St. Paul’s new Fire Department Headquarters and Station 1 opened on September 10, 2010. The Headquarters is the first city-owned building to feature an environmentally-friendly green roof. Chief Tim Butler and architect Loren Abraham tell about the advantages of this unique new facility.
Just a reminder that Green Maltese has a Submit A Green Firehouse page where you can share your Green Firehouse experience for others to learn from.
Stay Safe
Lt. John Shafer
A bi-partisan bill seeking support from public safety aims to reduce loss of life and damages after disasters.
A hearing for the Safe Building Codes Incentive Act is set for this Tuesday, July 24 at 10:00 a.m. and will be webcast live.
The Safe Building Code Incentive Act would create a financial incentive for states that have adopted and are currently enforcing statewide building codes for residential and commercial structures. Under the proposed law, states that do so would qualify for an additional 4-percent in post-disaster funding.
The program would be administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Congressman Jeff Denham (CA-19), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, spoke to fire service media about the pending legislation.
The bill, HR 2069, was introduced by Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-21) and was referred to Chairman Denham’s subcommittee.
“We can cut the cost and amount of damage done with stronger building codes; we did it in California,” Denham said.
Denham explained that the goal is for nationally recognized codes to be selected and enhanced at the state level to address local perils, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, fire, ice storms and other natural catastrophes.
“We want to make sure we’re empowering states to put in the types of safeguards they need,” Denham said.
In addition, standardized building codes would create a consistent playing field for design professionals, suppliers, and builders, and create a minimum standard that consumers could rely upon.
However, “Most importantly,” Denham said, ” it’s about saving lives.”
Original link:
Before I share a special guest article.I would like to invite everyone to join me this Friday at Firehouse Expo @Baltimore Convention Center Baltimore, MD
I am very excited and honored to be teaching this year.
Green Building Construction For The Fire Service
7/20/2012 12:00:00 PM Room 343
Description:
This presentation will examine various green buildings and methods and exotic materials that are used to achieve green standards and the potential hazards that they present to fire service personnel. Many of these materials are not common knowledge to most fire service personnel due to past and current teaching practices that only address traditional building construction for the fire service. This ground-breaking and informative program will utilize extensive multimedia materials to reinforce course content and subject areas.
Here a slide from the program that we will discuss and also use it to think about as you read the wonderful article below.
I would like to thank Noelle Hirsch for contacting me and asking me if I would share this wonderful article. Please enjoy and all credit is due to Noelle on this one.
Introduction
When many people think about carbon emissions, they assume that cars and other motorized vehicles are the main culprits. However, building construction uses 30 percent of all raw materials consumed in this country and 12 percent of all available potable water – 15 trillion gallons each year. This level of water consumption is ultimately unsustainable, given that the United Nations World Water Development Report 3, issued in 2009, states that one-third of the world’s population already lacks access to clean water. The report projects that at the present rate of consumption, two-thirds of the world’s population will live in water-stressed conditions by 2025.
Buildings continue to be environmentally demanding after construction has been completed. Buildings and the built environment account for 30 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and 30 percent of all waste products – some 136 million tons annually. As a major contributing factor to climate change, greenhouse gases have had a detrimental effect on the health of the planet, including rapid and perhaps irreversible melting of Arctic polar sea ice.
Green Building Benefits
Green construction can reverse much of the detrimental environmental impact of conventional construction methods. Along with environmental gains, eco-conscious construction can enhance the bottom line of individual companies and of the overall American and world economies. The USGBC reports that increased efficiency in construction and building maintenance would eliminate 1.1 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions each year – while saving the U.S. economy $130 billion.
Providing aesthetic benefit for observers of nearby taller buildings as well as natural habitat enclaves, green roofs and rooftop gardens can mitigate air temperature inside the building, reducing the need for artificial heating and cooling. Their presence also helps to reverse the heat island effect caused by massive amounts of concrete present in a typical urban area. The soil in a rooftop garden also absorbs a significant portion of rainfall, thereby diverting rainwater from storm sewers. At the same time, a dry green roof adds only 17 pounds per square foot to a roof’s load; a wet green roof adds 30 pounds per square foot. Rooftop gardens are more demanding, adding up to 100 pounds per square foot to a roof’s load.
