Archives for green-maltese

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:

http://www.housesolarenergy.net/firefighters-snuff-fire-in-southeast-portland-home-equipped-with-solar-panels

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on April 10, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: Building Construction, Firefighter Safety, Green Buildings, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, Hazards of Modern Roofs, John Shafer, New codes, Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Power Systems, Portland Fire Department, Solar, Solar Energy, solar panels, ventilation, vertical ventilation

Basement Fire Training

No comments

Quick overview of basement fire training

Full program with audio and videos:

Basement Fires GFD

Enjoy and please share it with others.

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on April 2, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: 360 size up, Basement Fire Hazards, Basement Fires, Building Construction, Finger Joint Truss, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, International Society of Fire Service Instructors, Tactics, TJI floors, Transitional Fire Attack, Underwriters Laboratories, ventilation, XJ 85

Trombe Walls

2 comments

Since ancient times, people have used thick walls of adobe or stone to trap the sun’s heat

during the day and release it slowly and evenly at night to heat their buildings. Today’s

low-energy(green) buildings often improve on this ancient technique by incorporating a thermal

storage and delivery system called a Trombe wall. Named after French inventor Felix

Trombe in the late 1950s, the Trombe wall continues to serve as an effective feature of

passive solar design.

A Trombe wall has masonry or concrete on the inside that is painted black on the exterior face, an air space, and glass on the exterior of the home. The completed walls look like windows with black shades. Photos: Joe McGovern, Living Designs Group

Trombe Wall Design and Construction:

A typical unvented Trombe wall consists of a 4- to 16-in (10- to 41-cm)-thick, southfacing masonry wall with a dark, heat-absorbing material on the exterior surface and faced with a single or double layer of glass. The glass is placed from ¾ to 2 in. (2 to 5 cm) from the masonry wall to create a small airspace. Heat from sunlight passing through the glass is absorbed by the dark surface, stored in the wall, and conducted slowly inward through the masonry. High transmission glass maximizes solar gains to the masonry wall. As an architectural detail, patterned glass can limit the exterior visibility of the dark concrete wall without sacrificing transmissivity.

Do It Yourself Trombe Wall:

Just another feature in green construction that may look normal. However these windows could not be used for ventilation or access for RIT.

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on February 17, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: Building Construction, Firefighter Safety, Green Building Design, Green Buildings, green homes, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, John Shafer, passive solar home, RIT hazard, Sustainable, Trombe wall

Green Maltese makes a visit to UL

3 comments

I am very excited to post about my recent visit to observe a day of test burns that are a part of the Vertical Ventilation study being conducted by UL.

I want to first say a special thanks to Steve Kerber, Christopher Hasbrook,Bob Backstrom and Chief Peter Van Dorpe for allowing me to experience so many wonderful things they do to make the fire service safer.

This post is only to share my experience with you. It is not meant to be a report because it was only one day of many tests that UL are conducting to produce the report on Impact of Vertical Ventilation for the fire service.

United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program funded Underwriters Laboratories to conduct these test to examine fire service ventilation practices as well as the impact of changes in modern house geometries.

There has been a steady change in the residential fire environment over the past several decades. These changes include larger homes, more open floor plans and volumes and increased synthetic fuel loads. This series of experiments examine this change in fire behavior and the impact on firefighter ventilation tactics.

Test 1: on 2/7/2012

Was conducted in single story legacy ranch home. The fire was started in a coffee pot and then got into cabinets and was allowed to flashover. The door was then opened and after few minutes water was applied from straight stream at the door for 10 seconds and with fog nozzle. The purpose of water application was to see if a post flashover fire could be pushed out of kitchen down hallway. NO Fire was pushed in this test however there has been 7 test before and still one more to go. All the data will have to be analyzed before this can be confirmed.

Other things tested was 5 different smoke detectors, visibility on exit lights in smoke and they also examined activation time versus time needed to evacuate determined by temperature, gas concentration and smoke obscuration.

Test 2 on 2/7/2012

Two story modern home with open concept design. This fire was started in a trash can in upstairs bedroom and allowed to grow (it did not flashover due to the lack of oxygen) then the bedroom window was taken and it transitioned to flashover and later the front door was opened. The open door allowed for a flow up through the foyer to the bedroom window which intensified the fire and allowed it to burn at the door to the room and the window of the room, resulting in a higher heat release. The vertical ventilation hatch was opened and this seemed to localize the fire but UL will have to examine the data and videos before they can conclude anything. This test was a good example of multiple types of ventilation being coordinated and the hose stream application from the outside quickly knocked the fire.

My videos:

Note my videos are amateur and shot on just a 35 mm camera so excuse my shaking hand LOL

Bob Backstrom teaching NIPSTA recruits

Test 2 videos

My pictures:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/media/set/?set=a.2678019589373.2115100.1222742202&type=1

Once again this post is only about my experience on 2/7/2012 which is only part of the study that is being conducted. So I am looking forward to Steve Kerber and his group to releasing the full report.

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on February 9, 2012 • Filed under: News and Events • Tagged: Building Construction, Chief Peter Van Dorpe, Christopher Hasbrook, fire service ventilation practices, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, impact on firefighter ventilation tactics., residential fire environment, Steve Kerber, synthetic fuel loads, Tactics, UL, Underwriters Laboratories, United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program, ventilation, vertical ventilation, Vertical Ventilation study by UL

Search: Do you have a plan?

3 comments

I would first like to say that the use of the following article is not meant to be an armchair quarterback or to be critical of the department involved. However I do feel it can be a learning opportunity for us, to at least review some basics of having a search plan.

Article:

A man died in a blaze after four firefighters failed to spot him during two searches of a burning building, an inquest heard today. Danny Holt, 33, collapsed in his lounge after a chip pan caught fire – but the emergency services failed to spot him. Both groups of firefighters assumed the other had searched the room in Eccles, Greater Manchester.

Searching with a plan:

The most important ingredient of a successful search is the search plan. An organized and coordinated search plan will help reduce some of the risk and increase your chances of giving you and the victims you are searching for the greatest chance of survival.

.The first step of a successful plan will begin with a good search size-up. This should actually begin upon receipt of receiving the alarm. The following are few factors that should be considered.

Location
Occupancy
Staffing (determines what you can or can’t accomplish)
Fire Conditions
Time of Day
Vehicles present
Building Construction Features: ( Windows -Doors-Age of the construction)

Once you have considered these factors and any other information that was available upon arrival. You can start to put your plan into action.

Where do you begin your search?

Searching for life should begin upon entry such as behind doors or under windows in VES. A lot of text books will say start closest to the fire however this is not always possible and I feel that you should target area of high probability of victims, such as areas close to front door since they exit that area most of the time it become habit or close to windows. As mentioned above, the time of day will be a big part of where the victim will probably be in the building.

Once you have chosen the place to begin searching. You must start orientating yourself to that room.

¨ Identify your location in the structure based on contents (furniture, beds, fixtures, type of flooring material, etc.)

¨ Leave a hand light at the door as a beacon to the exit

¨ Where the door is hinged? Interior doors opening out indicate closets or small spaces (or basements)

¡ Probe into a space with a tool before entering to determine size of the space

¨ Outside walls= windows = escape routes!

Primary Search:

Is a systematic, fast-moving search of the building and should target areas of high victim probably but not stop there. This search is not complete until every area has been covered rapidly. This search should be done with at least two people. Firefighters should be very aware of their situation and use one of the following methods of orientation while conducting this rapid search while the fire is not under control.

Hoselines
Ropes
Walls/Building features specific to the occupancy
Tools
Flashlights
Voice Contact
Thermal Imaging Camera

Secondary Search:

The secondary search should be much more thorough and conducted slower as to leave nothing unturned or unchecked. This search should be conducted by a different crew than the one that conducted the primary search so you have a fresh body and set of eyes that will not overlook anything. Beware that by this stage, the fire should have either been extinguished or destroyed much of the area and victims may be covered by fallen debris. Once this search has been completed throughout the entire building above and below then the structure is actually all clear.

Also keep your guard up and beware that many toxic gases still exist in the secondary and overhaul stages. SCBA should be worn until the atmosphere can be deemed safe from CO and HCN.

Note: This video is not from the article mentioned above.

In light of the recent event mentioned in the article above let’s refresh on some of these basics and get off the couch to do some search and rescue training with your crews so you are not the next headline!

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on February 2, 2012 • Filed under: News and Events • Tagged: Firefighter Safety, Fireground Search, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, John Shafer, Primary Search, Rescues, Secondary Search, Tactics, Victim missed by fire department search

DOE helps launch first responder training program, app for alt-fuel vehicles

3 comments

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and West Virginia University’s National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) launched a training program specializing in teaching first responders how to treat crashes involving hybrids, battery-electric vehicles and other advanced-powertrain vehicles. NAFTC has also launched in iPhone app – and will do the same for Android smartphone users – that responders may use to quickly reference facts and instructions while in action.

Electric drive vehicles are as safe as conventional vehicles, but they are different.

