Michelle Peiffer

Renovating a historic 1930’s brick building presents many challenges. Renovating that same building to exceptionally high energy standards adds further layers of complexity to the project. Fortunately, for a vacant 5,000-square-foot brick storefront, developer Chaden Halfhill has not shied away from these challenges.

Storefront window facing east.

Few of these challenges are as convoluted as maintaining the delicate balance between the respect for the building’s historic character and the integration of modern energy-saving technologies. Halfhill’s renovation pilot project, Green & Main, aspires to LEED platinum certification as it transforms an abandoned grocery building into a first floor business and a second floor residence. As it turns out, windows are a particularly complex piece of the puzzle.

Balance Between Historic and Modern

Located in Des Moines’ Sherman Hill neighborhood, all 54 original windows, including two large storefronts, will be retrofit for energy efficiency in a variety of ways depending upon the condition, location and window type. While the default choice for most developers is often to replace historic windows in order to increase energy savings, most of the windows at Green & Main will be repaired, restored and specially renovated in accordance with the project’s energy efficiency and historic preservation goals.

“It is extremely important to find the balance between historic integrity and modern efficiency,” states Halfhill. “Windows are the place where historic preservation is combined with the goals in improving the efficiency of the building. Sometimes they are inclusive, sometimes exclusive.”

Halfhill recently explained the process of window restoration in detail during this month’s Green & Main Sustainability Renovation Workshop Series. “Windows are the biggest components to both preservation and efficiency,” Halfhill emphasized.

Storefront Windows

Exterior of the building, facing east.

There are two fixed storefront windows facing 19^th Street. These windows have been boarded up for a very long time. Removing the boards and restoring the windows will have a huge impact on both the appearance and the character of the building.

During the process of renovation, special care has been made to salvage windows and other pieces of the existing building for a similar use or for repurposing. During removal of the window infill boards, the original wood sill was uncovered. This wood sill will serve as a template for both the window reconstruction and from which the workers will replicate the angles of the old storefront window. While the original look and detailing of the historic storefront will be retained, new double pane insulated glass will be installed. The new panes are required under applicable preservation guidelines to match the appearance of historic storefront glass.

Row of small transom windows.

Above each of the two storefront windows and the entry vestibule, are smaller transom windows that allow more natural light into the building. The original glass had a translucent texture and several remaining pieces were salvaged intact. The salvaged glass was cleaned and sent to a factory where it will be incorporated into new double-paned assemblies. This will increase the R-value, or thermal resistance, while also maintaining the window’s historical appearance. Fortunately for our project, the manufacturer was able to locate new glass with a similar pattern to repair the transom windows that had damaged or missing panes.

Double-Hung Windows

The double-hung windows in the second floor apartment require a multi-pronged approach in order to meet historic preservation guidelines and energy efficiency goals. A double-hung window has two operable sashes – the top sash opens down and the lower sash opens up. This allows air to circulate effectively through a room and minimize the need for mechanical heating and cooling. The benefit in restoring historic double-hung windows is twofold. First, historic windows are “repairable” without specialized products or tools. Second, reuse of existing windows diverts material from landfills.

‘Anatomy of a Window’  See glossary below.

The first step in the process was removing sashes from the window frames. Historic double-hung windows are designed to be “deconstructed” and repaired. Deteriorated lead paint was removed from the windows using a chemical stripper, in accordance with Federal and state guidelines. Removal of the paint allowed workers to better assess the condition of each sash and make the necessary repairs.

Along the way, we also discovered that the weight pockets to the side of older windows have to be rebuilt. The missing sash rope, weights and pulleys have to be located, repaired or replaced to return each window to working order. The final step is to put the windows back together with new glazing, which is the material that holds the glass into the wood frame. It’s a long and exhaustive process to meticulously restore each window, yet Halfhill believes in the importance of keeping these windows out of the landfill.

To optimize the Green & Main building, a double-window assembly was designed. Inside each historic double-hung window will be a new double-hung window. This assembly will create an air-tight seal on the inside while retaining the historic appearance from the outside of the building. The new interior windows will be the same as the historic ones and installed in a new insulated wall construction adjacent to the original masonry wall.

