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The Aldo Leopold Nature Center's Green
Building!
Click to learn about these Green Building categories at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center
Solar Energy
Water Efficiency
Energy & Atmosphere
Materials & Resources
Indoor Environmental Quality
HVAC Efficiency
Sustainable Siting
Donors
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Solar Energy
Solar energy is the radiation from the Sun that reaches Earth’s surface. It can be captured and used to heat air or water and can also be used to generate electricity. The Aldo Leopold Nature Center (ALNC) captures and uses solar energy through a combination of photovoltaic, active, and passive solar technology to provide energy and temperature control for the building.
Madison Gas & Electric
Renewable Energy Center
MGE is working with the Aldo Leopold Nature Center to showcase educational technologies, including a state-of-the-art system which will reduce ALNC’s overall energy use by 50% compared to conventional systems in a similar building. MGE is a leader in renewable energy and has spearheaded renewable energy systems throughout the community.
Take a look at how they’re making our community a more sustainable place to live!
Electrical Car Charging Station:
We are proud to feature
MGE’s Car Charging Station as a service to visitors and as a way to promote new ways of thinking about transportation and energy choices.
Building Orientation:
The east-west orientation of the new addition better accommodates the solar thermal and photovoltaic panels on the roof to maximize the available sunlight throughout the year.
Madison Gas & Electric Solar Energy Photovoltaic System:
This 17.172 kW Solar Array, manufactured by
Sunpower and installed by
H&H Solar Energy Services, features 54 modules in three rows. The panels are angled for best efficiency and produce 17.172 kW of electricity at peak, and an estimated annual energy production of 20,918 kW hours per year. The PV system is connected to MGE’s energy grid and generates energy for use at the Nature Center, as well as other MGE customers.
See how much solar energy the Nature Center is producing and using right now!
Solar Thermal System:
This system is the primary source of heat for the new building, providing heat for warming the building and creating hot water. This water is stored in large storage tanks located in the Nature Center’s lower level.
Concrete Flooring:
The heavy concrete floor slabs throughout the Nature Center facility absorb sunlight and solar energy that enter the building through south-facing windows. When the concrete warms up from the sunlight, it creates a ‘thermal mass’ that releases heat and warms the room for several hours.
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Water Efficiency
The water used at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center comes from aquifers deep below the soil surface, and the Nature Center features fixtures that conserve this precious resource by helping us use less water each day.
Water-efficient Toilets:
Wisconsin manufacturer
Kohler Company
is a leader in environmentally-friendly bathroom and kitchen fixtures and winner of EPA’s prestigious WaterSense Award. We are proud to feature
Kohler’s WaterSense line in the new facility.
Water-efficient Washer:
The Maytag EPIC z high-efficiency washer provided by The Brothers Main requires less water than conventional washers.
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Energy & Atmosphere
In addition to on-site renewable energy through active, passive, and photovoltaic solar, the Aldo Leopold Nature Center has several features intended to optimize the facility’s energy performance, accomplished through conservation and improved efficiency.
Daylighting:
Through a system of exterior and interior windows, the new building is designed to allow sunlight to filter throughout the work spaces, reducing the need for electrical lighting.
Energy-Efficient Appliances:
Appliances and electronics can put a huge load on a
building’s energy use. The Nature Center has installed appliances that conserve
energy use, including an efficient refrigerator from
Sub-Zero and an
EPIC z high-
efficiency washer and dryer from Maytag.
Energy-Efficient Lighting:
When electrical lighting is required, the Nature Center’s goal is to use 100% LED lighting. LED (light emitting diodes) technology is one of the most energy efficient options in lighting. LEDs are about 10 times more efficient than traditional incandescent light bulbs and about twice as efficient as compact fluorescent lights.
Motion Sensor Lighting:
Motion detectors are installed in light switches to sense when people are using each room and to shut off when not in use. With these detectors, we can reduce the amount of time lights are left on unnecessarily.
Insulation:
Insulation is an important way to conserve the energy we use. The roof, walls and ground floors of the Nature Center are insulated beyond that required by the local building code, keeping the heat or cool air within the building’s thermal envelope.
