Free Tour Slated of Boulder's New 1155 Canyon

Rendering courtesy of OZ Architecture

The U.S. Green Building Council, OZ Architecture and developer WW Reynolds Co. will co-host a tour Tuesday of the new 1155 Canyon, a $15-million mixed-use building in downtown Boulder.

The program is set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 1155 Canyon. It will include a one-hour credit-by-credit overview of the project's LEED certification and a half-hour tour of the building, which is Boulder's first LEED core-and-shell building.

155 Canyon is a four-story commercial and residential building that includes 20 residential condominiums, 55,000 sq ft of commercial office space, a three-lane bank drive-through and below-grade parking.

Architectural Energy Corp. was the LEED consultant on the building, which incorporates a variety of sustainable building practices, including a rooftop photovoltaic array. Wyatt Construction was the general contractor.

To register for the free tour, e-mail news@usgbccolorado.org.

Building Design Leaders Unite on Energy Reduction Targets

To reduce the building design industry's impact on the environment, key leaders in that sector are collaborating to establish carbon-neutral buildings by the year 2030.

The American Institute of Architects, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Architecture 2030, Illuminating Engineering Society of North America and the U.S. Green Building Council-supported by representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy-finalized an agreement of understanding this week, establishing a common starting point and a goal of net-zero-energy buildings.

"This agreement allows the building design sector to move forward with designing buildings that use substantially less energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create spaces that are healthy and comfortable," the group's statement said.

While focused on designing net-zero-energy buildings, the ultimate goal is carbon-neutral buildings by 2030. In joining together, the groups recognize that "the building sector accounts for almost half of all greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. annually."

To reach that goal, AIA, ASHRAE, Architecture 2030, IESNA and USGBC agreed to define the baseline starting point for their common target goals as the national average energy consumption of existing U.S. commercial buildings as reported by the 2003 Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey. CBECS data is a set of whole-building energy use measurements gathered by the DOE's Energy Information Administration, which can be used to determine a national energy use intensity using kBtu/sq-ft-yr as the metric.

"Establishing a baseline for reducing energy consumption is a critical step in the goal of curbing the emissions generated by the built environment," said AIA President RK Stewart, FAIA. "From this baseline, the design and construction industry can use this reference point to ensure that new or renovated buildings are designed to operate in a smart, healthy and efficient manner."

"The challenge is now upon each organization to make good on their commitments," said ASHRAE President Terry Townsend.

"The task we face is daunting," Edward Mazria, founder and executive director of Architecture 2030, said. "Working separately, we could accomplish something significant in each of our respective spheres. But by working together, we actually have a chance to influence the course of history-and we will."

Kevin Flynn, IESNA president, said the agreement illustrates the importance of an ongoing alliance among the building design sector's key organizations.

USGBC President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi agreed. "By working together, we will make a difference in the built environment," Fedrizzi said. "Buildings are a big piece of the climate change puzzle, but the good news is they are also part of the solution, and together we will make an impact."

Click here for more DDJ Features >>