Green construction also improves the health of individuals who live and work inside buildings. LEED standards for green construction call for the elimination of formaldehyde and other building materials that emit volatile organic compounds, also called VOCs, which contribute to “sick building syndrome.” Employing green building construction and maintenance standards for natural light and temperature control also improve worker efficiency and reaction times.
Many municipalities and states, as well as the United States federal government have provided financial incentives to encourage green construction and retrofits, including expedited permit approvals, tax abatements and technical assistance. These financial incentives apply to new construction and to retrofits, and not only reduce upfront construction costs, but present a selling point for would-be developers, buyers and tenants.
LEED and Green Construction
In the United States, the dominant standard for measuring environmental features is LEED, an acronym that stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED standards, developed by the United States Green Building Council, can be applied to new construction, and to buildings that are already standing. LEED standards are designed to measure and evaluate the environmental consciousness of construction, general maintenance, landscaping and climate control. Different LEED standards apply to commercial buildings, residential buildings, even entire neighborhoods.
Buildings that meet LEED standards for green construction apply sustainability methods to several phases of construction, including the building shell, climate control inside the building, water usage, landscaping, sourcing of building materials and disposal of construction wastes. There are presently five levels of LEED certification for green construction: certified, bronze, silver, gold and platinum. As of 2012, LEED Platinum structures exist in 25 countries worldwide. The United States has 950 LEED Platinum projects; India is second with 35 LEED Platinum projects.
The worldwide financial crisis has slowed or halted construction to all-time low levels. Nonetheless, green construction of non-residential structures has maintained, or even gained, in market share. In fact, green construction presently accounts for one-third of all non-residential design and construction projects and will account for more than half of all non-residential construction within five years. Green construction is expected to generate 8 million construction-related jobs by 2013.
Growth in green construction is not limited to new projects. In fact, as of December 2011, existing LEED-certified building space exceeded new LEED-certified construction by 15 million square feet. A significant number of green retrofits are devoted to architectural icons such as the Empire State Building, which recently gained LEED Gold status through its retrofit project. The renovation is projected to cut energy use by nearly 40 percent, which translates to annual savings of $4.4 million per year – and a payback of renovation costs in only three years.
Another green retrofit is in progress for the Sears Tower, recently renamed the Willis Tower. Once the tallest building in the world, this Modernist icon still stands as the tallest building on the North American continent. Beginning in 2009, the process of “greening” the tower has focused on retrofitting various features of the structure, with impressive results. For example, installing low-flow toilets and faucets conserves more than 10,000,000 gallons of water each year. Shading the building’s windows significantly reduces heating and cooling requirements.
Eventual plans include a complete overhaul of the electrical system to reduce energy consumption by 80 percent. Replacing 16,000 single-paned windows and constructing a thermal bank would save 50 percent on heating energy. A proposed 500-room “green” luxury hotel would be powered entirely by the tower’s energy system and would pursue LEED Gold status. Besides the projected sustainability gains and energy savings, the five-year project would create as many as 3,600 jobs, according to developers.
Green Construction Resources:
LEED Certification in America and Worldwide
Twenty-one countries participate in the LEED International program: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Finland, South Korea, India, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, France and the United Arab Emirates. The United Kingdom launched an equivalent to LEED, known as the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEM), in 1990.
An even more stringent standard is the Living Building Challenge, granted by the International Living Future Institute. As of 2012, four construction projects had earned this certification: the Tyson Living Learning Center in Eureka, Missouri; the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York (also LEED Platinum); the Eco-Sense home in Victoria, British Columbia and is the Hawaii Preparatory Academy Energy Lab in Kamuela, Hawaii (also LEED Platinum).
