MRF Recognized for Green Approach

The Green Building Initiative (GBI) through its Green Globes environmental assessment and rating system for commercial buildings has recognized the Summit County (Colorado) Material Recovery Facility (MRF).

The facility is the first MRF in the United States to be recognized by the GBI, which has awarded eight buildings with Green Globe designations in the last year.

GBI Executive Director Ward Hubbell presented the local leaders with a plaque recognizing the building's rating of two Green Globes at the facility's grand opening in late September. The building was recognized for its merits in heat recovery, the use of salvaged and recycled materials and for maximizing the use of daylight.

The 11,000-square-foot building is operated by the High Country Conservation Center in Colorado’s Summit County that is open to all haulers.

Dave November, president of the board of directors for the High Country Conservation Center, says it made sense to try to build a greener MRF in light of the building’s function. “It matches the goal of the use of the facility: resource conservation and energy efficiency through recycling,” he says.

Matthew Stais of Matthew Stais Architects designed the building. He says the green mindset was in place before the project began—a critical factor in its success. “The earlier you establish that mindset, the better it is for the project,” Stais says.

He began by carefully selecting the site for the MRF, choosing an area of the landfill that was oriented due South to maximize natural lighting. The site was already cleared, so no trees needed to be cut down before building could begin.

The MRF uses an energy recovery ventilation system that recycles British thermal units to heat the building, recycling two-thirds to three-quarters of its energy. Additionally, the facility uses low-flow plumbing fixtures for water efficiency as well as water efficient landscaping. Healthier building materials that incorporated recycled content were also used in the MRF, as was salvaged furniture and ceiling joists.

Green Globes ratings are based on a possible total of 1,000 points in seven categories. In the four-tiered rating system, buildings that have been rated one Green Globe have achieved from 35 percent to 54 percent of the 1,000 possible points; those with two Green Globes have achieved from 55 percent to 69 percent of the total points; those with three Green Globes have achieved 70 percent to 84 percent of the total points; while those with four Green Globes have achieved 85 percent to 100 percent of the total points. The Summit County MRF achieved 60 percent of the total 1,000 points.

Vicki Worden, head of commercial programs for the Green Building Initiative, says the strength of the Green Globes rating program is in its interactive and instructive nature. The Internet based questionnaire prompts users at each stage of the design process with tops they can use to improve a building’s rating. “Green Globes teaches sustainable design as it walks you through a process that ends up rating your business,” Worden says. “It is designed to give the design team early feedback in the schematic stage.” She describes the rating system as “the Turbo Tax of sustainable design.”

GBI uses third-party auditors to verify the accuracy of the information supplied in the questionnaire.    

The mission of the Green Building Initiative is to accelerate the adoption of building practices that result in energy-efficient, healthier and environmentally sustainable buildings by promoting credible and practical green building approaches. A nonprofit education initiative, GBI is supported by a cross section of organizations and individuals with an interest in residential and commercial construction.

More information on the Green Building Initiative is available at www.thegbi.org.