The initiative is part of the DOE’s Advanced Electric Drive Vehicle Education Program and breaks out training categories by four vehicle types: hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles. The NAFTC also offers a durable flipbook reference manual for emergency responders and educational videos, in addition to the smartphone apps. NAFTC will offer online training courses starting this year.

“Because more consumers are choosing electric drive vehicles, first responders must understand the differences between these and conventional, gasoline-powered vehicles, NAFTC Executive Director Al Ebron said in a statement. “Electric drive vehicles are as safe as conventional vehicles, but they are different.”

The program reflects the expectation that alt-fuel vehicle purchases will continue to rise as gas prices stay high and automakers improve battery technology and shrink the price premium between alt-fuel and conventional vehicles.

Link to app:

http://afvsafetytraining.com/qrg.html

Link to original article:

http://green.autoblog.com/2012/01/18/doe-helps-launch-first-responder-training-program-app-for-alt-f/

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on January 30, 2012 • Filed under: News and Events • Tagged: alt-fuel vehicle, Firefighter Safety, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, IPhone emergency service apps, John Shafer, West Virginia University's National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium

Free Green Building Codes 101 Webinar

No comments

Green Building Codes 101: Navigating the Standards, Codes, and Rating Systems.

This webinar addresses many of the questions about the relationships between green standards, codes, and rating systems. This webinar was developed collaboratively by ICC, USGBC, ASHRAE and AIA.

Link:

http://media.iccsafe.org/IGCC/GreenBuildingCodes101-flash/Green%20Building%20Codes%20101/player.html

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on January 25, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: Building Construction, Green Building Codes, Green Building Design, Green Buildings, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, International Green Construction Code, John Shafer, Sustainable

Fire Development in Modern Buildings

1 comment

When was the last time you had a fire behavior class?

If you were honest it has probably been several years and most likely half of the class slept or paid very little attention because most firefighters like hands on drills were they can tear up stuff.

Those that have done fire behavior training recently what materials did you use? Because there has been major changes to fire development in the modern fire environment and most text books have not caught up.

Hopefully this post will help bring a lot of new material from UL , NIST and many other places together in a post that firefighters can use to train their next shift.

Fire Dynamics

Fire Dynamics is the study of how chemistry, fire science, material science and the mechanical engineering disciplines of fluid mechanics and heat transfer interact to influence fire behavior. In other words, Fire Dynamics is the study of how fires start, spread and develop. But what exactly is a fire?

Defining Fire

Fire can be described in many ways – here are a few:

NFPA 921: “A rapid oxidation process, which is a chemical reaction resulting in the evolution of light and heat in varying intensities.”
Webster’s Dictionary: “A fire is an exothermic chemical reaction that emits heat and light”

Fire can also be explained in terms of the Fire Tetrahedron – a geometric representation of what is required for fire to exist, namely, fuel, an oxidizing agent, heat, and an uninhibited chemical reaction.

Measuring Fire

Heat Energy is a form of energy characterized by vibration of molecules and capable of initiating and supporting chemical changes and changes of state (NFPA 921). Heat energy is measured in units of Joules (J), however it can also be measured in Calories (1 Calorie = 4.184 J) and BTU’s (1 BTU = 1055 J).

Temperature is a measure of the degree of molecular activity of a material compared to a reference point. Temperature is measured in degrees Fahrenheit (melting point of ice = 32 º F, boiling point of water = 212 º F) or degrees Celsius (melting point of ice = 0 º C, boiling point of water = 100 º C).

º F	Response
98.6	Normal human oral/body temperature
111	Human skin begins to feel pain
131	Human skin receives a second degree burn injury
162	Human skin is instantly destroyed
212	Water boils and produces steam
284	Glass transition temperature of polycarbonate
446	Melting temperature of polycarbonate(Mask)
>572	Charring of modern protective clothing fabrics begins
>1112	Temperatures inside a post-flashover room fire

Heat Transfer

Heat transfer is a major factor in the ignition, growth, spread, decay and extinction of a fire. It is important to note that heat is always transferred from the hotter object to the cooler object - heat energy transferred to and object increases the object’s temperature, and heat energy transferred from and object decreases the object’s temperature.

CONDUCTION

Conduction is heat transfer within solids or between contacting solids.

courtesy of NIST

CONVECTION

Convection is heat transfer by the movement of liquids or gasses.

courtesy of NIST (convection on firefighter)

RADIATION

Radiation is heat transfer by electromagnetic waves.

courtesy of NIST (Radiation on the firefighter)

Fire Phenomena

Fire Development is a function of many factors including: fuel properties, fuel quantity, ventilation (natural or mechanical), compartment geometry (volume and ceiling height), location of fire, and ambient conditions (temperature, wind, etc).

Traditional Fire Development The Traditional Fire Development curve shows the time history of a fuel limited fire. In other words, the fire growth is not limited by a lack of oxygen. As more fuel becomes involved in the fire, the energy level continues to increase until all of the fuel available is burning (fully developed). Then as the fuel is burned away, the energy level begins to decay. The key is that oxygen is available to mix with the heated gases (fuel) to enable the completion of the fire triangle and the generation of energy.

Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhjuvI1c2oE&list=PLCDE5594A65DF3034&index=18&feature=plpp_video

Fire Behavior in a Structure The Fire Behavior in a Structure curve demonstrates the time history of a ventilation limited fire. In this case the fire starts in a structure which has the doors and windows closed. Early in the fire growth stage there is adequate oxygen to mix with the heated gases, which results in flaming combustion. As the oxygen level within the structure is depleted, the fire decays, the heat release from the fire decreases and as a result the temperature decreases. When a vent is opened, such as when the fire department enters a door, oxygen is introduced. The oxygen mixes with the heated gases in the structure and the energy level begins to increase. This change in ventilation can result in a rapid increase in fire growth potentially leading to a flashover (fully developed compartment fire) condition.

Changes in Today’s fires:

Modern Building Construction ₊More Plastics = Extreme Fire Behavior

Did you notice that fire development has changed? There is early decay now! We as firefighters need to share this with all firefighters especially ones that havn’t been to fire behavior class in some time.

Energy Efficient Modern Building Construction:

Effective Insulation

Properly installed and inspected insulation in floors, walls, and attics ensures consistent temperatures with less energy use. The result is lower utility costs and a quieter, more comfortable home.

High Performance Windows

Energy-efficient windows use advanced technologies to keep heat in during the winter and out during the summer. They also block damaging ultraviolet sunlight that can discolor carpets and furnishings.

Tight Construction and Ducts Homebuilders Making a Difference:

Advanced techniques for sealing holes and cracks in a home’s “envelope” and in heating and cooling ducts help reduce drafts, moisture, dust, pollen, pests, and noise. A tightly sealed home improves comfort and indoor air quality while lowering utility and maintenance costs.

The tactical considerations include:

Stages of fire development:The stages of fire development change when a fire becomes ventilation limited.
- It is common with today’s fire environment to have a decay period prior to flashover which emphasizes the importance of ventilation
Forcing the front door is ventilation: Forcing entry has to be thought of as ventilation as well.
- While forcing entry is necessary to fight the fire it must also trigger the thought that air is being fed to the fire and the clock is ticking before either the fire gets extinguished or it grows until an untenable condition exists jeopardizing the safety of everyone in the structure.
No smoke showing:A common event during the experiments was that once the fire became ventilation limited the smoke being forced out of the gaps of the houses greatly diminished or stopped all together.
- No some showing during size-up should increase awareness of the potential conditions inside.
Coordination: If you add air to the fire and don’t apply water in the appropriate time frame the fire gets larger and safety decreases.
DON’T FORCE DOOR UNTILL YOU HAVE A CHARGED HOSELINE IN PLACE!

For more information:

http://www.ul.com/global/eng/pages/offerings/industries/buildingmaterials/fire/fireservice/ventilation/

http://www.nist.gov/fire/fire_behavior.cfm

http://cfbt-us.com/index.html

http://buildingsonfire.com/

Stay Safe and please train on the new changes to fire development. It may save your life.

Thanks

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on January 8, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: Building Construction, Changes in Today’s fires, Conduction, Convection, Defining Fire, Effective Insulation, Energy Efficient Construction, Fire Dynamics, Fire Tetrahedron, Firefighter Safety, Flashover, Green Buildings, Green Buildings Fire Behavior, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, Heat Energy, High Performance Windows, John Shafer, Modern Fire Behavior, New Fire Development curve, NFPA 921, NIST, Structural Insulated Panels, Tactics, Traditional Fire Development

Photovoltaic Systems & Firefighter Safety a New UL study

2 comments

Do you know what Photovoltaic (PV) is?

Photo from UL study for Firefighter Safety and Photovoltaic Systems

What are the safety hazards with PV?

What tactics should be used at fires with PV present?

How do I secure utilities on a PV system?

These are just a few questions you should pose to every firefighter next shift or training meeting.

Photovoltaic (PV) is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect.

Total global solar energy capacity averaged 40 percent annual growth from 2000 to 2010; grid-connected solar photovoltaic capacity grew 50 percent per year for much of this time. This growth increases the potential of a fire department response to a building with PV, irrespective of the PV being involved with the initiation of the fire event. This growth increases the potential of a fire department response to a building with PV, irrespective of the PV being involved with the initiation of the fire event.