In March 2012, the International Code Council released the 2012 International Green Construction Code (IgCC), a cooperative effort between the American Institute of Architects and ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials), which cosponsored the project with the support of ASHRAE (the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers), the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Illuminating Engineering Society. The IgCC is the first sustainability measurement that addresses the entire life cycle of a building, from design and construction to occupancy – and beyond. The IgCC is intended to provide a compliment rather than a replacement for LEED as an environmental building certification standard.
Hope you have enjoyed this article and it has shed some light on the fact that Green Construction is here to stay and isn’t just a fad so firefighters better learn about it now instead of 2am when you have a JOB in one.
See you all in Baltimore!
Stay Safe
Lt. John Shafer
SIPs is an acronym for Structural Insulated Panel. Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) are a high performance building system for residential and light commercial construction. The panels consist of an insulating rigid foam core sandwiched between two structural facings, typically oriented strand board (OSB). SIPs are manufactured under factory controlled conditions and can be fabricated to fit nearly any building design. The result is a building system that is extremely strong, energy efficient and cost effective.
Types of SIPs
There are three main types of SIPs, although the SIPs themselves can be encased in different outer materials called skins. The inner insulation core is usually made from expandable polystyrene (EPS), polyurethane or polyisocyanurate. Each delivers a strong, light building material with exceptional insulation properties.
Types of SIP skins
Most SIPs feature OSB as the skins that encompass the inner foam insulation core of the
panel. But other skins are available, including:
• Metal 
• Fiber cement
• Fiber reinforced concrete
• Plywood
• Gypsum board
The third component in SIPs is the spline or connector piece between SIP panels. Dimensional lumber is commonly used but creates thermal bridging and lowers insulation values. To maintain higher insulation values through the spline, manufacturers use Insulated Lumber, Composite Splines, Mechanical Locks, Overlapping OSB Panels, or other creative methods. Depending on the method selected, other advantages such as full nailing surfaces or increased structural strength may become available.
SIPs share the same structural properties as an I-beam or I-column. The rigid insulation core of the SIP acts as a web, while the OSB sheathing exhibits the same properties as the flanges. SIPs combine several components of conventional building, such as studs and joists, insulation, vapor barrier and air barrier. They can be used for many different applications, such as exterior wall, roof, floor and foundation systems.
SIPs are GREEN
Structural insulated panels (SIPs)are one of the most airtight and well insulated building systems available, making them an inherently green product. An airtight SIP building will use less energy to heat and cool, allow for better control over indoor environmental conditions, and reduce construction waste.
Why you will see SIPs more than ever before!
Firefighting Concerns:
As you have saw from the information above there are several types of SIPs and many types of skins however as mentioned before the most common is Oriented Strand Board (OSB) as the skin and the core made of Expanded Polystyrene Foam. So I am going to focus on concerns with those two materials.
Oriented Strand Board (OSB)
This material begins to break down at relatively low temperatures for fire conditions (about 450 F – same as sawn wood) and it is now a major structural component and not just a covering.
The adhesives used in OSB can vary by manufacturer. It appears that the wood components will burn before the adhesives in most cases. The wood will start to burn at about 450 F and the adhesives around 750 F. The manufactures state that the OSB will behave like sawn wood in a fire, which may be true, but it is the thickness (mass) that then becomes the problem, as OSB is usually no more than ¾” thick and usually less.
Although the manufactures state that the products of combustion are no worse than natural wood, some of the materials in the adhesives may be extremely toxic, corrosive, or carcinogens.
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)
Click the links below to watch a crude parking lot burn test:
Hopefully you have learned something from this post? If so please share it with every firefighter you know.
Stay Safe
Lt. John Shafer
This is a great discussion about Green Roof Wind & Fire Codes from Virtual Summit 2011 panel.
Panel members:
Kelly Luckett, Mike Ennis, and Jim Kirby
Description:
No longer can the green roof be deleted from a project due to failure to comply with the fire code. After three years in the making from members of Single Ply Roofing Industry in cooperation with Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC), we now have a green roof design guide for minimizing the risk of fire on green roofs.