The New Addition

It is important to note that window’s are a major component of a building’s “shell,” and one of the main points that must be examined in an energy retrofit. However, buildings behave as interactive systems where the foundation, walls, windows, doors, insulation and roof work together to keep energy in and weather out.

An important consideration to look at when integrating new windows with an existing building is to pay particular notice to the existing window positioning and reflectivity of the existing windows. With careful deliberation, the building can take advantage of natural wind patterns that can allow for natural cooling of the building. The focus of the window reflectivity is to take advantage of the opportunity to gain solar heat in the winter and keep the building cooler in summer. The new construction on the back of the building will have newer energy efficient windows, but they will correspond well with the positioning of the older windows to achieve maximum energy efficiency naturally: they will be designed to instinctually manage heat and heat loss.

Green & Main      storefront window.

All of the components touched on in today’s article require detailed, constant attention as the Green & Main Pilot project continues to evolve. Whole building awareness helps ensure major milestones and decisions to the building envelope itself are made and supported accordingly, resulting in building science at its maximum efficiency.

* * * * *

Anatomy of a Window Glossary

Upper/Lower Sash: A frame in which the panes of a window or door are set

Rail: A bar extending horizontally between supports, as in the framework of a sash

Head/Side Jam: The straight side of arch, door or window

Stiles: A vertical member of a panel or frame, as in a door or window sash

Parting Bead: A small narrow molding used to separate and guide the upper and lower window sash in Victorian double-hung wood windows

Meeting Rail: The rails in sliding sash windows, which meet in the middle of the frame

Window Sill: The flat piece of weed, stone, or the like, at the bottom of a window frame

– Michelle Peiffer is director of communications strategy for Indigo Dawn.

Michelle Peiffer

What is Geothermal Energy?

Geothermal Energy is heat (thermal) that comes from the earth (geo). The layers of the earth are heated in different gradients, originating from the 4,000-mile deep core, which has a temperature similar to that of the sun of around 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit (F). The heat gradually lessens as it reaches the surface of the earth, where the temperature of the top soil more accurately represents the temperature of the atmosphere. Just ten feet below the surface of the ground, the temperature of the earth maintains a constant temperature of 50-60 degrees F in all seasons. Geothermal heat pumps make use of the earth’s constant temperature as a natural source for heating and cooling.

Photo courtesy of the Department of Energy.

Geothermal Energy has been used for thousands of years, dating back as early as 10,000 years ago on this continent when Native Americans used hot springs for relaxation and cooking. Today, we use this natural heat source in a variety of ways ranging from highly technical geothermal energy plants that use hot water and steam to generate electricity to individual home and business use for heating and cooling.

How Does it Work?

In a residential or business setting, a geothermal well field is determined based upon the heating and cooling needs and the size of the building. This field is the area where geothermal tubing is placed into the earth – or in water such as wells or ponds – and where the temperate maintains a constant temperature throughout the year. The tubing can be laid vertically or horizontally, depending on the site. The tubing is most often made of plastic, although other materials such as copper have been used. The tubing is filled with a liquid that runs into the earth, where it is either heated or cooled, and then brought back to the surface to assist in maintaining a more constant building temperature.

For heating: In the winter, the cool water from the building is sent into the earth, heated to a temperature between 50-60 degrees F, and then brought back into the building where it transfers the therms in order to heat the building.

For cooling: In the summer, the warmer atmospheric temperature is transferred into the tubing liquid at the ground level and circulated into the earth where it cools and returns to the surface, bringing down the temperature of the building.

Photo courtesy of Geothermalgenius.org.

Geothermal heating is especially beneficial in keeping a building’s temperature at a comfortable constant throughout the year. During extreme weather conditions, only small amounts of additional heating or cooling may be necessary.

What are the Benefits of Geothermal Energy?

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), geothermal heat pumps are the most energy efficient, environmentally clean and cost-effective systems for temperature control. Geothermal pump systems burn no fossil fuel on site and generate far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional furnaces. Even considering the emissions generated from the electrical power plant used to operate the system, total emissions are far lower than conventional systems.