What are the safety hazards with PV?

Under the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program – Fire Prevention and Safety Grants, Underwriters Laboratories (UL)this study examines electrical and fire performance experiments were conducted to identify and quantify the electrical shock hazard that may be present to firefighters during the suppression, ventilation, and overhaul activities associated with a building or structure fire involving the presence of PV equipment. The scope of these experiments included:

 Water for Fire Suppression During Firefighting Activites with PV

 Shock Hazard Due to the Direct Contact with Energized Components

 Emergency Disconnect and Disruption Techniques

 Severing of Conductors

 Shock Hazard from Damaged PV Modules and Systems

 PV Power During Low Ambient Light, Artificial Light, and Light from a Fire

 Potential Shock Hazard from Fire Damaged PV Components and Systems

What tactics should be used at fires with PV present?

In this study tactical considerations for PV include:

 Shock hazard due to the presence of water and PV power during suppression activities

 Shock hazard due to the direct contact with energized components during firefighting operations

 Emergency disconnect and disruption techniques

 Severing of conductors

 Assessment of PV power during low ambient light, artificial light and light from a fire

 Assessment of potential shock hazard from damaged PV modules and systems.

For more information about this project please see:

PV-FF_SafetyFinalReport

Every Incident Commander,Company Officer and firefighter will greatly enhance there safety by taking this online class. UL has developed an online interactive training module. The program includes a professionally narrated description of all of the experiments, their results and the tactical considerations. Experimental video is used and graphical data is explained in a way that brings science to the street level firefighter.

Other posts Green Maltese has done on PV:

http://greenmaltese.com/2011/10/colorado-is-the-first-market-for-launch-of-the-revolutionary-dow-powerhousetm-solar-shingle/

http://greenmaltese.com/2011/09/indianapolis-international-airport-solar-farm/

http://greenmaltese.com/2011/09/firehouse-podcast-on-some-green-issues/

http://greenmaltese.com/2011/08/solar-power-in-the-wabash-valley-area/

http://greenmaltese.com/2011/05/going-on-a-field-trip/

Please share this with every firefighter you know!

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on December 19, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, Fire Prevention/Public Education • Tagged: Building Construction, Company Officer, Firefighter, Firefighter Emergency disconnect and disruption techniques, Firefighter Safety, Green Building Design, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, Hazards of Modern Roofs, Incident Commander, John Shafer, Matt Paiss, Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Power Systems, Photovoltaic Systems & Firefighter Safety, Shock hazard due to the presence of water and PV power during suppression activities, Solar Energy, solar panels, Tactics, UL, ventilation

Green Roofs in Indianapolis, Indiana

No comments

Greetings to all,

This post is dedicated to all brothers and sister firefighters but especially those in Indianapolis, Indiana the home of FDIC the Super Bowl of Firefighting

MAYOR ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF FIRST GREEN ROOF INSTALLATION ON INDIANAPOLIS CITY PROPERTY

Project Addresses Drainage Issues and Creates Community Space

INDIANAPOLIS – Mayor Greg Ballard today announced the completion of the Union Station green roof project – the first green roof installed on city property in Indianapolis. The green roof project, located on the former train deck spanning Meridian Street, addressed long-standing drainage concerns both on and below the deck, and has been enhanced with a community space available for educational events.

“The newly installed green roof atop Union Station eliminates several long-term maintenance concerns in a visually appealing and innovative way,” said Mayor Ballard. “This unique project and the community space created by its construction are part of our efforts to become one of the most sustainable cities in the Midwest.”

Standing water on the deck surface had damaged the deck, and leaking also degraded the pavement on Meridian Street below. There were also signs of degradation of the structural bridge steel. The green roof project includes a new deck with a re-graded surface to prevent standing water, a comprehensive trench drainage system and a modular green roof designed to reduce storm water runoff.

About 50 percent of the total surface is green roof material while the other portion is a concrete roof deck that includes picnic tables, outdoor benches and umbrellas. Total project costs were about $250,000; a $50,000 grant from Citizens Energy Group covered the green infrastructure elements of the project.

The green roof will be maintained organically with no chemical pesticides or herbicides, will be weeded, and will be watering if drought conditions last more than three months. The City of Indianapolis partnered with local engineering firm RW Armstrong, which has offices in Union Station. The firm completed a portion of the design and engineering work for the project.

For more information on green building in Indianapolis, visit www.Indy.gov/SustainIndy

Other Green Roofs in Indianapolis:

Project Name: Indianapolis Children’s Museum Green Roof
Year: 2010
Owner: Indianapolis Children’s Museum
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA
Building Type: Commercial
Type: Extensive
System: Single Source Provider
Size: 3228 sq.ft.
Slope: 1%
Access: Accessible, Open to Public

Project Name: Eli Lilly
Year: 2009
Owner: Eli Lilly
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA
Building Type: Corporate
Type: Extensive
System: Custom
Size: 2682 sq.ft.
Slope: 1%
Access: Accessible, Open to Public
Submitted by: Green Roof Blocks
Designers/Manufacturers of Record:
Modular Greenroof Systems: Green Roof Blocks and Green Paks

Project Name: John H Boner Community Center
Year: 2008
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA
Building Type: Commercial
Type: Extensive
System: Custom
Size: 500 sq.ft.
Slope: 1%
Access:
Inaccessible, Open to Public
Designers/Manufacturers of Record:
Architect: Halsted Architects
Grower: Hortech / LiveRoof LLC
Installer: AAA Roofing

1oth & Rural St. Green Roof

Project Name: 10th & Rural
Year: 2007
Owner: Private
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA
Building Type: Commercial
Type: Extensive
System: Single Source Provider
Size: 565 sq.ft.
Slope: 1%
Access: Accessible, Private
Submitted by: LiveRoof, LLC
Designers/Manufacturers of Record:
Modular Greenroof System: LiveRoof
Architect: Schmidt Associates
Grower: Hortech / LiveRoof LLC
Installation: AAA Roofing
Waterproofing System: Firestone Building Products
Slip Sheet Product: EPDM, Firestone Building Products

Project Name: Schmidt Associates
Year: 2005
Owner: Schmidt Associates
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA
Building Type: Commercial
Type: Extensive
System: Single Source
Provider
Size: 250 sq.ft.
Slope: 1.5%
Access:
Accessible, Open to Public
Submitted by: John Shepley
Designers/Manufacturers of Record:
Plant Supplier:
Greenroof Plants/Emory Knoll Farms

Project Name: Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA)
Owner: City of Indianapolis
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA
Building Type: Municipal/Government
Type: Intensive
System: Single Source Provider
Size: 15000 sq.ft.
Slope: 1%
Access: Accessible, Open to Public
Submitted by: Greenroofs.com
Designers/Manufacturers
of Record:
Architect: Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects

To learn more about Green Roofs attend my 2012 FDIC class.

Hazards of Modern Roofs

Lieutenant/Training Officer John Shafer, Greencastle (IN) Fire Department

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.

To Register:

http://www.fdic.com/register.html

Stay Safe and see you at FDIC

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on December 1, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: Building Construction, Citizens Energy Group, eco-friendly products, FDIC, FDIC the Super Bowl of Firefighting, Firefighter Safety, Green, green (garden) roofs, Green Building Design, green infrastructure, Green Maltese, Green Roof Blocks, Green Roofs, greenmaltese.com, Greenroofs.com, Hazards of Modern Roofs, Hortech / LiveRoof LLC, IN, Indianapolis, Indianapolis Children's Museum Green Roof, Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA), LiveRoof, Mayor Greg Ballard, Schmidt Associates, structural firefighting operations on Green Roofs, Sustainable, sustainable cities, Union Station green roof, Waterproofing System: Firestone Building Products

First National Green Building Code Approved!

No comments

For the first time, the US has a national green building code.

The International Green Construction Code (IgCC), approved last week after two years of development, applies to all new and renovated commercial buildings and residential buildings over three stories high.

The historic code sets mandatory baseline standards for all aspects of building design and construction, including energy and water efficiency, site impacts, building waste, and materials.

Although the final code won’t be published until March 2012, many local and state governments have begun to officially adopt it.

“It represents a change in the standard of construction,” says Jessyca Henderson Director of Sustainability Advocacy at the American Institute of Architects. “It will effect everyone that touches buildings…it will be a big leap.”

How it Differs From LEED

The new code creates a mandatory “floor” – enforceable minimum standards on every aspect of building design and construction that now must be reached.

LEED certification, on the other hand, is voluntary. Although many buildings now strive for it, there are more that don’t. The new code will thus raise the standards for ALL buildings.

Also to qualify for LEED, designers choose from a menu of options. They may choose to address certain aspects of energy efficiency, such as lighting, for example, while leaving others out.

Setting a “floor” through the code, creates the opportunity for LEED-certifications to push toward higher “ceilings,” where buildings are awarded for truly reaching greater levels of performance, rather than receiving awards for what are increasingly expected standards.

