Call it sustainable. Call it high performance. Building green is the common sense approach to improving operating efficiencies while decreasing environmental impact, and creating the healthiest environment for the building’s occupants.

Did you know that in the U.S., buildings account for:

• 36% of total energy use / 65% of electricity consumption
• 30% of greenhouse gas emissions
• 30% of raw materials use
• 30% of waste output /136 million tons annually
• 12% of potable water consumption

With numbers like these, how can anyone be resistant to the idea of going green? The benefits to our environment are invaluable, and the result of sustainable design also benefits the bottom line; it's a win-win, no matter how you look at it.

Twin Lakes Park Office Complex – A Golden Example of Going Green

Once used as a dormitory for a professional baseball team, the Twin Lakes Park Office Complex in Sarasota, Florida was later refurbished to become as one of the “greenest” office buildings in the state. The project is recognized as the area’s first “green” office complex, and serves as a model for the simplicity and savings associated with going green.

Many environmental factors were taken into consideration for this project, including:

• Erosion and sedimentation
• Run-off reduction and storm water management on-site
• Minimal site disturbance.

The buildings’ orientation to the sun and strategic window placement ensures maximization of northern sunlight for day-lighting within the buildings, enabling heating from the sun during winter months and optimal shading during the summer.

Any electric lighting in the building is automated to monitor and adjust light levels, reducing energy waste. These lighting methods lead to a cost reduction of 40 to 60 percent.

Here’s a closer look at some energy-efficient features that make Twin Lakes green:

Sustainability

• Pervious concrete sidewalks and patios minimize storm water runoff
• Energy-Star reflecting roof reduces heat absorption and heat island effects
• Contained construction/development area to a minimum to disturb as little surrounding land as possible and ensure maximum green space
• Covered bike rack and shower/changing facilities encourage to encourage employees to choose alternative transportation for their commute to work, such as walking or riding their bike.

Water Efficiency

• Uses 58% less water than a new code compliant office building
• 28,000-gallon cistern collects rainwater for toilets and irrigation
• Water efficient, native, climate tolerant plants used in landscaping
• High efficiency irrigation system relies on cistern-collected rainwater
• Super-efficient plumbing fixtures, such as low flow toilets, waterless urinals and motion sensor sink faucets, reduce water consumption

Energy Efficiency

• Uses 45% less energy than a new code compliant office building
• High performance building envelope and glazing system provides improved insulation and energy-efficiency
• Photovoltaics (solar panels) generate 5% of building’s electricity
• Solar water heating, natural day lighting and motion detection lighting reduce energy consumption
• Geothermal HVAC cooling system saves energy and uses ozone-friendly refrigerants

Materials and Resources

• 89.7% of existing structure of Building A maintained for reuse
• Materials with recycled content used in both interior and exterior
• Recycling room reduces amount of waste hauled to landfills
• Materials manufactured locally or regionally minimize cost and impacts of transportation

Indoor Environmental Quality

• Environmentally-friendly adhesives, sealants, paints and carpet
• Carbon dioxide monitor
• Separate exhausts in janitor closets reduce exposure to potentially
• hazardous chemicals
• Smoke-free environment
• Natural day lighting and views of the exterior throughout

In addition to achieving the primary goal of reducing environmental impact with this green building project, the advantages of these upgrades are readily seen in resulting bottom line benefits:

• Integrated design optimizes energy performance to be 50% more energy-efficient than standard buildings
• Interior day-lighting methods decreased lighting costs by 40 to 60%
• This facility is equipped to use 58% less water than a typical code-compliant office building

Leading Experts in Sustainable Design

The 26,000-square-foot Twin Lakes Park Complex, which took over two and a half years to complete, was designed by Architect Michael R. Carlson, founder and principal of Carlson Studio Architecture, a Sarasota-based architecture and design firm that specializes in sustainable, high performance buildings.

At Carlson Studio Architecture, the integrated design approach that we utilize in all our work allows us to provide high quality, high performance buildings for our clients.

We are happy to provide a complimentary consultation to determine how you can incorporate sustainable design into your projects, for green building or renovation. Simply click the button below to submit your request, and we'll respond promptly to schedule your consultation.

Michael Carlson could give Kermit the Frog a run for his money.  Carlson, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, principal and founder of Carlson Studio Architecture, wants Sarasota to know that being green is easier than you think.  At his firm’s corporate headquarters near Fruitville and Orange in downtown Sarasota, he’s living by example.