Geothermal energy owners enjoy lower utility bills (25% to 70% lower as compared to conventional systems), lower maintenance and higher levels of comfort year-round. Since geothermal energy systems use no fuel on site, a potential source of poisonous carbon monoxide within the home or building is also eliminated. The waste heat removed from the home’s interior during the cooling season can be used to provide nearly cost-free hot water, resulting in a total savings of about 30% annually while lowering emissions even further.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Geothermal Technologies, nearly 40% of all U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) are the result of using energy to heat, cool and provide hot water for buildings. This is about the same amount of CO2 generated by the transportation industry. If the number of residential geothermal energy systems reaches 100,000, the result would be a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing almost 59,000 vehicles off the road.

Why is Geothermal a Good Choice for Green & Main?

The ultimate goal for this pilot project is to transform a mixed-use business and residential building into a demonstration building that highlights energy efficient technology as it merges with historical preservation, all the while striving to reach LEED Platinum certification. Since Iowa has such extreme weather fluctuations, geothermal energy is a perfect fit because it will keep the building at a constant comfortable temperature, somewhere between 50-60 degrees F, thus greatly minimizing the project’s need for additional heating and cooling.

When developing the landscape, the parking lot was the perfect place to position a geothermal well field. Engineers selected the position because of the proximity to the building and the ability to create a vertical closed loop design, which means that the tubing is inserted in the earth vertically rather than horizontally.

Geothermal Energy Systems typically have the lowest life-cycle cost of any heating and cooling system. Heating and cooling costs for the 4,700 square foot Green & Main building are estimated to cost around only $2 a day. Geothermal systems and installation have dramatically improved over the past years and costs associated with the system have dropped significantly, with an average payback of around 7 years.

Meet our Partners in the Well Field Installation, Barker Lemar.

Barker Lemar headquarters, West Des Moines, Iowa.

The engineering consultants at Barker Lemar were instrumental in the development of the geothermal energy well field at Green & Main. From the very onset, they provided a series of earth borings to test the soil for the system installation. Barker Lemar has long been experts in environmental drilling and, in the late 1990’s, furthered their reach by installing geothermal tubing. They have set the benchmark for performance by investing time and energy into educating the consumer and designer on such topics as conductivity testing, drilling methods and implementing overall keys to a successful project.

Barker Lemar was a natural fit into the best practices component of the Green & Main project. The expertise provided in the well field directly correlated with the case study being developed as part of the Solid Waste Alternatives Program (SWAP) grant. Using recycled content as an insulator for the geothermal tubing and measuring temperature gradients between supply and return lines, the study will allow us to compare different insulators and then measure each one’s effectiveness. Tracy Lemar, vice president of Barker Lemar, explains that the pipes in the building can be very close in spots, so using an insulator is one way to increase efficiency by preventing the pipes from transferring the heat back and forth as it’s exiting and entering the building.

Lemar designed the insulation system and originally considered using tire-derived aggregate (TDA). After careful research, the decision was reached to bypass the TDA because of load requirements from the parking lot that sits above the geothermal well field. Recycled glass was ultimately chosen as the best aggregate product for performance. Crushed glass looks a lot like sand and was poured around all the piping and buried in the trenches where the tubes are close together. The heat conductivity will be measured by thermal couples in the building where data will be collected from the trench. The data will then be used to compare the glass against other typical materials, such as insulation board, to measure the differences in conductivity.

Lemar said that the reason he chose to be a part of the Green & Main project was due to the developer’s vision, Chaden Halfhill. “I was very impressed with his vision on how to transform a building that was probably one of the least energy efficient in town, to one of the most energy efficient. We are very excited to be a part of this project and wanted to be involved in the mission.”

– Michelle Peiffer is director of communications strategy for Indigo Dawn.

Upcoming Renovation Events

Are you interested in developing, designing or rehabilitating older buildings? Have you ever wanted to be an observer inside a construction project? Do you just enjoy a good story and making new friends? Well, clear your calendars because there are exciting renovation events happening this weekend in Sherman Hill.