Mandatory Requirements:

Site Development, Land Use: it pretty much eliminates development on greenfields (undeveloped land), although there are exceptions based on existing infrastructure. It includes clear guidelines for site disturbance, irrigation, erosion control, transportation, heat island mitigation, graywater systems, habitat protection, and site restoration.

Materials: A minimum of 50% of construction waste must be diverted from landfills, and at least 55% of building materials must be salvaged, recycled-content, recyclable, biobased, or indigenous. Buildings must be designed for at least 60 years of life, and must have a service plan that justifies that.

Energy Efficiency: total efficiency must be “51% of the energy allowable in the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code” (IECC), and building envelope performance must exceed that by 10%. It sets minimum standards for lighting and mechanical systems, and requires certain levels of submetering and demand-response automation.

Water Efficiency: it establishes maximum consumption of fixtures and appliances and sets standards for rainwater storage and graywater systems.

Indoor Air Quality: It addresses radon, asbestos, VOCs, sound transmission, and daylighting.

Commissioning, Operations: it requires extensive pre- and post-occupancy commissioning and education of building owners and maintenance employees.

Every project is also required to choose an additional “elective,” which pushes the envelope for the developer further. Once they choose it, it’s enforceable. There’s a long menu of elective choices, including whole-building life-cycle assessment to more stringent recycled-content.

Local governments and states have the choice of adopting the code, but once they do, it’s enforceable. They can add their own requirements on top of the code that address local concerns such as stormwater management or lighting pollution control.

To help implement the code, IgCC includes a “cookbook” approach for smaller buildings to follow and a more flexible approach for large buildings.

To develop the code, the International Code Council worked with many stakeholders, with the American Institute of Architects, US Green Building Council, and the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), foremost among them.

Original article link:

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/23142

Green Buildings are not just a fad. I believe this national code will help make green buildings the norm and not just a option.

Firefighters need to start learning about green buildings and green concepts more than ever before. Green Maltese hopes that fire service will use this as a place to learn about how the buildings are changing.

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on November 27, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: American Institute of Architects, American Society of Heating, Building Construction, Daylighting, energy efficiency, Green Building Design, Green Buildings, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, Indoor Air Quality, International Code Council, International Green Construction Code, John Shafer, LEED, national green building code, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), Sustainable, US Green Building Council, Water Efficiency

First Green LEED Fire Station in Oklahoma

2 comments

NORMAN — An open space flooded with light, a sparkly quartz compound countertop in a spacious kitchen, and a family-size wooden table are the first things that greet the firefighters in their second home at Norman fire station No. 8, and it’s green, too.

The station recently received notification that it has received LEED gold certification, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, an internationally recognized green building certification system through U.S. Green Building Council.

“We’re the first station in the state of Oklahoma to receive any LEED certification, so we received gold right off the back,” Norman Deputy Fire Chief Jim Bailey said. “Our station 9 will also seek LEED certification.”

Norman Deputy Fire Chief Jim Bailey talks about the features of Fire Station No. 8 at the grand opening of Wednesday. Transcript Photo by Kyle Phillips

After a public safety sales tax passed in May 2008 to bank the funds for two new fire stations, it was quickly determined by the City of Norman that the new buildings would be built to be energy sufficient.

The City used LEED as a way to verify that the new fire stations would be built using sustainable strategies. Station No. 9, due to begin construction in December on Alameda Street, will be a larger facility but will also seek LEED certification.

The City hired Kirkpatrick Architecture Studio firm from Denton, Texas, to build its green stations based on LEED’s performance categories: site selection and treatment, water efficiency, energy use, materials selected and the indoor environmental quality.

Bailey said the City hired Kirkpatrick Architecture because they had previous experience in building LEED certified fire stations. It was a natural fit, he said, and one that paid off by earning them the second-highest certification level for station No. 8.

The building features a variety of small and large energy efficient features, he said, such as drought resistant landscaping, automatic lighting, motion sensor lighting, solar tube lighting, highly insulated walls, and easy maintenance floors and countertops.

The entire station capitalizes on its resources, with 90 percent of common areas having access to daylight, over 20 percent of construction materials were recycled materials, and 50 percent less domestic water use. Bailey said this 10, 327 sq. ft. station will use 30 percent less energy than another station of the same size.

Built on 105 peers, the foundation has space between it and the soil to allow for soil expansion without affecting the quality of the foundation. Features such as this will allow the station to remain in high quality condition for years to come, Bailey said.

Though the station was built with energy efficiency in mind, it was also designed to appeal to the firefighters who would eventually work there.

“It’s just as easy to make it comfortable as industrial, than why not make it comfortable?,” he said. “I’ve been there, I’ve been in their spot and the more you can make it feel comfortable for them the better their attitudes are going to be.”

Orginal link:

http://normantranscript.com/headlines/x2010690170/Norman-fire-station-earns-new-gold-certification-for-being-green

Posted by John Shafer on November 5, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: Building Construction, First Green LEED Fire Station in Oklahoma, Green Buildings, Green Fire Stations, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, John Shafer, LEED Gold, Norman Oklahoma

Colorado is the First Market for Launch of the Revolutionary DOW POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle

3 comments

This post is dedicated to my brother and sister firefighters from Colorado.

Solar shingles are solar panels incognito. Instead of mounting on your roof, they become your roof or integrate seamlessly with the existing roof shingles. In many cases, they can be stapled to the sub-roofing the same as an ordinary shingle. On average, shingles are about 12 inches wide by seven feet long. There are also solar roof tiles that integrate well with mission-style housing common in the sunny Southwest. Solar shingles, like most thin-film BIPV products currently on the market, are less efficient than silicon solar panels. But, again like other Building Integrated Photovoltaic ( BIPV )innovations, are a burgeoning work in progress.

Until now, solar energy’s two challenges have been cost and acceptance. Dow is working to change all that. Dow has been developing BIPV building materials that enable solar energy cells to be incorporated directly into the design of commercial and residential building materials such as roofing systems, exterior sidings, fascias and more.

ARVADA, Colo., Oct 13, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — The roof of a home has always
had the critical job of protecting families from the elements. Today, for the
first time, a new commercially-available solar roofing shingle has entered the
U.S. housing market that not only protects from the elements, but uses one of
those elements — sunlight — to turn the typical American home into a dynamic
power generator.

At an event today in Arvada attended by Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper
and supporters of solar technology, alternative energy, green manufacturing and
the latest innovations in home building, Dow Solar, a division of The Dow
Chemical Company announced that the DOW POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle will now be available to homeowners in Colorado. On October 4, Dow announced that the product would be available in targeted U.S. markets and now Colorado becomes the first state to offer Dow’s revolutionary Solar Shingle.

Co-hosted by D.R. Horton, one of the leading homebuilders in the nation and the first residential production builder to participate with Dow Solar, the event showcased D.R. Horton’s commitment to offer the POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle as a standard feature on 50 new homes in the developer’s Spring Mesa community in Colorado. Each of the remaining homes in Spring Mesa will receive a 3 kilowatt POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar
Shingle roof.

“We are excited that Dow has chosen D.R. Horton’s Spring Mesa community to launch its POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle technology,” said Scott Davis, Division President, D.R. Horton – Colorado. “We believe the addition of solar technology will attract new homebuyers to Spring Mesa who will now have Dow’s innovative Solar Shingles available on one of the most scenic and beautiful communities in the Denver area.”

Why Launch in Colorado?

Dow chose Colorado as the first launch market for the POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle because the state provides the right combination of financial returns and market receptivity to solar.

According to Neal Lurie, Executive Director of the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA), a number of factors combine to make Colorado the right market for the introduction of an important new solar technology.

“Colorado is a national leader in solar energy innovation and job creation. We have the right combination of public sector support, private sector
commitment, homeowner interest and an enthusiastic community of builders and installers,” Lurie said. “The launch of POWERHOUSE(TM) in Colorado is a significant accomplishment for the state as clean energy once again serves as a catalyst for economic development.”

Working with Homebuilders, Roofing Contractors and Installers in Colorado.

Dow Solar will bring the POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle to Colorado by working with leading homebuilders such as D.R. Horton to create more solar communities, and with POWERHOUSE(TM) Authorized Dealers to grow the solar market in Colorado one rooftop at a time. Expansion throughout Colorado is continuing and other U.S. market will be announced in the coming months.

The DOW POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle

The POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle roofing system protects the home like a standard roofing shingle while providing energy that powers the home and saves the homeowner money.

The three-part solar roofing system package includes an array of shingles, an inverter and an energy monitoring system. The shingles, custom designed to fit the individual homeowners’ budget and energy goals, are arranged to complement the style and form of the home and roofline. The inverter then converts Direct Current (DC) produced from the shingles into Alternating Current (AC), which is then fed to the home’s appliances, or back to the power grid. Finally, a real-time monitoring system provides readouts to homeowners to assess energy usage, production and the amount of excess power flowing back to the grid.

The great look of the integrated POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle solution now serves the needs of homeowners who want to go solar, but dislike the aesthetic of bulky, rack-mounted systems.