Founded in 1997, Carlson Studio Architecture is celebrating its 18^th year anniversary in March 2015. Carlson himself has lived in Sarasota for over twenty-eight years.  His first exposure to green building happened while he was an architecture student at Ball State University in Indiana.  There he worked with professors and classmates in the university’s Center for Energy Research/Education/Service.  But it wasn’t until 2000 that he fully dedicated his practice to sustainability.

Green Building Increases Value, Lowers Cost

The staff at Carlson Studio Architecture incorporates green design principles into every project.  According to Carlson, with the advances in building materials, the cost of a green project isn’t necessarily greater than the cost of a quality non-green building.  The nature of sustainable design is that it is long-lasting and low maintenance.  These attributes help to increase long-term value while decreasing cost associated with upkeep. 

“Sometimes a client will be cutting-edge green,” Carlson reveals.  “Other times, we might have a project where we’re ‘stealth green.’  This is when a client may not be interested in sustainable design, but we still can make simple, responsible choices without raising costs.”

Examples of “stealth green” specifications include low-chemical paint.  Even when a project isn’t destined to be green, low-VOC paint can be specified; it’s better for the environment and the health of the builders and future tenants. While all business owners are motivated by different reasons, Carlson believes that sustainable design is the right thing to do. 

“Architecture is more meaningful and purposeful when sustainability is a factor,” says Carlson.  “In the age-old discussion of form verses function, I work to join aesthetic and utility through sustainable design.”

At Carlson Studio Architecture, about one-third of the projects are residential, leaving the remaining two-thirds devoted to commercial developments.  The firm concentrates on Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto, Hardee and Hillsborough counties, but has completed projects all over Florida and a few out of state.

In designing his Sarasota headquarters, Carlson set out to renovate the historic Cheney Building to meet the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver designation for Commercial Interiors (CI). 

LEED-CI is the industry benchmark for green design and construction of tenant improvements.The focus is on proven contributors to employee productivity and well-being in four areas:

1. Thermal comfort
2. Access to daylight and views
3. Minimizing interior pollutants and energy
4. Water conservation techniques. 

The LEED certification process benefits the consumer in two ways:

1. Third parties certify that buildings have met the criteria for environmental health
2. The market begins creating products to meet these standards. 

The Cheney Building renovation began in January 2007.  Carlson Studio Architecture moved into the space in June 2007, and the project was fully completed in August.  LEED-CI Certification (Silver level) was achieved in December 2007.  The project was just the 3^rd LEED-CI project in Florida at the time.

According to the U.S. Green Building Council, a healthy workplace environment enhances individual well being and productivity while reducing employee absenteeism and operating costs.  Carlson’s team employed several resources to transform the 1930’s grocery store into a professional office complex that reduces environmental impact, maximizes occupant comfort and improves building performance:

• Transparent interior walls enable each workspace to have access to the increased daylight and outside views afforded by the oversized windows and glass doorways that Carlson added.
  
  
• Cork and Interface carpet tiles were specified underfoot.  Cork is a replenishable material since only the bark is harvested, while the Interface carpet tiles are chemically free, include recycled content and are carbon neutral.
  
  
• All glues, sealants, caulks and paints are chemically free and produce low VOCs with no “off gassing,” (VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds, have been identified as cancer-causing agents).
  
  
• To continue minimizing indoor pollutants, the office is cleaned with green housekeeping methods and non-odorous cleaning products.
  
  
• Converted “low-flow” plumbing and other features help to conserve water and energy.  Carlson estimates that installing these conservation measures will reduce water usage by thirty percent.

“We promote green buildings and green interiors to our clients every chance we get – and now we made the same decisions about cost and materials that our clients make every day,” said Carlson.

While only the interior of Carlson Studio Architecture is being considered for LEED-CI certification, improvements were made to the entire Cheney Building.  With investment partner Victor Appel, ASID, Carlson replaced the roof with an Energy Star roof to maximize efficiency.  Adding extra insulation and high-performance glass also reduces energy use.

By way of their own practice, Carlson Studio Architecture is committed to quality design solutions that promote commercially-viable sustainability by minimizing the consumption of materials and maximizing their reuse, all while protecting the environment. 

With Carlson’s easy tips, we all can be a little greener without breaking the bank:

1. Replace light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs and energy efficient T-8 fluorescent tube lighting (both are widely available).
2. Use low-VOC paint offered by most name-brand paint manufacturers.
3. Buy Energy Star appliances to increase the efficiency of your energy and even water use.
4. Increase insulation, especially in the attic, and use an efficient air conditioning system. 

“Even small changes can make a big difference, and it’s easier than you think,” says Carlson. 

Sarasota architecture firm’s LEED-CI (Silver) green building offices demonstrate how easy it is to incorporate sustainable design into projects.