The Green & Main building site is a real mess at the moment. There are geothermal tubes sticking out of the muddy terrain, the stairs have all been ripped out and the windows are covered with plywood – the perfect time to get an insider’s look at the building’s progress before the skeleton becomes hidden! Project developer Chaden Halfhill will be on-site to share his stories while working on the Green & Main project.

See where they unearthed a 500-gallon tank and happened upon a buried and long-forgotten trolley line. Feel the texture of the original window glass and wooden window sill while hearing expert advice on how we can restore these items while simultaneously making them ‘green.’

Experts in Attendance

Judy McClure, AIA, a preservation architect who was Iowa’s Rehabilitation Tax Credit reviewer for many years (including starting the State Tax Credit program), will share her knowledge of the challenges of incorporating sustainability with restoration. As a woman who wears many hats in her historic Sherman Hill neighborhood, she might even be able to tell you about the grocery store that existed before Green & Main (long rumored for selling underage kids alcohol and cigarettes).

Green educator and builder Bill McAnally will be on-site to share his experience in completely gutting and rehabbing a large building in Fort Dodge that turned into a highly energy-efficient community center for seniors. Working with local contractors and carpentry students, he will be sharing the objects they uncovered as well as explaining how to take down brick walls using ‘Viking’ technology.

The events this weekend will be informative and interactive; a perfect place to bring your own renovation questions to get them answered by local experts. Come explore the progress at Green & Main and network among some of the best in historic green renovation.

The events have been funded in part by a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in conjunction with Iowa Heartland Resource Conservation and Development. Sponsored in part by Silent Rivers Design + Build. Our thanks go to these groups.

– Michelle Peiffer is director of communications strategy for Indigo Dawn.

Are you interested in developing, designing or rehabilitating older buildings? Join us to hear a panel of experts discussing green historic renovation as they come together to share the inter-connectivity between historic preservation and green building.

From design details to financing hurdles, this will be an interactive presentation for those looking for hands-on solutions or a supportive conversation about saving our existing buildings. Bring your questions about your own projects and chat with the presenters after the tour. Preservationists, rehabbers, building owners, construction professionals and everyone interested in this topic are all welcome.

This event will run concurrently with the second weekend of the Sherman Hill Neighborhood’s Historic Homes Tour. Help us kick off this year’s inaugural Green Building Forum and then stay around the neighborhood to celebrate their ongoing progress towards restoring the neighborhood.

This event has been funded in part by a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in conjunction with Iowa Heartland Resource Conservation and Development. Our thanks go to these groups.

Location: Starts at Smokey Row Coffee House, 19^th and Crocker, Des Moines

Time:    8:30am – 12:00pm Panel Forum from 8:30am – 9:30 am. Hands-on Round Table and Interactive Conversations from 9:30 am – 11:00 a.m.

* Tour of the Green & Main Building at 800 19^th Street – 11:00 am – 12:00 pm *

Admission: $10

RSVP: Please reply to Tizzy Hyatt, Program Coordinator at tizzy@indigo-dawn.com or  (515) 681-6781.

Panel: Bill McAnally, Builder, Educator and host of Iowa Public Radio’s “Building In Iowa.” Judy McClure, Preservation Architect from the American Institute of Architects. ChadenHalfhil, Green & Main Pilot Project Developer.

– Michelle Peiffer is director of communications strategy for Indigo Dawn.

On-Site Networking Event with Leaders in Green Renovation and Design

Join us for an early evening gathering to meet and engage in thoughtful conversations about sustainable historic renovation, using the Green & Main Pilot Project as the backdrop for discussion.

Green educator and builder, Bill McAnally, is teaming up with Judy McClure, a Preservation Architect from the American Institute of Architects, to provide a lively presentation about greening historic buildings, engaging in a Question & Answer session afterwards. They will be joined by Chaden Halfhill, the developer for the Green & Main project.

Come early, stay late, and enjoy some green tea connections to inspire your weekend.

***

This event will run concurrently with the second weekend of the Sherman Hill Neighborhood’s Historic Homes Tour. Come and meet other like-minded members of your community and then celebrate their ongoing progress restoring the neighborhood throughout the weekend.

This event has been funded in part by a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in conjunction with Iowa Heartland Resource Conservation and Development. Our thanks go to these groups.