The securing of a place in mainstream construction through the International Code Council (ICC) has resulted in a milestone for the North American green roof movement. Fire concerns are only half of the code story as the wind design guide is still progressing through the ANSI process – we must overcome both the wind and the fire obstacle. Kelly Luckett, President of Green Roof Blocks, moderates and shares his experiences representing GRHC with the consensus based ANSI/SPRI VF-1 and RP-14 standards. Jim Kirby, NRCA’s AED, Technical Communications, provides NRCA commentary about building codes, vegetative roofs and RP-14. Mike Ennis, Technical Director for SPRI, speaks to SPRI’s leadership leadership in the development of fire and wind standards and experience in the building code arena.
For more information on Green Roofs visit Green Roofs TV.
Stay Safe
Lt. John Shafer
A Bethlehem radio station was taken off the air for about four hours last week after an uncontrolled solar concentrator beam melted and charred a cable the station uses to carry its broadcast signal.
In January, The Stone House Group began making energy efficiency upgrades to the flatiron building, which included mounting a 20-foot-wide solar collector on the roof. The solar collector was designed by Bethlehem-based CEWA Technologies.
Larry Eighmy, Stone House’s founder and managing principal, said significant winds damaged the solar collector a few months ago and removed a portion of the center collector.
“As a result the sunlight was hitting it like a magnifying glass and instead of being focused back into the device, it happened to be focused on a part of the building that had a piece of plywood over a window and it caused the plywood to smolder and the heat caused WDIY’s cable to melt,” he said.
CEWA’s prototype solar concentrator employs a huge reflecting metal dish to focus the sun’s rays down into a narrow ribbon. When the sun is shining brightly, about 30kw of solar thermal energy is concentrated into this strip, which in normal operation is focused down on a heat exchange unit that can heat up to 400 degrees, a news release says.
Last week, upgrade work was being performed on the solar concentrator, and it was moved from its normal position and did not have the heat exchange unit in place, leaving the focused beam unblocked and uncontrolled in its direction.
The fire alarm was activated and Hever and WDIY’s Executive Director Bill Dautremont-Smith evacuated WDIY volunteers from the building before the Bethlehem Fire Department arrived and doused the smoldering panel.
Original Article Link:
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2012/06/bethlehem_radio_station_loses.html
I would love to hear the roof report from the crew who found this condition on the roof! LOL
Goats feed on oat grass on the roof at Siegel 's Cottonwood Farm in Crest Hill, IL on Thursday May 24, 2012. | Matt Marton~Sun-Times Media
Green Maltese had the privilege to teach about many hazards associated with Modern Roofs at FDIC 2012. We discussed Green Roofs and many challenges they present. However this is one surprise we didn’t cover and might just be the best ones yet. 
Going green, with goats:
Which firefighter is going to the roof to vent?
Tool selection was the discussion for this slide. Maybe I should update it with the firefighter taking a bucket of grain to the next vent job LOL
Never know what you might find on your next JOB!
Be Safe
Lt. John Shafer
I am pleased to annouce another free online training module brought to you by Green Maltese & EngineCO22.net .
This training will discuss important fireground considerations that are essential to your success on the fireground.
Click on Picture for Training Link:
Stay Safe
Lt. John Shafer
What is Energy Glass?
ENERGYGLASS™ is the only Optically Clear Building Integrated Photovoltaic Window System in the World.
ENERGYGLASS™ is a patented Optically Clear Vertical Building Photovoltaic Window System that produces continuous Energy from Sunlight, Diffused, Ambient Light and Ground Reflectance and the only 100% FIELD of VISION in the world. The entire surface of the windows is clear – No grids, dots or lines! This proprietary Inorganic Nano Technology and Solar Collector does not degrade from IR like typical solar cells, do.
ENERGYGLASS™ produces 1-2 watts per sq. ft. per hour for 10-12 hours during the day and 4-5 watts at peak dependent on location. Energy generated can be inverted back to the grid, battery back up or direct to DC equipment! This means a FEED In Tariff opportunity could be available, thus generating revenue from your windows and/or reducing your building’s energy consumption.
How does it work?