Link to orginal article”

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/colorado-is-the-first-market-for-launch-of-the-revolutionary-dow-powerhousetm-solar-shingle-2011-10-13

To learn more about these solar shingles and many other hazards on modern roofs be sure and attend Green Maltese class at FDIC 2012

Hazards Of Modern Roofs:

Presentation Summary

The presentation will include an intense and concentrated examination of trends and methods in modern building construction with an emphasis on roofs, their direct relationship on 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 of this program.

Program Overview and Pedagogical Approach

The program will address timely issues related to modern roofs and upcoming push to make sustainable buildings.

This presentation will examine various 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 due to past and current teaching practices that only address traditional building construction for the fire service.

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on October 14, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: Building Construction, Colorado, Dow, FDIC 2012, Green Buildings, Green Maltese, Green Roofs, greenmaltese.com, Hazards of Modern Roofs, John Shafer, Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Power Systems, POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle, Solar Energy, solar panels, Sustainable, sustainable buildings, ventilation, Ventilation on modern buildings

Precast Concrete Wall Panels

2 comments

Energy-efficient AG Wall Systems from Superior Walls offer a fast way for builders to construct above grade building applications for houses and commercial projects.

Superior Walls®, a leading manufacturer of energy-efficient precast foundation systems, now offers precast concrete wall panels specifically designed for use in above grade applications. The AG™ Wall Systems allow builders to use the panels in stacked applications to create multiple stories of construction.

AG Wall Systems have already been used in numerous projects, including the creation of a high school, a yoga center, shopping centers and a wide variety of homes. Each Superior Walls panel is custom made to the specifications of an individual project, including built-in openings for windows and doors. Pre-engineered access for wiring or small plumbing elements along with smart stud facing for easy drywall installation are included and help speed up the construction process.

“Superior Walls precast concrete wall panels are a fast, efficient way to construct a home or commercial project,” says Jim Costello, president of Superior Walls. “Our AG Wall Systems provide an energy-efficient way to construct an entire building from the ground up.”

Superior Walls introduced AG Wall Systems to bring the strength and energy efficiency typically found in Superior Walls foundation systems to above grade building applications. AG wall systems are pre-engineered at Superior Walls facilities and custom manufactured for the specific needs of a project. The walls are delivered to the job site and installed within hours of arrival.

“A conventional wall structure with block and wood framing can take weeks to create,” says Costello. “When using AG Wall Systems, you can achieve that same framing in just hours on the job site with many energy-efficiency benefits.”

The insulated concrete AG Walls are produced at Superior Walls by Weaver Precast of Florida in a factory-controlled setting in Orlando. The walls are used in above-ground applications and are watertight, termite-resistant and help reduce noise infiltration into the home.

The top-of-the-line Xi wall panels feature steel reinforced concrete and 2-1/2-inches of DOW® Styrofoam™ insulation to create a permanent barrier against sidewall water penetration. The panels are custom designed and constructed in a factory-controlled setting. Unique features of the Xi wall panels include:

5,000+ PSI concrete
Horizontal steel rebar inside top and bottom beams
Vertical steel rebar inside each stud
Steel-reinforced top bond beams, concrete studs and footer beams
Access holes for ease in wiring and plumbing
Galvanized steel stud facing ready for drywall finishing
Insulated corners, studs and bond beams

Superior Walls web site:

http://www.superiorwalls.com/

I just wanted to share another type of construction that you will start to see more of as people become greener and more concerned with being energy efficiency

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on October 13, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: Green Building Design, Green Buildings, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, John Shafer, Precast Concrete Wall Panels, Superior walls

Indianapolis International Airport solar farm

2 comments

Local firms will play key part in creation of one of the largest airport solar farms in North America

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA) announced today that it has selected ET Energy Solutions, LLC to develop a solar farm on Indianapolis International Airport property. The company is a joint venture (JV) between three locally based firms which bid on the project: Johnson-Melloh Solutions, Schmidt Associates, and Telamon Corporation. Telamon, a Minority Business Enterprise, is 50 percent owner of the JV.

Under the terms of the agreement, ET Energy Solutions will finance, design, construct, and operate the facility on land leased from the IAA. The local group will work in conjunction with SANYO Electric Group, a global leader in solar energy technology and development, which will provide panels for the project and assist with arranging financing.

Design and utility interconnection studies are already underway, and weather permitting, construction could begin as early as fourth quarter of 2011. The solar farm, which will be one of the largest airport-based solar farms in North America, is expected to become operational starting in mid-2012. The facility will include more than 41,000 solar panels, each capable of producing 280 watts at peak power production. The panels will be installed on ground-mounted racking systems that will fill nearly 60 acres of land near the airport exit from I-70.

The solar farm is expected to annually produce more than 15 million kilowatt hours of electric energy, enough to power more than 1,200 average American homes for a year. The renewable energy it produces will prevent approximately 10,700 tons of CO2 from being released into the environment each year, which is the equivalent of removing approximately 2,000 cars from the road. To help raise awareness of solar energy, real-time output data will be available to the public.

Electricity created by the airport solar farm will be fed directly into the grid operated by the Indianapolis Power and Light Company (IPL) through existing surface transmission lines that connect the airport terminal to the IPL substation west of the airport. No public funds or airport costs are anticipated to be involved in the project.

“The IND solar farm is just the latest innovation in our land-use strategy moving toward implementation,” said John D. Clark III, executive director and CEO of the IAA. “It supports our commitment to sustainability while helping to grow and diversify our revenue stream. Finding productive and harmonious uses for airport land ultimately aids our efforts to attract and maintain the air service that anchors the IND Aerotropolis and generates economic benefits throughout our region.”

An Aerotropolis is an “airport city” in which a collaborative, multimodal approach is leveraged to maximize the ability of an airport to foster economic growth and infrastructure development throughout its surrounding region. In addition to its core air transportation missions, IND Aerotropolis focuses on maximizing airport assets and possible development properties and integrating those with key economic drivers of the region.

Since both the borders and benefits of an Aerotropolis extend well beyond an airport’s property, a proactive and cooperative model is essential, and the IAA has been seeking and forging a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with key stakeholders in the airport’s neighboring communities with the goal of achieving additional strategic partnerships in the future.

“The airport serves as the gateway into Indianapolis, and this is a great way to showcase our efforts to become a more sustainable city,” said Mayor Greg Ballard. ”Installing solar panels on airport property not suitable for other development with the intent to power our city using renewable energy sources and generate revenue demonstrates the culture of innovation and commitment to sustainability that has taken root throughout Indianapolis.”

“We are very impressed with the Indianapolis Airport Authority’s vision for a greener future. Our goal is to be transparent to IAA’s solar project team participating through the planning, design, construction, project oversight, and financing stages as a venture partner,” said Albert Chen, CEO of Telamon. “We are grateful for the business opportunity and with Telamon’s successful history of integrating products and services to our Fortune 500 customers, we are very excited to be involved in this dynamic project.”

About Johnson-Melloh Solutions
Johnson-Melloh Solutions is a design-and-build construction company focused on providing long term value to their clients by reducing life cycle costs associated with energy consumption and operating costs. Johnson-Melloh Solutions has dedicated itself to adding renewable energy design and build to its portfolio of services with a specific concentrated effort on solar photovoltaic.

Kurt Schneider, Nick Melloh, and Andy Melloh own and operate Johnson Melloh Solutions as a sister company to Johnson Melloh Inc., a mechanical contractor / mechanical service provider, established in 1976. Johnson-Melloh has a diverse market penetration consisting of, but not limited to, K-12, Municipalities, Higher Education, Industrial, and Healthcare facilities.
www.johnsonmellohsolutions.com
www.johnsonmelloh.com

About Schmidt Associates
Schmidt Associates is a full-service architectural and engineering firm, with more than 35 years of experience in the planning and design of award winning, environmentally and socially responsible, sustainable facilities. Located in downtown Indianapolis, their staff includes licensed and certified professionals who specialize in planning, architecture, engineering, interior design, technology, and LEED criteria. Energy is at the forefront of Schmidt Associates’ designs through building optimization, energy modeling, renewable energy, and LEED administration. With 25 LEED accredited professionals and a dedicated energy studio, Schmidt Associates incorporates high performance/sustainable design into every project. www.schmidt-arch.com

About Telamon
Telamon Corporation, an Indianapolis based company, is your product and solution partner of choice. Established in 1985, Telamon is a $500M company, with 600+ employees across 9 locations (6 domestic, and 3 international). Uniquely positioned as a minority-owned company, Telamon has exceeded the highest standards as evidenced by our awards and certifications. At the same time, Telamon, the Greek word for “support,” is a servant company—your needs are our only priority.

Telamon Energy Solutions, as a subsidiary of the Telamon Corporation, is your preferred partner for smart building, LED lighting, sustainability products, and renewable energy solutions. Telamon Energy Solutions works with our customers to develop total energy solutions that can cut costs while improving performance, reducing energy usage, and protecting our environment. http://www.telamon.com/green.html

About SANYO
SANYO has recently become a 100% wholly owned subsidiary of Panasonic. Panasonic’s goals are to become the #1 Green Electronics Company in the World by 2018. Offering not only utility solar services but innovative options for homeowners as well, SANYO and Panasonic are now leading the way in the consumerization of energy.