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Materials & Resources
Wherever possible, we have chosen to reduce, reuse and recycle! Salvaging and reconstituting used building materials keeps useful items out of landfills and reduces the new production and resources needed for construction. Many generous donors have shared beautiful materials with ALNC -- here are just a few examples of how we are lightening our load on the earth.
Timber framing:
The beautiful post-and-beam framing in the new addition are actually old barn timbers salvaged and reconditioned by
Glenville Timberwrights of Baraboo. Reusing old building materials for today’s use is an important way to save precious resources and preserves a part of our history, too.
Carpeting:
All the carpeting and tile in the new expanded facility were cast-offs from other construction projects and saved from landfills. A leader in “green” flooring,
Sergenians
Floor Coverings donated carpet, ceramic and vinyl tile and has won numerous awards for its environmental practices and contributions to a more sustainable world.
Epic Systems, a company who demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability, donated the carpeting for the office areas.
Hand dryers:
Electric air hand dryers reduce paper waste and our building’s footprint! The
Dyson Airblades installed in the new restrooms creates an environmentally-friendly way to clean up.
Lighting fixtures:
Epic Systems donated lighting fixtures that were no longer needed. These fixtures were re-fitted with LED bulbs to create energy efficient lighting for the Nature Center.
Office furniture:
Over 20 rooms of furniture were donated for a second life at the Nature Center and were saved from the landfill. Office cubicles, the reception desk and other furniture were donated by
Smith & Gesteland. Chairs and
tables were donated by
American Girl.
Tables and other office furniture were donated by
Target
Interiors.
Deck:
Trex Company is the world's largest manufacturer of high performance wood-alternative decking, and their recycled-plastic product makes up the Nature Center’s outdoor decks, giving second life to used plastic and preventing replacement of rotting or splintered wood.
Fireplace:
Donated by Top Hat Heating, the
Valcourt Versailles high-
efficiency wood-burning fireplace uses a renewable energy source to heat the
lobby.
Fireplace Stone:
In the late 1800s, ships sailed from Belgium to Chicago with granite stones as ballast. The stones were unloaded upon arrival and used as paving stones for Chicago’s early streets. The pavers were salvaged by
Glenville Timberwrights and are starting their “fourth life” as the stone for our fireplace.
Reclaimed Flooring:
Salvaged from an old New Orleans warehouse scheduled for demolition, these century-old yellow heart pine boards were re-planed by Resplendent Mill Shop and shipped for nominal charge by W & A Shipping of Ft. Atkinson for use in the construction of the original Nature Center facility. Their installation, by Bartrol Hardwood Floors, shows us that timber created for one project can be reused-- even generations later-- in different ways. Re-using these boards allowed us to reduce the number of trees harvested for use at ALNC.
Leopold Pines:
The entrance to the original Nature Center building is flanked by four pine logs, planted by Aldo Leopold and his family at "The Shack" in the 1930s and harvested with draft horses by Nature Center volunteers in April 1996. The logs were stripped by hand by volunteers and left outside to weather naturally. As structural supports in the old lobby, these logs provide a lasting metaphor for Leopold's support of the conservation ethic and
environmental education.
Driveway:
Recycled asphalt used for our driveway means that fewer natural resources need to be mined and processed for pavement.
DRS Paving of Madison recycles old pavement for re-use in projects like the Nature Center. Using recycled materials is a smart way to help the Earth!
Antler Chandeliers:
The magnificent antler chandelier in the main lobby was made by artists at
Scottsdale Art Factory. Constructed of naturally-shed elk antlers and weighing 1400 pounds, the chandelier is a gift of the Kelly Family Foundation and the Scottsdale Art Factory. The deer antler chandeliers in the old building’s break-out rooms were made by naturally-shed antlers in northern Wisconsin and donated by Mary and Terry Kelly.
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Indoor Environmental Quality
A quality indoor environment depends on both environmental and human health components, such as the presence of natural light, clean indoor air, ventilation, and aesthetics.
