardens bordering a 600-acre nature preserve, is the result of a multi-faceted collaboration. Early on, the center established relationships with New College of Florida, Florida State University's College of Medicine in Sarasota and Ringling College of Art and Design. In the fall of 2006, six upper-level Ringling students collaborated on an assignment to address the project's design concept: illustrating the transforming power of connection and choice.

By Harold Bubil, Herald Tribune

If anything, people who have just been given a cancer diagnosis need a friend.

At the Cancer Support Community Florida Suncoast's green new facility in Lakewood Ranch, architect Michael Carlson has given them eight, in the form of 500-year-old pine logs serving as support posts. He says they are like "old friends."

Recovered from river bottoms, the logs are the distinctive architectural feature of the $6.1 million building, which will be dedicated Nov. 12 with a black-tie gala. The four, 30-foot-tall main posts support a 156-foot-long archway -- "the bridge of hope" -- that peaks at 35 feet above the building's courtyard, linking the structure's two sections.

"They have so much warmth and character to them," said Carlson, one of the region's leading green architects.

"When you walk in here, these are sort of like your old friends ... who have been here forever and are solid as a rock. You can touch them and feel them. They have that sense of permanence."

"Place matters" to cancer patients, says Johnette Isham, one of the leaders of the "Building Hope" construction program.

Several design charrettes and a lot of research went into the design of the 11,142-square-foot CSC. Senior Vice President Jay Lockaby said one of the research points "was to make an arrival experience, to have an obvious point of entry for someone new to the place. To have a ... warm environment for them to come into."

CSC program participant Dawn Moore, a breast cancer survivor, says there's "a very peaceful sense" in the new building.

That is fitting, as the CSC's mission is to provide psychological and social support to cancer patients and their relatives and caregivers, free of charge. CSC is part of the largest professionally trained network of cancer support facilities in the world, resulting from a merger of The Wellness Community and Gilda's Clubs, named for the late comedienne and ovarian cancer victim Gilda Radner.

The spaces include a meditation and exercise studio, a library, an education room, an art studio for children to encourage self-expression, gallery spaces, an Internet café, counseling and meeting rooms of various sizes; a large multiuse room for events, fundraisers, yoga and tai-chi, with a teaching kitchen (good nutrition is stressed); and outdoor areas for tai-chi, dining and healing gardens.

The complex has restful vistas of a nature preserve that is part of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch.

Color choices replicate colors found in nature, which is believed to be more beneficial for cancer patients.

"A lot of that thinking came from the Ringling College class," said CSC board member David Shaver. "One of their senior classes devoted an entire semester to this building. They did the original color palette."

"The group rooms are quiet, with a living-room feel, but you know you are not at home," said Lockaby. "This is where we do support groups, primarily, and individual and family therapies."

The building, intended as it is to foster better health, includes many of the standard green features that make up the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) program. Carlson expects that the building's design has earned enough "LEED points" to qualify for the LEED-NC (new construction) Gold certification.