Link to full article:

http://johnsonmellohsolutions.com/johnson-melloh-renewable-energy-solutions/indianapolis-international-airport-solar-farm/

Posted by John Shafer on September 20, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: Airport Solar farm, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, Indiana, Indianapolis, Indianapolis Airport Authority, Indianapolis Power and Light Company, John Shafer, Johnson Melloh Solutions, Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Power Systems, SANYO, Schmidt Associates, Solar Energy, solar panels, Telamon

Green Maltese will be at FDIC 2012

2 comments

I am very excited and honored to be accepted to be a part of FDIC 2012

I just wanted to share with you all and thank you for support!!

From email

Dear Classroom Instructor John Shafer,

Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that your proposal has been
selected as a Classroom Session (Single Speaker Only/1.45 Hour) presentation
at FDIC 2012 Conference & Exposition, to be held April 16-21, 2012 in
Indianapolis, IN.

The session you have been invited to present is:

Title: Modern Roofs the Truckie Nightmare Alternate working Title: Hazards of
Modern Roofs

Track : Truck Company
Speaker(s) : John Shafer

More detailed info:

Modern Roofs the Truckie Nightmare:

Presentation Summary

Inherent roof construction features and hazards that directly influence truck company work will be the main focus of this program.

Program Overview and Pedagogical Approach

The program will address timely issues related to modern roofs and upcoming push to make sustainable buildings.

This ground breaking and informative program will utilize extensive multimedia materials to reinforce course content and subject areas.

If the fire service can significantly increase proficiencies in green building knowledge and equate that to other fundamental operational aspects in structural fire operations, there would be a direct enhancement to firefighter safety through injury and LODD reductions in the future.

Looking forward to seeing you all in April

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on September 15, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: Building Construction, FDIC, Firefighter Safety, Green Building Design, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, John Shafer, Modern Roofs the Truckie Nightmare

GO PURDUE!!

1 comment

Green Maltese was able to go on another fun educational field trip again!

This field trip was to West Lafayette to Purdue University to visit the Team Purdue IN Home open house.

The INHome is a part of the 2011 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.

The most unique feature of the INhome is the biowall. The biowall is a home air filtration system that utilizes plants placed in a vertical wall, which remove harmful chemicals that can accumulate in homes that are tightly sealed like the INhome. Air from the home is drawn through the plant wall where the chemicals are removed by the plants and used as a food source. The wall requires very little maintenance and is even designed to water itself. The biowall improves the air quality in the home, saves energy, and provides a calming ambiance by bringing nature inside the home.

Bio Wall

One of the things that I really liked about the home was that it was sprinkled! GO PURDUE !!

Link to INhome:

http://www.purdue.edu/inhome/

Here is a link to 19 of the homes that will be in the Solar Decathlon.

This is a great way for firefighters to get a look at the homes of the future and some of the hazards and issues you will be dealing with in future fires.
http://www.jetsongreen.com/2011/08/nineteen-solar-decathlon-home-renderings.html

Below are some of the pictures I took on my trip.

INHome banner

: SIP model

: Sprinkler

: Controls

: Utilities

: Solar controls

: Outside air intake for fresh air system

: Daylighting

: Solar powered golf cart

: Front door view of INHome

Posted by John Shafer on August 27, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: air quality, Biowall, Building Construction, Daylighting, eco-friendly products, Green Building Design, Green Buildings, green homes, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, Indiana, John Shafer, Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Power Systems, Purdue University, solar panels, sprinkler systems, Structural Insulated Panels, Sustainable, Team Purdue IN Home, U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon

Energy Efficient OSB

3 comments

If you are a firefighter today you should be well aware that fires fought today are not the same as the fires your father fought in yesterdays. There many great programs, tests, case studies and classes out there that brings this to light. If you care about your family then get out of the recliner and learn about the changes in the modern fire environment that we operate in today. However most of the emphasis has been on modern fuel loading and building construction changes. These are extremely important and should be a major focus of your training. I feel that a part of the modern building construction changes that is often overlooked or not considered is energy efficiency.

Traditional OSB

Our first installment on energy efficiency changes is about OSB.

What is OSB?

Oriented strand board, also known as OSB, is an engineered wood product formed by layering strands (flakes) of wood in specific orientations. In appearance, it may have a rough and variegated surface with the individual strips (around 2.5 by 15 cm (approx. 1 in by 6 in) each) lying unevenly across each other.

Energy Efficient OSB with radiant barrier

Some OSB products today have been married to a radiant barrier.

Why?

Studies have shown that radiant barriers can reduce cooling energy consumption by up to 17%, depending on the design of the building, insulation levels and other factors. OSB radiant barrier sheathing can lower peak attic temperatures up to 30°F by reducing summer radiant heat gain in the attic. Since less heat is transferred into living areas through the ceiling, indoor temperatures stay cooler and more comfortable while helping your cooling system operate more efficiently.

Ideal for use in hot climates
Reflects up to 97% of radiant heat
May lower cooling energy consumption by up to 17%*
ENERGY STAR® qualified

Why it works so well:

Backed with specially designed aluminum foil/craft paper laminate, this OSB sheathing is installed foil side down facing into the attic space. Since aluminum foil is highly reflective, up to 97% of the radiant heat is reflected from entering the attic space.

REFLECTIVE RADIANT BARRIERS Good for Energy Savings –Bad for Fire Safety

This is an excellent study that was done by MCDOWELL OWENS ENGINEERING, INC.

Available evidence strongly suggests that these products can in fact provide significant reductions in home energy consumption (U.S. Department of Energy, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, et al.). Unfortunately, the use of these products also provides some insidious and unintended side effects. The physical and electrical properties of these materials are such that they introduce new and very serious dangers of ignition and fire.

PHYSICAL AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF RADIANT BARRIER MATERIAL

This is where the real problem shows up. The physical and electrical properties of the radiant barrier foil are such that the material is not only an excellent electrical conductor (Wikipedia); it is also a very viable ignition source. When electrical current flows through it the material not only readily generates heat necessary for ignition, it also becomes the first ignited material!

The primary physical property of the paper we are interested in is the ignition temperature. This value can vary significantly for different types of paper; however, it is virtually always less than 500 degrees F. Measurements in our study showed that the paper ignited when the foil temperature was between 420 and 450 degrees F.

Clearly then, if the radiant barrier foil material is overheated as a result of electrical current flow, the temperature of the material will easily exceed the ignition temperature of the paper backing.

SUMMARY of IMPORTANT PHYSICAL and ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

1. CONSTRUCTION: Aluminum Foil bonded to Paper.

2. MELTING TEMPERATURE of the ALUMINUM: >900 degrees F.

3. IGNITION TEMPERATURE of the PAPER: <500 degrees F.

4. SHEET RESISTANCE of the ALUMINUM: 4.50 ohms per square.

5. CURRENT DENSITY for FAST IGNITION: Approx 300 Amps per sq. mm.

SPECIAL NOTES ABOUT THE ELECTRICITY:

This study has shown it is possible to have a fire originate in the radiant barrier if it becomes energized by virtually ANY commonly available electrical source. However, it should also be clear that if there is danger of a fire from “single digit” voltage levels and “tens” of amps, the danger from lightning at

15,000,000 volts and 100,000 amps will be MANY times greater. This is why we feel strongly that the presence of radiant barrier material, as presently manufactured and installed in a structure, greatly increases the risk of a fire in the event that the structure experiences a lightning strike.

SUMMARY of FINDINGS

1. Standard installation methods for roof sheathing with integrated radiant barrier are such that the end result is an overall environment where all of the radiant barrier material and virtually everything metal on and around the roof are electrically connected.

2. In most cases, something in that environment is connected to earth ground. If anything in the roof environment becomes electrically energized (by lightning or any other common source) there is a high probability the current will pass through the barrier material at some point on the way to earth ground.

3. The physical and electrical properties of reflective radiant barrier materials which we tested are such that the material in a structure provides two new and unique hazards relative to fire causation.

(a) When energized by an electrical current the material readily generates temperatures sufficient to ignite MANY materials.

(b) The barrier material itself readily serves as the first ignited material.

Another point to ponder is that if the OSB with radiant barrier keeps out the heat it will also keep in the heat from a fire and cause thermal radiation feedback much faster causing Flashover to happen quicker.

A special thanks to MCDOWELL OWENS ENGINEERING, INC. for all the testing they have done to bring this issue to light for the fire service.

I hope that you have learned of yet another hazard we face in the fire service and that you will share this information to all you know.

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on August 27, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: Building Construction, energy efficiency, Firefighter Safety, Flashover, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, INC, John Shafer, MCDOWELL OWENS ENGINEERING, OSB, radiant barrier, Sustainable

Gateway Midwest Fire & Leadership Training

3 comments

Green Maltese is extremely excited about being a part of the Go Forward inaugural event, October 21-23 at the Ameristar Hotel Resort, Spa & Casino in St. Charles, Missouri.