Location: 800 19^th Street, Des Moines

Time: 4:30pm – 7:00pm. Presentation and Q & A from 5:30pm – 6:30pm

Admission: FREE

RSVP: Please reply to Tizzy Hyatt, Program Coordinator at tizzy@indigo-dawn.com or (515) 681-6781.

– Michelle Peiffer is director of communications strategy at Indigo Dawn.

Michelle Peiffer

Monday Morning in Urbandale

It’s Monday morning and I’m sitting in a local coffee shop with John Konior, Assistant to the City Manager of Urbandale and one of the leaders in Central Iowa’s movement towards energy efficiency. Less than two months ago, Konior and his team launched ShareGoodEnergy.org, a website dedicated to sharing stories on energy efficiency in our communities.

In 2009, the cities of Ankeny, Des Moines, Urbandale and West Des Moines received an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) to reduce energy consumption and share the lessons they’ve learned in completing projects that save energy and money. Share Good Energy is a twelve month campaign to spotlight what the Des Moines Metro is doing to increase energy efficiency in homes and businesses.

John Konior, ShareGoodEnergy.org

The website highlights the initiatives that these cities have undertaken to conserve energy. For example, Ankeny’s police department recently purchased new hybrid vehicles which are expected to generate fuel savings of $1,300 annually per vehicle, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Sustainable Change

Urbandale has been looking into three main categories to conserve their energy usage: insulation, heating/cooling and lighting. The city just installed their first solar powered trash compactor and recycling unit this month and will be converting the streetscape on Douglas – from Merle Hay to 72^nd – with new poles and LED lights. In addition to the money saved by using more efficient lighting, the hope is that this will help revitalize the area and create a greater sense of neighborhood.

Everything that the cities are implementing will have a simple payback of seven years or less. “We want to show the residents that we care about both the environment and costs, [that w]e’re being good stewards of their tax dollars,” said Konior.

The most important piece of the campaign is to spark ideas and share information with the public. Technology has come a long way and manufacturers have learned it’s just as much about being convenient as well as being green. In addition to posting the initiatives on the website, representatives from the four cities are going out and speaking with neighborhood organizations on all the simple things as individuals we can do to help reduce energy inefficiencies.

Community Involvement

John Konior, ShareGoodEnergy.org

Some people see energy efficiency as a big, far-flung green theory. Most people don’t realize that the little things they’re already doing like conserving water and lights can have a big impact. “We want to start conversations on energy efficiencies so that people are aware of simple transitions we can all make,” said Konior. “I think the biggest power comes from sharing our stories and showing that these changes are easy, convenient and can reduce future usage.”

The biggest hope from the Share Good Energy campaign is to get more neighborhoods and metro communities involved in the conversation. “Our goal is to get the communities and other cities to share their stories as well,” explains Konior. “I’d love for people to get on to the website and share. Stories as simple as returning bottle deposits, changing lights, or sharing a new rebate incentive will get people excited and connect us with the people and place we call home.”

– Michelle Peiffer is director of communications strategy for Indigo Dawn. Michelle’s motto is ‘Pura Vida,’ a phrase she easily picked up while studying in Costa Rica. It means ‘Pure Life,’ but more importantly it’s a reminder to let go of worries and enjoy the little things in life.

 

Michelle Peiffer

The Iowa State Fair

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to camp at the Iowa State Fair.

It was a perfect weekend to walk around the 435-acre fairgrounds (admittedly, that includes parking lots and all). The sun was out and there was a breeze to cool us off when the shade wasn’t available.

As a small town Iowa girl who was active in the local 4-H club, I’m proud of the fact that the Iowa State Fair has been ranked as one of the top events in the country. Attracting over a million visitors, it’s an unrivaled picture of all things Americana. The flashing lights of the Midway, the smells from the Cattle Barn, and the waist-busting variety of fried treats are what put Iowa on the map as the only state fair that’s included in the New York Times best-selling travel book, “1000 Places to See Before You Die.”

