Houston_Green_10.23.09 - 10

The City of Houston GREEN BUILDING RESOURCE CENTER G W H Green Works Houston “Our goal is to make Houston the energy conservation capital of the world.” Mayor Bill White I n 2009 the City of Houston opened a Green Building Resource Center for public eduction and professional guidance concerning green building strategies. This project was completed under the leadership of Andy Icken (Deputy Director in Planning and Development Services of the Public Works and Engineering Department) and Sheila Blake (Assistant Director in Code Enforcement) and with the cooperation of AIA Houston. At a pre-opening event on Earth Day (April 22, 2009), Mayor Bill White welcomed the press and supporters to the LEED-registered space, commenting on several intriguing and informative displays. The Mayor commented on the lighting display, where contrasts in efﬁciency, lamp life, mercury content and other criteria are explained. He also noted the stormwater quality model and the solar powered rainwater irrigation system in which a 250-gallon exterior raintank harvests water from the roof of the building. Standing on the reclaimed raised ﬂoor within the space, he spoke to the live and TV audience in front of the solar doll house that features a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) report. Over 80% of the furniture and display furnishings in the space are reclaimed, much of it salvaged from the Houston Public Library System. Many resource guides are distributed throughout the space to educate visitors about the diverse selection of materials installed, manufacturing proximity to Houston, availability in Houston, post-consumer recycled content, toxic compound content, energy conservation capabilities, third party veriﬁcation, indoor air quality effects, and durability. AIA Houston orchestrated a design charrette to conﬁgure the space designated by the City for the Center, which is located in the Code Enforcement Building at 3300 Main Street in midtown Houston. BNIM Architects donated the design development for the 3,200 SF Center, and Intexure Architects completed the drawings as the Architect of Record. Reihl Engineering donated the MEP engineering, and Apollo BBC donated the commissioning and the structural engineering. The City’s General Services Department, under Director Issa Dadoush, completed the construction, which was managed by Carlos Macias, AIA. Documentation for a LEED Gold rating is being completed. http://services.publicworks. houstontx.gov/home/environmental/code-enforcement-greenbuilding-resource-center.htm

Houston_Green_10.23.09

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Houston_Green_10.23.09