Education Opportunities from Green Maltese @ Gateway Conference:

Reading the Building: Predictive Occupancy Profiling

Presented by Christopher J. Naum
Chief of Training, Command Institute, DC

And John Shafer
Lieutenant and Training Officer, Greencastle (IN) Fire Department

Today’s buildings and occupancies continue to present unique challenges to command and operating companies during combat structural fire engagement. Building and occupancy profiling, identifying occupancy risk versus occupancy type, emerging construction methods, features, systems and components coupled with the increasing commonality of extreme fire behavior and the increased fire load package require new skill sets in reading the building and implementing predictive occupancy profiling for firefighters, company and command officers. Integral to the presentation will be detailed discussions on building and structural system placarding methods and labeling programs.

When: Sunday, October 22 – 10:15a – Noon

Green Building Construction for the Fire Service

This course offers a concentrated examination of current and future trends and methods in green building construction. Discussion will emphasize green construction building materials, green rating systems, modern building construction methods, risk assessment, engineered structural and construction systems, and their direct relationship on structural firefighting operations, firefighter survivability and the command decision-making process. We will also consider:

Inherent green construction features and hazards that directly influence effective command risk management
Decisive strategic and tactical considerations with a focus on key green construction features and inherent occupancy profiles
The effect of fire dynamics, fire behavior and tactical operations on modern building construction systems

When: Sunday, October 22 – 1:30p – 3:00p

There will be many other excellant classes offered this weekend and you don’t want to miss this!

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on August 21, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: Building Construction, Christopher J. Naum, Firefighter Safety, Green, Green Building Design, Green Buildings, green homes, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, John Shafer, Sustainable, Tactics

Fire Safety Videos for students with Disabilities

No comments

The Michael H. Minger Foundation is working on a grant to develop fire safety information for college students with disabilities. As part of this grant we have been developing a series of videos looking at fire safety for students with visual, hearing and mobility disabilities and learning/developmental disorders.

We have posted these online along with a very short survey to get some feedback. If you wouldn’t mind taking a few minutes to watch these videos, we would appreciate it. They are about three minutes long and there is a survey button on the page…if you could fill out a a separate survey for each video, please…

The videos are limited to cooking, egress, sprinklers and smoke alarms. We didn’t have the time or resources in this grant to go into more topics and these were picked in a survey we did of campus fire safety officers as the areas that needed attention and were lacking in information.

We will be posting an online guide to go with these videos later in September about working with students with disabilities.

So, please go watch the videos and take the surveys…and please share this, particularly if you know somebody that has one of these disabilities who can give us their reaction!

Special thanks to Ed Comeau for passing on this information!

Please check out some of the excellant work Ed is invovled with.

www.campus-firewatch.com

www.writer-tech.com

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on August 18, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, Fire Prevention/Public Education, News and Events • Tagged: Campus Fire Safety Officers, Ed Comeau, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Videos for students with Disabilities, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, John Shafer, Michael H. Minger Foundation, Sprinklers

2011 NFPA Home Structure Fire Report

No comments

U.S. Home Structure Fires

U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 373,900 home structure1 fires per year during 2005-2009. These fires caused an annual average of

2,650 civilian fire deaths,

12,890 civilian fire injuries, and

$7.1 billion in direct damage.

92% of all structure fire deaths resulted from home fires.

On average, seven people died in U.S. home fires every day.

Causes and Circumstances of Home Fires

Details from the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Incident Reporting System show that in

2005-2009:

Cooking equipment was the leading cause of home structure fires and home fire injuries.

Smoking was the leading cause of civilian home fire deaths. Heating equipment was the second most common cause of home fire fatalities.

Almost all homes have at least one smoke alarm, but almost two-thirds of reported home fire deaths in 2005-2009 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Home Fires: How Often and How Likely?

Sometimes it is easier to think of the statistics in terms of time. The statistics below are based on home structure fires reported during 2005-2009.

Reported home fires by time

More than 1,000 home structure fires were reported on an average day. This translates to 43 fires every hour or one reported home fire every 84 seconds.

Home fires killed an average of seven people every day.

A civilian (non-firefighter) home fire injury is reported every 41 minutes.

Home fires cause roughly $225 in damage every second.

The odds of a reported fire

According to the U.S Census Bureau, the U.S, resident population averaged 301 million people during 2005-2009 and roughly 115 million households. That means that, on average during this period:

● Roughly one of 800 people had a reported home fire each year.

● Roughly one of every 310 households had a reported home fire each year.

● On average, one of every 114,000 U.S. residents died in a home fire per year.

Food For Thought!

Link to full report:
http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=1287&itemID=29862&URL=Research%20&%20Reports/Fire%20reports/Occupancies&cookie%5Ftest=1

This is an excellent report from NFPA to help us better understand where and how most home fires happen. This information can help us educate our customers to prevent fires and fire deaths. However there was one part that really jumped out at me.

Reported home structure fires fell to a new low in 2009, 51% lower than in 1980.

I could really get on a soap box and go on forever about 51 % less fires and we still kill about 100 firefighters a year, but I will refrain for the sake of the reader’s time!

So I have one question I want you to ask yourself. What does your department spend the most amount of time on in training?

More than ever before we need training with safe live fire evolutions! The numbers don’t lie we respond to 51% less fires.

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on August 14, 2011 • Filed under: News and Events • Tagged: Building Construction, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, John Shafer, NFPA

Solar Power in the Wabash Valley area

No comments

Solar power is only in California and southwestern states. This statement is the most common one I hear from people in the Midwest. However that is far from the truth. As a matter of fact I have visited two local solar installers in central Indiana.

My 1^st trip was to Johnson Melloh Solutions. http://greenmaltese.com/2011/05/going-on-a-field-trip/

My second trip was to One Planet Solar in Terre Haute Indiana. This is where I have a great meeting with Phillip Roberts and Dustin Allen. There were very interested in supporting local solar issues as well as the safety of Wabash Valley firefighters. In our meeting we discussed the fire departments needing to be able and access the roof’s ridge line for ventilation. Phillip stated that he would attempt to help us out on this and many issues. Phillip and the crew at One Planet Solar are very supportive and here is just one example.

Solar panels donated to help lower home energy bills

Putnam County families can now apply to have a solar panel system installed at no charge through Putnam RISE efforts to lower home energy bills.

The 1.120 kw solar array using a new Enphase Energy micro-inverter system from www.oneplanetsolar.com (One Planet Solar and Wind, Inc.) is the most recent of donated products and services to the Putnam RISE “Green Home Makeover,” along with Shuee & Sons Great Buys Energy Star appliances, Energy Conservation Solutions (Roachdale) services and Parke County REMC weatherization materials.

The Green Home Makeover is one of 21 Putnam County homes to be selected for home energy and weatherization investments made possible by donated products and services as well as Putnam County Community Foundation and Vectren Foundation grants. In total, the 21 homes will receive an approximate value of $60,000 in grant investments and donated goods and services.

Households must have annual incomes of $45,000 or less to be eligible for the Green Home Makeover and weatherization projects. Applications and referrals are encouraged by calling 720-7610, going online at www.putnamrise.org/homes/weatherization, or by visiting Bainbridge Town Hall, Greencastle City Hall or the Putnam County Senior Center.

Stay Safe
Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on August 11, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: Building Construction, Firefighter Safety, Green, Green Home Makeover, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, Indiana, John Shafer, Johnson Melloh Solutions, One Planet Solar, Parke County REMC, Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Power Systems, Puntam County Community Foundation, Putnam RISE, Solar Energy, Solar in Terre Haute, solar panels, Vectren Foundation grants, Wabash Valley Firefighters

Roanoke Green Station 3

No comments

I am very excited to post my 1st firehouse that was submited by using the submit a firehouse link.

My hope is that more fire departments that have green fire stations will submit their green fire station information, so other fire deparments that are considering building green will have a place to gather information.

Roanoke Green Station 3

A special thanks to Lt. Rhett Fleitz ( Fire Critic) for this submission.

Roanoke Fire Department

Mission/Vision

This Department exists to protect and preserve the lives and property of residents and visitors of the City of Roanoke from damage or loss due to fire, medical emergencies, environmental hazards and traumatic accidents.

Responsibility

Roanoke Fire-EMS is a full-service fire and emergency medical service agency providing basic and advanced pre-hospital life support, fire prevention and education programs, fire suppression services, arson detection, vehicle extrication, and heavy tactical rescue. We also support a regional hazardous materials team. In addition to housing firefighting and EMS personnel and apparatus, fire-EMS stations are neighborhood resources. Fire-EMS personnel at these sites help distribute important city documents, teach children about fire safety, and provide a safe place for lost children and adults. Six of our stations are official polling places for all city elections.

Station Mascot

Station 3 :

Fire-EMS Station #3 is located at 4803 Williamson Rd..

It houses the Engine and Ambulance previously stationed at the Airport Fire Station. This is a great opportunity to bring emergency vehicles into the community.

Roanoke Fire-EMS has another reason to be proud of this building. It is the City’s first “Green” building. No, we’re not
talking about the color – this will be the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building in the City of Roanoke, meaning it will be more environmentally friendly. The LEED process gives the Engineering Department a way to measure payback and real value.