LEED Accredited Professionals in Sustainable Design

At Carlson Studio Architecture, the integrated design approach that we utilize in all our work allows us to provide high quality, high performance buildings for our clients.

We are happy to provide a complimentary consultation to determine how you can incorporate sustainable design into your projects, for green building or renovation. Simply click the button below to submit your request, and we'll respond promptly to schedule your consultation.

The third LEED-CI project ever certified in Florida was the new offices for Carlson Studio Architecture.

When Carlson Studio Architecture needed a new home for the growing sustainable design firm’s headquarters, a 1930’s-era abandoned grocery store seemed like the ideal location.  The building’s open layout, ample size and walkable urban setting offered all the features Michael Carlson, AIA, LEED AP and principal of the firm was seeking in an office.  It was just waiting for someone to come along and recognize its “green potential.”

Green Building Renewal Details

The firm purchased the 4,400-square-foot parcel with a partner and sub-divided the space.  Carlson Studio Architecture shares their 2,400-square-foot area with Carlson Studio Marketing, a green PR & marketing agency, run by Grace Carlson.  The businesses consciously made the decision to seek USGBC LEED Silver Commercial Interior (CI) certification for the project, which was achieved in December 2007.  The reason was two-fold.  Because the business owners believed in the value of LEED certification, they wanted their building to serve as a demonstration model to current and potential green building clients.  They also recognized the investment in third-party certification would increase the value of their asset.

The LEED system was selected, over other available systems, because LEED standards are rigorous.  Anyone can call a building green, but if the U.S. Green Building Council says its green, those results are undeniable.

Renovation costs were roughly $85 a square foot plus commissioning fees and extra features, which were $8,800 and added 4% or $3.71 per-square-foot to the budget.  USGBC Certification fees for the office were $2,200. The firm expect a rapid return on their investment. 

• RENOVATION +/- $85 PER SQUARE FOOT, INCLUDING GREEN BUILDING SITE WORK.
  
  
• HOW MUCH “EXTRA” DID IT COST? (Above and beyond normal construction that would have taken place with or without seeking LEED certification.)
  
  
• LEED CERTIFICATION                      $2,200
  
  
• COMMISSIONING                           $5,000
  
  
• ENERGY SAVING FEATURES         $1,600
  
  
• TOTAL INITIAL INVESTMENT       $8,800 (about 4%)

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

• A COMBINED ENERGY AND WATER SAVINGS OF $1,325 PER YEAR (15% ANNUAL ROI)
  
  
• FIRST YEAR APPRECIATION VALUE FOR GREEN BUILDINGS +/-5% (this was not realized due to a region wide downturn in real estate values)

The 15% annual ROI provides for a about a 6-7 year payback all by itself.  Now that we have been in the green building for over 7 years we have realized the full ROI on our initial investment.  And we will continue to realize the savings year after year for as long as we occupy the green building.

Making our staff more productive: ESTIMATING A CONSERVATIVE 5% PRODUCTIVITY INCREASE WILL PROVIDE AN 82% ANNUAL ROI. (Over the life of the green building, productivity payback not only pays for the “green premium” it pays for the entire cost of construction)

While all elements in sustainable design work synergistically together to maximize the outcome, here are some specific goals that were incorporated into the building:

• Improve the building envelope for thermal comfort and operational savings
  
  
• Reduce Water Consumption
  
  
• Reduce Energy Consumption
  
  
• Provide natural daylight and views to the exterior, for all occupants.
  
  
• Minimize indoor pollutants through exclusive use of environmentally friendly paints, adhesives, furnishings, cabinets, and flooring.
  
  
• Improve productivity of Occupants.
  
  
• Adaptive reuse of the existing building saved carbon emissions, land fill waste and energy.
  
  
• Adding windows increased access to day lighting and exterior views. Using double pane, impact resistant, and Low E tinted glazing reduced solar heat gain.
  
  
• Replacing the roof with additional insulation and an Energy Star rated single ply reflective membrane roof system enhanced energy savings.
  
  
• The mechanical systems were replaced with more energy efficient equipment.
  
  
• Energy efficient fluorescent lighting with direct / indirect light was installed throughout the interior.  Compact fluorescent light fixtures and occupancy sensors were installed in restrooms and storage rooms.
  
  
• Site lighting for security was minimized to reduce light pollution.
  
  
• Low flow plumbing fixtures, dual flush toilets and motion sensors were installed for water conservation.

Green Building Design by CSA

At Carlson Studio Architecture, we believe that going green doesn't have to mean sacrificing quality or comfort... and certainly not convenience. Our own offices are a perfect example of not only how EASY it is to go green, with full return on investment in minimal time.