The Fair is the perfect place to meander about; I’m weaving in and out of the crowd, gazing at the attractions (and attendees) and occasionally treating myself to the smells that win the heart of my stomach. It wasn’t long before I visited the Iowa Pork Producers Booth for a Pork Chop on a Stick. A favorite treat of this year’s fair, I have the pork chop in hand and am happy that I’m not only supporting the local agriculture but I’m also enjoying one of the best tastes produced here in Iowa. Devouring my way down the chop with a conscious effort to not chomp right into the stick, I realize I’m almost at the bottom and still there’s no stick. Where is it, I wonder? I un-wrap the napkin-wrapped ‘stick’ and am surprised to find out that it doesn’t exist! What I’ve been holding onto the entire time has actually been the bone from the chop. I’m silently amazed at how perfectly this chop blends nature and function. What a perfect combination!

A Sustainable Fair Sensibility

Similar to the pilot project Green & Main, finding a balance between traditions and incorporating the needs of the present can easily go hand-in-hand. For example, when Cambria High School needed new gym floors, Green & Main was the perfect recipient to put the salvaged maple flooring to use. Unfortunately, things aren’t always so easy. Like the complicated nature of trying to blend the historic windows with energy efficiency, the pork chop on a stick was actually just one of a very few things at the fair that I would consider a good use of resources.

Trash compactors at the Iowa State Fair

For example, trying to find one of the recycling bins at the Fair, I was acutely aware of the downside in creating such a large event. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average American generates 4.6 pounds of trash per day. For a million-visitor event such as this, that’s an estimated 4,600,000 pounds of waste generate from humans alone! It was pretty obvious that the majority of this was going to end up as landfill waste.

True, there were 200 recycling containers on the fairgrounds, but how exactly were they distributed over the 435 acres? When I did see a bin within eye sight, it was almost never placed near the garbage, which meant you had to walk to two different sites just to dispose of your waste in somewhat of a socially responsible manner. That’s a lot of work for unmotivated visitors. In fact, I was the only one in our group who took the initiative.  There were a few times when I offered to walk one of my friends’ cups to the recycling container instead of letting it end up in the garbage. This clearly wasn’t the norm; I got blank looks in response that made me think that they were quietly questioning whether or not I was an alien.

Lighted solar cubes at the Iowa State Fair

See, even though I am a small town girl from Iowa, I spent seven years living in the green city of Seattle. This is a place where you are fined if you put recyclables in the garbage. The Seattle Mariners Safeco Baseball Stadium not only has a water collection roof that uses the water collected in the winter to keep the field green during the summer, but it’s also almost 100% compostable – all the vendors use compostable products. When I tell people this (as I was lamenting over the amount of fair accumulated trash) they often get defensive or challenge me to ‘prove’ that sustainable initiatives actually do any good.  I’m completely baffled at how many people don’t care.

Truth is, I think many people assume that it’s too much work to put efforts into green initiatives. While that can definitely be true in some cases, technology and standards of practice are vastly improving. The compostable stance that the Seattle Mariners have taken actually simplifies the entire process. Instead of putting your recycling cup in one container and your waste in another, it all goes into one compostable container – program, beer cup, and hot dog container (with the hot dog, even).

So while there are a million visitors looking at Iowa’s best in agriculture, industry, entertainment and achievement, why isn’t there more on sustainability? Iowa State University had an amazing booth focusing on their multitude of sustainable efforts. There’s also Expo Hill where they are in Phase 1 of an eco-friendly transformation. It’s marked by the giant MidAmerican windmill, a solar cooling bench, solar powered trash compactors and other green initiatives.

A Sustainable Wrap-up

These are great additions to the Fair, but I can’t help thinking about the aftermath. I’m sure a lot of the decisions revolve around economics and the ability to apply green initiatives throughout such a massive event, but isn’t this where we showcase our leaders of the future?  Isn’t this where we have the opportunity to educate our community and show the world how innovative Iowa is?

I don’t claim to have all the answers, but when I go to the Fair next year I’m looking forward to seeing the green initiatives grow. Like the Green & Main project, I understand the challenges of blending practicality with ideology; it’s not something that can easily happen overnight. How we can effectively strike a balance between tradition and green technology will come from a change in how we invest our actions and dollars today to affect the future of tomorrow. Let’s be the leaders in both agriculture and sustainability! After all, wouldn’t protecting our precious land be the ultimate blue ribbon effort to give back to our future farmers and Fair exhibitors?