EnergyGlass™ is a patented transparent glass system that collects and produces energy from any light source and can be simply integrated into building window designs to produce electricity.
The EnergyGlass™ system continually collects and creates electricity from sunlight, diffused light and artificial light.
DC electricity produced from EnergyGlass™ can be inverted and returned to the grid and / or charge batteries and / or be wired direct to DC electronics. and offers a value added solution for power independence from the main electrical.
Additional information:
http://www.ecohomemagazine.com/arts-and-culture/solar-glass-makes-its-debut.aspx
Just wanted to inform you of another hazard we are faced with in modern green construction.
Stay Safe
Lt. John Shafer
Green Maltese main focus is on building construction however I also teach alot of search classes as well. So I am going share some of the search drills I have put together. Hope you enjoy and they are useful to you and your crews. They are only meant to be short drills to start kitchen table discussion. In order to get the best out of them please get out and do the hands-on searching application in full PPE and SCBA.
Topics covered in this drill series are:
Link to download drills in PDF file:
Fireground search drills for green maltese
Special thanks to Firefighter Close Calls.com for the Search Operations drill.
If you enjoy and are able to use these drills to deliver training at your department please give feedback.
Stay Safe
Lt. John Shafer
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has partnered with Green Builder® Media, North America’s leading media company focused on sustainable living to participate in the VISION House® located in INNOVENTIONS at Epcot® at the Walt Disney World® Resort. The innovative exhibitis set to present green living ideas in a fun and informative manner that will empower guests with the knowledge that a sustainable future is possible.
NFPA will showcase home fire sprinklers as an important addition to the home. “Through this partnership with Green Builder® Media, we hope to educate visitors on the key environmental benefits of sprinklers,” said Jim Shannon, NFPA president. According to findings of a groundbreaking study, greenhouse gases released by burning buildings can be reduced by 98 percent when automatic fire sprinklers are installed. The study, conducted for the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, also found that automatic sprinklers:
The VISION House® in INNOVENTIONS is inspired by Green Builder Media’s VISION House demonstration home series and will open Earth Day, April 22nd. Guests visiting the house will explore the major themes of green building, including whole-home automation, energy generation and efficiency, water conservation, indoor environment quality and high-performance materials and durability.
As guests tour the home, they will encounter intelligent products and advanced technologies, such as:
For more information about sustainable living and the VISION House® in INNOVENTIONS, visit www.visionhousegreen.com. For more information about home fire sprinklers, visit www.nfpa.org/sprinklers.
Original link with full story:
http://www.nfpa.org/newsReleaseDetails.asp?categoryid=488&itemId=56426&cookie%5Ftest=1
I would like to invite you to attend my class at FDIC!
I would be honored to have you present as I reach one of my life long dreams of teaching at FDIC the Super Bowl of Firefighting.
Here a short preview:
The class will examine trends and methods in modern building construction with an emphasis on roofs, their direct relationship to vertical ventilation, structural firefighting operations, and firefighter survivability. Inherent roof construction features and hazards that directly influence truck company work will be the main focus, along with green roofs, methods, and exotic materials that are used to achieve green standards, and the potential hazards that they present to fire service personnel. Many of these materials such as recycled rubber shingles, solar panels, and green (garden) roofs are not common knowledge to most fire service personnel. ALL LEVELS
Friday 4/20/2012 @ 10:30 am – 12:15 pm
Room 109-110
Looking forward to seeing you all!
FDIC is such a wonderful conference and the only bad thing about it is that you can’t possibly go to all the classes because there is so many to choose from!!
So if you havn’t decided here is a list of a few that are my friends or I know they are awesome instructors.
