Learn in more detail how Red Cedar Friends approached the construction of its LEED building.
Wooden window and baseboard trim came from a local family who donated a stand of ash trees to the meeting. These trees were in an area susceptible to Emerald Ash Borers and the trees would have been lost. We were pleased to be able to salvage the lovely wood and mill it to use in this building. The wood was dried in a solar kiln, planed, milled and finished on site. Most chairs, tables, and kitchen equipment was previously used. We have purchased used dishes, flatware and other items to lessen the need for disposable tableware.
Wood shavings from milling the ash trim were bagged and sent to a local farm for use as animal bedding and mulch.
Toilets use 1.6 gallons per flush (older toilets use 5 gallons per flush). Bathroom sinks use instant hot water.
Windows in the roof gables open into the interior to let in sunlight. We have no floor lamps and all lighting uses low-wattage fluorescent bulbs.
The flooring in the main rooms is cork. Cork can be sustainably harvested from cork trees for hundreds of years. Flooring in the kitchen is Marmoleum (a type of linoleum), which is made from linseed oil (also derived from trees).
Features Include: 95% efficient furnace with air-filtration and heat-recovery. Low-E, double insulated windows filled with argon gas.
A gabion wall on the south side of the building prevents erosion. It was constructed with local field stone and construction fill (rocks that were to have been cleared and landfilled after construction). Rainbarrels will collect rainwater through the roof gutters for watering the plantings and lessening run-off.
Contractors were instructed to separate their construction debris for recycling. There was no smoking allowed on the property during construction.
Landscaping plants were chosen for drought-tolerance and disease resistance. We used plants native to this area. Plant growth at the back of the building will remain mostly naturall.
The site itself had formerly been a machine shop and lumber yard, the soil was slightly contaminated. We are applying for points for safely repurposing this land.
Windows crank open to allow air circulation in the summer. Wind turbines on the roof draw hot air from the building and stimulate natural ventilation. No air conditioner was installed. The building should maintain its temperature in the summer heat. Users will be surveyed after occupancy to make sure their comfort is maintained.
There is no smoking on the property. Green cleaning products are used in maintenance of the building. We have minimal devices on site to draw electricity. We have no computers, printers, fax machines, televisions or sound systems.
Things we weren't able to do: Green roof: The roof over the kitchen area is a flat roof. It was initially designed to support roof-top plantings. A metal roof on the rest of the building: Metal roofs last many times longer than asphalt shingles and the materials are more easily recyclable at this time. Gardens: Because of the slightly contaminated soil, if we plant gardens, we need to either dig out and replace large amounts of soil or build raised beds with clean planting soil. We regret not having the ability to let the kids dig in the soil and/or to grow fruit trees or otherwise use the site for raising food. Solar, wind power or thermal heating and cooling: We buy “green” power from the Lansing Board of Water and Light, but do not have alternative electricity generation on site. Floor grates: Set into recessed areas in the concrete at the entry doors, floor grates would have allowed grit to fall into a space below the floor level, keeping our shoes cleaner, and reducing wear on the floors. Basement: Having a lower level would have given us twice the interior space. But, the cost of removing contaminated soil to a proper containment facility was prohibitive. Elevators to a basement level were out of our budget as well.
We rented parking spots from a neighboring business in order to build as small a parking lot as possible, keeping more of the land green and growing. The small parking lot we constructed used porous paving stones to allow water to filter into the ground, avoiding run-off.
The building was built on a cement slab. Cement is a locally produced material. Had we dug a basement, the slightly contaminated soil would have needed to be trucked to a landfill.
Paints were bought from a local company, O’Leary Paints. Paints, caulks and and finishes meet LEEDs standards with low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) emitted during painting and curing.
We installed no carpet. Most carpets are made of petroleum products, and need frequent energy-intensive cleaning care. They add to landfills and use a lot of cleaning chemicals.
We chose a site in a recovering area of Lansing that was close to facilities and close to public transportation.