We are happy to provide a complimentary green building consultation to determine how your green building projects may best be implemented, whether it’s for a new green building or renovation of an existing structure. Just click the button below to submit your request, and we'll respond promptly to schedule your consultation.

In my previous blog, I talked about the background, details, and return on investment that Carlson Studio Architecture realized when we purchased our office building in 2007 and built out a LEED-CI Silver Certified project, which was the third LEED-CI project ever certified in Florida at that time. I was happy to share the detailed information about this green building accomplishment.

One thing I have seen over these many years in working in the sustainable design realm is that people with a “green” mindset are very open to sharing the details with others, whether it is an ROI calculation, or a green building design concept, or a specific detail.  A strength of the green building world that is its willingness to share, and bring everyone up along the way.  As they say, 1 rising tide lifts all boats. So, we felt strongly that we should walk the walk and design our own office to be LEED certified.

The Green Building Offices at Carlson Studio Architecture

Having now worked in this green building for over 7 years, I have a few observations.  We used some simple, basic technology throughout the office that we have become so accustom to, we miss it when we go elsewhere, including:

• Motion sensors in all the private offices, conference rooms, bathrooms and lobby.
  
  
• The T-8 lights come on when we walk into a room, and go off a few minutes after we leave.
  
  
• The bathroom motion sensors are also tied into the exhaust fans, so they stay on automatically for a few minutes as well, then turn off automatically so as to not exhaust all the air conditioned air out of the green building.
  
  
• The dual flush toilets work great.
  
  
• The faucets in the sinks are all on automatic sensors, so when you put your hands under the faucet, the water turns on, and when you remove your hands it shuts off immediately.
  
  
• The faucet motions sensors are battery operated, and the flow of the water out of the faucet turns a small turbine wheel and recharges the batteries constantly. We have yet to change the batteries. 

I have gotten so accustomed to not turning the lights on and off, and not having to turn the faucet on and off, that when I am away from the office I typically expect those things to happen automatically, but they don’t very often. All of this is simple technology has no maintenance and nothing to break.

Other simple things like programmable thermostats, automatically turn the air on in the morning about an hour before we open, and reset to a bit warmer temperature in the evening to save energy when the building is not occupied.  There is also a weekend setting that is similar to the night time setting.  The thermostat allows these setting to be easily manually overridden by a user who may come in at night or on the weekend.

We also added a simple timer switch that closes the fresh air intake damper at night and on weekends when the office is unoccupied.  This saves additional energy because the A/C system does not have to bring in and dehumidify the hot and humid Florida outside air at night or on weekends.

More about real experiences working in a LEED office in a future green building blog.

Green Building Design by CSA

At Carlson Studio Architecture, we believe that going green doesn't have to mean sacrificing quality or comfort... and certainly not convenience. Our own offices are a perfect example of not only how EASY it is to go green, but also that ultimately those people living and working in green buildings come to discover that life can be decidedly simpler when your building 'does the work for you'.

But be forewarned: it's easy to get spoiled by such effortless simplicity, and to miss it when you're away; just as we do here at CSA.

We are happy to provide a complimentary green building consultation to determine how your green building projects may best be implemented, whether it’s for a new green building or renovation of an existing structure. Just click the button below to submit your request, and we'll respond promptly to schedule your consultation.

The Sarasota Herald Tribune's Business Weekly section today (July 26, 2010) had announcement that a local Sarasota Architect was recently awarded a new school project by the School Board of Polk County.  Congratulations to the architecture firm, BMK Architects Inc. 

That's not the purpose of this post.  What I found curious was how the press release was worded.  It said the school was "a 115,000 square foot elementary school in Mulberry.  The campus will be a secure environment for students and staff, with gated entrances providing controlled access and buildings sited to allow visual observation of the entire campus from the administration building." 

That was it.  Who decided that was the only thing to convey about the new school in this press release?  Is that the most important feature we are looking for in our school designs these days?  It sounds more like a prison than a school.  What if it said the new school would be full of natural daylighting and void of toxic chemicals?  It would be a healthy place to learn and the new design would increase test scores in the students by 10%, and it would have lower electric and water bills saving taxpayers money. 

What if it said all these claims will be verified by an independent third party. What if the press release said the new school would seek LEED for Schools Certification from the US Green Building Council?

The trend in new public school design is safety at the sacrifice of everything else.  Safety of the students is important, but it is not the only important thing.  Students need the best possible enironment to learn in.  Teachers need the best possible environment to teach in.  We need to demand more from the buildings our kids spend so much time in.

Check out Carlson Studio's design for a new green school in Las Vegas.