Art Glass Wall:
The beautiful art glass wall in the renovated portion of the building serves to let daylight into the workspace and provides a pleasing aesthetic experience from the main teaching rooms. Inspired by the Northern Lights, flanked by Leopold Logs, and imprinted with Leopold pine boughs, the glass wall was conceived and created by glass artist,
Renee Miller Knight, principal of reneéglass factory, and incorporates white pine boughs from the Leopold Reserve. The installation is a gift from the
Bradshaw Knight Foundation.
Low-VOC Materials:
Whenever possible, low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials were used in the facility. VOCs are emitted as gas by solids or liquids and can have short- and long-term health effects. VOCs are commonly emitted from many construction and building materials, such as paint and adhesives. Whenever possible throughout the construction project, low- or non-VOC materials were selected to improve the indoor environmental quality during and long past the construction phase.
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HVAC Efficiency
According to the U.S. Green Building Council, buildings account for 72 percent of electricity consumption. The Nature Center relies on an integrated design of heating and cooling systems and controls to ensure the most efficient and sustainable use of energy. Efficient heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) reduce the amount of energy used throughout the building.
In-floor Radiant or Hydronic Heating:
Fluid heated in the solar thermal system is pumped through a system of tubes that run throughout the building’s concrete flooring, heating each room from the ground up.
Heaters:
Two-stage variable speed 95%+ efficient furnaces and 20 SEER air conditioning units make up the major HVAC equipment. These units were selected in conjunction with Madison Gas and Electric’s engineering department to provide a highly efficient system, at an economical cost.
Economizer:
Heat generated by people and computer equipment can require cooling to keep the indoor air temperature comfortable. When the outdoor air allows (typically in the spring and fall months), the economizers will utilize the ambient air in lieu of running the air conditioning equipment, thus saving electricity.
Air Exchanger:
All air exhausted from the main restrooms pass through an air-exchanger that reclaims heat and transfers it to the fresh air brought in from the outside. For example, during the cold winter months, the indoor air temperature is approximately 68 degrees, where the ambient air temperature could be zero. Energy in the form of heat is reclaimed from the exhaust to pre-heat the fresh outdoor air.
HVAC System Controls:
An integrated HVAC system will automatically control the use of radiant in-floor heating or air conditioning
as needed, so that each system operates at maximum efficiency. The controls system will also account for changes in the need for heating and cooling. For example, in the cool spring and fall days, the building could require heat in the mornings and cooling in the afternoons. The control system will limit overshooting the heat requirement, preventing excess cooling later in the day.
Air Conditioning:
Cooling in the new facility is provided by two zoned high-efficiency air cooled condensing
TRANE systems. The cooling unit for the original building has been replaced with a more efficient unit.
Computer Heat:
The heat generated by computers and electronic devices will be circulated for use in other parts of the building during the heating months.
Windows:
In addition to their role in providing natural daylight for workspaces, windows are used to control heat and cooling. Windows along the south-facing wall of the exhibit area are electronically-controlled to automatically open and close depending upon the heating/cooling need. The amount of glass on the north side of the building is minimized to control heat loss.
Roofing:
The roof membrane on the addition is a white membrane, donated
by ABC Supply that reflects sunlight instead of absorbing it as a black roof would. This reduces the cooling load during the summer months.
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Sustainable Siting
The Aldo Leopold Nature Center’s green features extend outside its facility walls. From the orientation of the building to the management of stormwater around the building and grounds, to native plantings and conscious landscaping, many aspects of the facility’s siting have been considered along with the interior.
Building Orientation:
Before the first shovel broke ground, the building’s orientation was planned to ensure that the Sun’s rays would hit the solar panels and windows for as many hours a day as possible, increasing indoor daylighting and maximizing solar energy output.
Rain Gardens:
During storms and downpours, runoff from the wooded drumlin has always been an issue, eroding our trails and creating washouts in front of the building. The new siting for the building funnels this water into several rain gardens. These gardens are designed to hold and absorb the rainwater and filter runoff, protecting ecosystems around ALNC and beyond. Native plants that thrive in wet conditions are planted in these gardens, proving that nature can be one of the most effective engineers!
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Thank you to our donors! |
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