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 PIKE COUNTY ’S NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY WILL BE A “GREEN” BUILDING

MILFORD PA: March 5, 2007 – There is no more fitting a location for construction of a civic building that reflects concern for the environment than Pike County, PA, often recognized as the birthplace of the American conservation movement.

From the outset of the program to build a new central library for Pike County, the Building Task Force of the Pike County Public Library (PCPL) set as a major objective the construction of an eco-friendly building that adhered to strict green building standards.

The Building Task Force established the goal of obtaining Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the new Pike County Public Library. The LEED Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED promotes a holistic approach to achieving sustainability in building design by focusing on five indicators of physical and environmental health. These areas include sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

What Makes a Building Green?

A green building places a high priority on health, environmental protection and resource conservation. Green design is committed to reducing the presence of noxious materials in building and construction; conserving nonrenewable energy and scarce materials; minimizing life-cycle ecological impacts of energy and other materials; selecting renewable energy and materials; protecting air, water, soils and vegetation; and, supporting alternatives to fossil-fueled vehicles.

Buildings constructed in compliance with a green philosophy have earned reputations as high-quality buildings that cost less to operate and maintain, and provide greater occupant satisfaction. What surprises many people unfamiliar with this design movement is that good green buildings often cost little or no more to build than conventional designs.

The Greening of the PCPL

The preliminary design for the new central library created by Frederic Schwartz Architects contains many features to ensure that design, construction and maintenance of the Pike County Public Library will maximize the use of renewable resources, produce minimum pollution, minimize energy consumption and contribute to the comfort, safety and health of the people who visit and work there. To this end, the architect has presented an array of environmental and sustainable features and practices for consideration.

To capitalize on the benefits of passive sunlight, FSA’s plan locates the building at the southern end of the site to take advantage of the shading and wind protection provided by the existing trees. This natural shading is augmented by the building overhangs at the windows, as well as planted green roofs to further reduce solar heating loads. Significant energy savings will be achieved using concrete walls and energy-efficient windows that will minimize air infiltration, the leading cause of energy loss in a building. The concrete walls will also provide enormous insulation values resulting from the thermal mass effect of concrete.

Additional energy efficiencies will be achieved through incorporation of heating and cooling systems that rely on a variety of heat-recovery methodologies. The FSA design features large windows and a sky-lit atrium that will maximize natural light and reduce the reliance on expensive electrical fixtures. Other proposed features such as insulated, lead-free spandrel glass and in-floor radiant heat have a proven track record of improving energy efficiency.

The new central library building will also incorporate an unusual, “green” roof that incorporates soil and vegetation that is planted over a waterproof membrane. According to the Center for Green Roof Research at Penn State University, green roofs are valuable not only in preventing damage from storm water runoff, but they also provide an array of other benefits to building owners as well as the communities in which these eco-friendly buildings are located. Such benefits include the reduction of the “heat island” effect of large buildings, filtration of pollutants and carbon dioxide from the air and rain water, lengthening roof life by two to three times, neutralization of the acid rain effect and environmental noise reduction, as well as the softer benefits of providing an aesthetically pleasing environment and a habitat for songbirds.

FSA’s library plan also proposes installation of mechanical systems with highly efficient filters and the use of low-VOC (volatile organic compounds), adhesives, binders and caulks that will eliminate noxious off gassing to improve indoor air quality.

The architectural proposal outlines strategies that will ensure environmental sustainability and conservation. Building materials and interior and exterior finishes will include recycled and post-industrial concrete aggregates; carpet from recycled material; gypsum wallboard from post-industrial sources; and alternative bamboo and cork floor. Materials such as steel with a 75 percent recycled content and concrete with fly ash and recycled aggregates are recommended. Local materials, such as bluestone, are important components of the proposal.

The building is designed to minimize the structure’s footprint while maximizing retention of the surrounding trees and vegetation. The plan also incorporates an expansive public green space at the front of the library and uses permeable pavers and grass for the parking area to minimize storm-water runoff and maximize use of natural vegetation.