The benefits of constructing a “LEED” building are

The building will use resources like energy, water, materials and land more efficiently than a building simply built“to code”. An improved living environment will improve the health, comfort and productivity of those that workin the building. The City will save money by reducing operations and maintenance costs, and by lowering utility bills. Energy and water efficient buildings can reduce operating costs to less than half those of a traditional building. Improved indoor environments can increase employee productivity by up to 16%! And most importantly, to set an example for the community.

Setting an example for the community is very important to the City of Roanoke. With concerns over global warming, state and
federal pressure to cut air pollution and the alarming rise of asthma and allergies in children, we have to increase the competitiveness in quality of life indicators.
By being the first LEED Building built by the City of Roanoke, the Fire-EMS Department is “leading” the way in the education process about the benefits of being environmentally friendly. To schedule a tour, please call the Public Education Office at (540)853-5785.
Link with a great video about this station.

http://www.roanokeva.gov/85256a8d0062af37/vwContentByKey/N27EVHF5438TBRYEN

Station 3 LEED Gold Certification
Roanoke,VA — The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has recognized the city’s new Williamson Road Fire Station with “gold” LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. This certification was achieved as the result of the facility scoring 39 credits (or points), which are defined and rewarded by the USGBC. To qualify as a basic LEED facility, the project must achieve 26 credits. LEED “silver” certification is achieved at 33 points. “It is a great accomplishment to have the city’s first LEED-certified facility earn the ‘gold’ status for new construction,” says City Manager Darlene Burcham. “This is an excellent demonstration of Roanoke’s strong commitment to
environmental stewardship.” The facility’s new features have the potential toreduce operating and maintenance costs to less than half those of a traditionalbuilding. The sustainable or “green” components in the fire station include:

A Rainwater Harvesting Tank and System—a 10,000-gallon tank buried on site that collects rainwater run-off form the fire station. Thiscollected water is pumped from the tank to water the landscaping, flush toilets, and wash the trucks—greatly reducing the use of potable water. The system piping is not connected in any way to the building potable water system.
A Bio-Retention Pond—an area of the property populated with native plants that provides a “Rain Garden” to collect storm water run-off. The purpose of the pond is to reduce the amount of water flowing directly into the storm drain system and filter impurities from the run-off through layers of subgrade material before it eventually reaches the storm drain.
Shower fixtures that reduce water consumption.
Pervious Concrete Pavement— used in lieu of traditional concrete pavement to allow for surface water run-off to “seep” or filterthrough the pervious concrete. This too reduces the amount of water flowing directly into the storm drain system and filters impurities from the run-off through layers of subgrade material before it eventually reaches the storm drain.
Motion Detector Light Switches—these devices use sensors to turn light fixtures on and off depending on whether a room is occupied orvacant, and reduce the amount of electricity used.
Spray Foam Insulation—used in lieu of traditional batt insulation to provide a more air-tight interior attic space, restricting theamount of cold and hot air entering the building, and thus reducing heating and cooling costs. The spray foam also provides additional noise reduction from operating HVAC units.
Walk-off Floor Mats—these mats are provided at each doorway to reduce the amount of pollutants that enter into the core of the building.They are replaced with clean mats on a weekly basis by a service company.

Points were also earned for the city’s method for disposing of debris such as cardboard, glass, metals, and masonry. These materials were recycled as much as possible utilizing the city’s Solid Waste Management services and local recycling companies. In addition, the city earned points for procuring the majority of the building materials from vendors within 500 miles of the project site who produce their materials locally, thus reducing energy use and resources required to ship and obtain these products. “The building will use resources like energy, water, materials and land more efficiently than a building simply built ‘to code,’” says Roanoke Fire-EMS Chief David Hoback. “And an improved living environment will enhance the health, comfort, and productivity of those that work in the building.”

Pictures:
Pictures are by Rhett Fleitz with the exception of the graphic about the rainwater system. That one is from the City of Roanoke.

rain-water-harvest-system

The-pump-and-filters-for-the-rainwater-non-potable-water-system

wash-our-trucks-with-non-potable-water

Sensor Light Switch

Additional links:

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/148307

http://www.rainwatermanagement.com/CS_Institutional.htm

http://www.heapy.com/portfolio/leed–sustainability-services/180-roanoke-fire-station-.html

http://www.roanokeciviccenter.com/85256A8D0062AF37/CurrentBaseLink/N2794MD4108JCOTEN

http://www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/vwContentByKey/AF347B332DDF0FD48525786F00475321/$File/Ken_Cronin.pdf

Posted by John Shafer on July 27, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: Bio-Retention pond, Fire Critic, Green Building Design, Green Buildings, Green Fire Stations, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, John Shafer, LEED, LEED Gold, Motion Detector Light Switches, Pervious Concrete, Rainwater Harvesting System, Roanoke Va, Spray Foam Insulation

Green Building in Indianapolis: Creating a Sustainable Future

No comments

Green Building in Indianapolis: Creating a Sustainable Future

The City’s Office of Sustainability, in partnership with WCTY Channel 16, is proud to announce the City’s first green building documentary. The film is titled “Green Building in Indianapolis: Creating a Sustainable Future” and is hosted by green living expert Sara Snow. The approximately 54-minute documentary features many of Indianapolis’ green building projects. The film explains the components of green buildings, the strategies used to ensure optimal environmental benefits and cost savings, and the importance of partnerships in the design and construction process. The purpose of the documentary is to inform Indianapolis residents about the concept of green building, highlight the City’s leaders in sustainable building projects, and provide a resource for more detailed information on best practices by featuring The Nature Conservancy’s new Headquarters building. The Efroymson Conservation Center is seeking LEED Platinum certification.

This documentary project began as a partnership between the Office of Sustainability and The Nature Conservancy. In early 2009, as The Nature Conservancy was preparing to break ground on the construction of their new headquarters buildings, the Office of Sustainability approached WCTY Channel 16 and The Nature Conservancy with the idea to video-document the construction process. This idea sparked the interest of The Nature Conservancy and Channel 16 as an opportunity to “tell the story” of green buildings: What is a green building? What are the benefits of a green building, to owners, to occupants, and to the community? What are the costs and how do green buildings compare to traditional buildings? From the earliest concept of the documentary, it was clear that there was an exciting story to tell about Indianapolis’ progress towards encouraging green buildings projects, and the growth of green buildings in our community. As a result, while the film project features specific, case study level information on The Nature Conservancy building, it also features several green building projects that had been completed prior to The Nature Conservancy. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc., State of Indiana Forensics and Health Sciences Laboratory, IDO, Inc., HealthNet’s Southwest Clinic, and the Indianapolis Cultural Trail are some of the green building projects featured in the documentary.

Posted by John Shafer on July 24, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: Building Construction, eco-friendly products, Green, Green Building in Indianapolis: Creating a Sustainable Future, Green Buildings, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, Indianapolis, John Shafer, LEED, State of Indiana Forensics and Health Sciences Laboratory, Sustainable, The Nature Conservancy, WCTY Channel 16

Green Building Design Principles Video

No comments

Stay Safe
Lt. John Shafer

Posted by John Shafer on July 14, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: Building Construction, eco-friendly products, Green, Green Building Design, Green Buildings, green homes, Green Maltese, greenmaltese.com, Recycled Materials, Sustainable

« Previous Next »

Archives for green-maltese

New codes help firefighters fight a fire in Southeast Portland home equipped with solar panels

Basement Fire Training

Trombe Walls

Green Maltese makes a visit to UL

Search: Do you have a plan?

DOE helps launch first responder training program, app for alt-fuel vehicles

Free Green Building Codes 101 Webinar

Fire Development in Modern Buildings

Photovoltaic Systems & Firefighter Safety a New UL study

Green Roofs in Indianapolis, Indiana

First National Green Building Code Approved!

First Green LEED Fire Station in Oklahoma

Colorado is the First Market for Launch of the Revolutionary DOW POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle

Hazards Of Modern Roofs:

Precast Concrete Wall Panels

Indianapolis International Airport solar farm

Green Maltese will be at FDIC 2012

Modern Roofs the Truckie Nightmare:

GO PURDUE!!

Energy Efficient OSB

Gateway Midwest Fire & Leadership Training

Fire Safety Videos for students with Disabilities

2011 NFPA Home Structure Fire Report

Solar Power in the Wabash Valley area

Roanoke Green Station 3

Green Building in Indianapolis: Creating a Sustainable Future

Green Building Design Principles Video

Categories

Green Maltese Links

FireEMSBlogs.com Community

Featured from across Fire/EMS

Shoals VFD (NC) Hosts Honor Walk for West,…

What Replaced The 50-Foot Ladder?…

Quick Drill: Apparatus Drill for Appliances…

Compton, CA Deputy Chief Marcel Melanson,…

Archives for green-maltese

Hazards Of Modern Roofs:

Modern Roofs the Truckie Nightmare:

Categories

Green Maltese Links

Tags Across FireEMSBlogs.com

FireEMSBlogs.com Community

Featured from across Fire/EMS