Sustainable Design Blog

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.

It seems that everyone these days is a “green building expert”.  Many have recognized the “trend” is not going away, and those who were once resistant have recently opted to jump on board.

Carlson Studio committed to LEED green building design in 2000. As an early adaptor, we have grown up with the LEED system over the years. Sustainability is a key principal that we apply to all of our projects. We also provide eco-consulting to assist architects, contractors, owners and other design professionals in the process of designing sustainable buildings.

But when hiring any expert for green building design or eco-consulting, it can be difficult to know whether you’ve encountered a true green professional, or one who simply dabbles in the concepts of sustainability in order to keep up with trends. One critical determining factor is to fist learn whether a designer, builder, architect or any other contractors are LEED Accredited, and  has  LEED Certified projects on their list of references.

What is LEED?

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a set of rating systems for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings, homes and neighborhoods. It was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the purpose of helping building owners and operators be environmentally responsible and use resources efficiently.

There are 5 categories corresponding to the specialties available under the LEED Accredited Professional program:

• Building Design and Construction
• Interior Design and Construction
• Building Operations and Maintenance
• Neighborhood Development
• Homes

What is a LEED Accredited Professional?

The LEED Professional Credentials were developed to encourage green building professionals to maintain and advance their knowledge and expertise. A LEED Professional Credential provides employers, policymakers and other stakeholders with assurances of an individual’s current level of competence and is the mark of the most qualified, educated and influential green building professionals in the marketplace.

There are three tiers in the LEED Professional Credentialing program:

• Tier 1: LEED Green Associate - denotes basic knowledge of green design, construction, and operations.
  
  
• Tier 2: LEED AP with specialty - signifies an advanced depth of knowledge in green building practices; it also reflects the ability to specialize in a particular LEED Rating System.
  
  
• Tier 3: LEED Fellow - highly accomplished class of individuals nominated by their peers and distinguished by a minimum of 10 or more years of professional green building experience.

What is LEED Certification?

There are four levels of certification - the number of points a project earns determines the level of LEED certification that the project will receive. LEED-Certified is the minimum award for recognized green homes. Typical certification thresholds are:

• Certified: 40-49 points
• Silver: 50-59 points
• Gold: 60-79 points
• Platinum: 80+ points

When you’re ready to go green, either as part of a new building project, or renovation of an existing building, remember to check for the all-important criteria above, to ensure that your “green experts” really are the experts!

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.

Carlson Studio Eco-Consulting is a division of Carlson Studio Architecture, one of the leading sustainable design firms in the State of Florida. Carlson Studio understands the green building design process. For inexperienced teams, we can lead the entire team using our 12 years of experience working in the design and construction of green buildings.

We are happy to provide a complimentary consultation to determine how your green building projects may best be implemented, whether it’s for a new building or green renovation of an existing structure. Just submit your request using the form on the right side of this page, 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.