– Michelle Peiffer is director of communications strategy at Indigo Dawn. She believes the more travel you cross off your list, the longer it actually gets.

Jason Anderson and family.

Pausing in the Green

If you want to meet the man behind all that’s happening at the Green & Main project site, you’ll have to first wait for him to find a good pausing point from whatever project is currently tying up his hands. You must be patient as you get interrupted for a multitude of construction questions, and then make sure that you’re able to squeeze in a time between the meetings he holds with everyone involved in the project.

Even as I’m sitting under a shade tree, probing the brain of Jason Anderson, manager of all on-site things Green & Main, we are distracted by the rush of water flowing full-force from the water hydrant on the corner. It’s an idyllic neighborhood situation – taking a break on the ledge of a retaining wall, chatting about Anderson’s work (and sanity) on a warm, breezy summer day.

However, our conversation is just as purposeful as the water escaping from the hydrant; the flow is actually being tested to determine the pressure capabilities for the water sprinkler system that will be installed in the Green & Main building.

Leading a Vision

Brick masonry wall addition, looking to the north.

I ask Anderson what it takes to head a project of such magnitude and he replies honestly, ‘lots of patience.’ Three years ago when Anderson began reviewing the plans for the building, he was set to be the on-site manager for construction. But as the other team members and leads had to be pulled off the project to satisfy other demands, Anderson quietly slid into the role of the On-Site Manager, or as I like to think of it, Manager of All Things Green & Main.

“Projects and processes are constantly changing as I’m doing things,” he explains. I think of the gushing fire hydrant, the accumulation and technicalities of his work load, and all I can think is, thank goodness that’s not me. This is the real story of Green & Main.

Anderson does his best to explain to me the complexities between blending historic renovation with modern green technology.  It’s “a long tedious process” filled with many LEED compliance meetings and the delicate dance of trying to make everyone happy. The historic preservation team is fighting for the integrity of the building while the environmentalists are defending their position to make this 80-year-old building more energy efficient than 99% of current buildings.

Anderson explains “I design the windows to make them last and then I have to wait 90 days for the preservation committee to review.” If he’s lucky enough to satisfy that group, he still has to make sure he’s fulfilling his promises to others.  “You have to be really open-minded. Technology is always changing. There are times when something is being developed and the project changes right in the middle. You have to be willing to accept the changes.”

Site source separation bins inside the building.

Anderson states he is not an expert in LEED processes, though he is learning rapidly from all the LEED advisors on the project, as the process is a constantly evolving one that involves the contributions and mentoring of many. “I have a much greater appreciation for the technical aspect as it regards historical and green building design.” That’s the polite way of telling the story. Taking a 1930’s masonry building and aspiring to restore it while simultaneously reaching for LEED Platinum certification is no small feat.

The Patience and Energy of Green

We move into conversations regarding his home life, where he and his wife are managing the chaos of raising an 8-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter. I ask about the similarity between the project and home, to which he replies, “My kids, like my job, require lots of patience. You never know what it’s going to be like from day to day.” Still, he says, “My home life is a lot more relaxing than here.”

Separating work from home life can sometimes be a challenge. However, Anderson is finding that the blend is pretty good. The kids go to school and learn about sustainability which they incorporate into their home recycling programs and water conservation. Not only is he teaching them the value of turning off the water while brushing their teeth, he likes adding more details to what they are learning. “I enjoy expanding on it. A lot of what I say comes from the knowledge and resources from working on Green & Main.”

So while there are definitely days of frustration and difficulty working on-site at the Green & Main project, the reward is great. “I have a passion for remodeling, not just building. I like to give the old stuff new life and keep it there for many more years.” I would like to add that I think it’s a pretty cool adventure. Not too many aspects in life present us with the opportunity to embark upon such a journey of exploration.

You’ve just met our top astronaut.

– Michelle Peiffer is director of communications strategy for Indigo Dawn. She daydreams of her recent year backpacking through 22 countries, longing for days of village explorations and weaving in and out of markets.