The Future of Fire Training Room 120-122
President Eddie Buchanan, International Society of Fire Service Instructors
Fire Behavior Has Changed; Have Your Tactics? Room Wabash 3
Fire Protection Engineer Stephen Kerber, Underwriters Laboratories
PV Safety for Firefighters Room 116-117
Captain Matthew Paiss, San Jose (CA) Fire Department
Drills and Tips for Company Officers Room 107-108
Major Brian Arnold, Oklahoma City (OK) Fire Department
Engine Company Operations “Gallons per Second” Room 132-133
Battalion Chief Curt Isakson, Escambia County (FL) Fire Rescue
Live To Train Another Day Room 138-139
Division Chief Brian Kazmierzak, Clay (IN) Fire Territory
Tactical Leadership: The Next Step Room 123-124
Lieutenant Frank Ricci, New Haven (CT) Fire Department
Adaptive Fireground Management for Officers Room Wabash 2
Chief of Training Christopher Naum, Command Institute
Suburban Fire Tactics Room 243-245
Captain/Training Officer Jim Silvernail, Metro West (MO) Fire Protection District
Ventilation Principles and Practices Room 134-135
Lieutenant Brian Brush, West Metro (CO) Fire Rescue
Ventilating Impact Resistance Coverings Room 125-126
Firefighter Ric Jorge, Palm Beach County (FL) Fire Rescue
Construction-Based Fire Attack Room 138-139
Lieutenant Don Kaderabek, Niles (IL) Fire Department
School Bus Extrication Room 123-124
Lieutenant Paul Hasenmeier, Huron (OH) Fire Department
Tactics Using Quint Apparatus Room 240-242
Captain Nicholas Morgan, St Louis (MO) Fire Department
A Firefighter’s Worst Enemy Room 103-104
Deputy Chief Jason Hoevelmann, Sullivan (MO) Fire Protection District
Rapid Intervention Basics Room 236-237
Captain Jeff Schwering, Crestwood (MO) Fire Department
Teaching Practical Fire Dynamics Room Lucas Oil Stadium Meeting Room 1-2
Chief Edward Hartin, Central Whidbey Island (WA) Fire & Rescue
Residential Ventilation Room 236-237
Deputy Chief/Training Officer Paul Norwood, East Haven (CT) Fire Department
See you all there!
Stay Safe
Lt. John Shafer
Picture is from http://www.housesolarenergy.net/
Portland Fire RescueFirefighters knocked down a fire in a house with solar panels — which can’t be turned off — in less than 30 minutes. The panels were installed based on a new code written for just such a situation.Firefighters knocked down a fire in a Southeast Portland home this morning, maneuvering around solar panels that pose a threat of electrocution.
The operation went smoothly, with the fire brought under control in less than 30 minutes thanks to the solar panel installation, said Paul Corah, spokesman for Portland Fire Rescue.
The panels were placed in accordance with a new Oregon building code that went into effect last year, requiring installers to leave space on the sides of panels and on the top of the roof to give firefighters room to put their ladders and cut out sections as needed to let heat escape.
Corah said the fire was the first time the new code was tested — and it worked.
If the panels had covered the roof, firefighters would not have been able to break it open: Solar panels cannot be turned off like other electrical sources. The fire would not have been able to vent and that would have made it worse, Corah said. As it was, the fire caused about $70,000 worth of damage.
Original article link:
Stay Safe
Lt. John Shafer
I am very excited to annouce a partnership between Green Maltese and Engine Co. 22!
Christopher Huston from http://engineco22.net/ did a outstanding job taking my last basement fire post to the next level.
This FREE training program is complete with videos and audio. Please enjoy and share with every firefighter you know.
Link to free program:
http://engineco22.net/modules/basement/index.html
Be sure and check out some the other great stuff Chris is doing at Engine Co. 22.
TRAINING OPERATIONS
LEAD INSTRUCTOR & OWNER
CHRISTOPHER HUSTON
Email: huston@engineco22.net
Twitter: @engineco22
Facebook: EngineCompany 22
Phone: 269-277-4711
LinkedIn: Christopher Huston
YouTube: Channel firefighterco22
EVERYONE GOES HOME
MICHIGANLEAD ADVOCATE
CHRISTOPHER HUSTON
Web: http://everyonegoeshome.com
Twitter: @egh_program
Twitter: @michiganegh
Tumblr: http://reg5egh.tumblr.com
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