SOLAR TODAY - May 2011

Sustainable Visitor Center Building Performance

Compared to an ASHRAE base case building, the facility is 47 percent more efficient.

Btu/square foot/year

ASHRAE Base Case Building 87,975 Northwest North Carolina Sustainable Visitor Center 46,785

Monitored Systems (actual 2010 performance)

Daylighting (excluding cooling savings, 17,705 k Wh) 8,021 Photovoltaic ( 4,550 k Wh) 2,061 Solar Water Heating ( 3,514 k Wh) 1,592

Geothermal and Efficiency 29,516

Two LCD screens in the visitor center provide real-time monitoring of the facility’s major sustainable systems. After examining the energy, water and CO2 savings provided by each system, visitors can observe the actual sustainable design component just a short walk away.

design in that snails on this site inhabit an ecosystem where two natural features come together at the creek edges — water and land. In this way, the snail’s habitat represents a delicate balance in nature, one shaped by water and the other shaped by land.

through its canopy-covered walkways and large windows in the main visitor center hall.

In;designing;the;visitor;center’s;unique;snail-shell spiral geometry, we were inspired by snails found;on;the;ground;during;site;selection.;This organism seems an apt symbol for sustainability

Sustainable Site Strategies

Like;all;roadside;rest;areas;and;visitor;centers, the;design;of;the;22-acre;site;was,;to;a;significant degree, dictated by the need for safe access and exit;ramps;and;extensive;parking;for;cars,;buses and trucks. In addition to the main building, which consists mainly of a visitor center and restrooms, the facility includes several conditioned outbuildings for storage, maintenance and the rainwater-harvesting;equipment.;The;orienta-tion of the main building is due south and has perfect solar access as well as great views to the foothills of the mountains.

In order to mitigate the impact that storm water could have on adjacent streams, runoff from the roadways, parking and other hard surfaces flows through bio-swales to a bio-retention area with engineered soils and plants designed to reduce;off-site;nitrogen;impacts.;The;runoff;from the;truck-parking;area,;where;hazardous;spills could occur, is directed to a special catchment basin;designed;to;filter;chemical;contaminants.

Additionally, all rainwater falling on the 11,660-square-feet;(1,083-square-meter);build- ing;and;walkway;roof;area;flows;into;27,800;gal- lons of rainwater storage. It is later used for toilet and urinal flushing.

Other sustainable site-design elements include xeriscape strategies utilizing native plants,;a;0.8-mile;walking;trail,;the;elimination of;any;site;irrigation;and;the;re-forestation;of;4. 5 acres;near;the;access;and;exit;ramps.

Design Team
Architecture: Innovative Design,
innovativedesign.net
Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing:
Padia Consulting, Cary, N.C.
Soil, Groundwater, Environmental Science, Landscape
Architecture Consultant: Landis, Raleigh, N.C.
Civil Engineering: B & F Consulting,
bandfconsulting.com
Structural Engineering: Lysaght & Associates,
Raleigh, N.C.
Road System, Soil and Water Engineering,
Site Lighting: North Carolina Department of
Transportation, ncdot.org
Commissioning: Elm Engineering,
elmengr.com
General Contractor: Vannoy Construction Co.,
jrvannoy.com

The energy strategies employed in the design focused primarily on efficiency, passive heating and daylighting and secondarily on geothermal, solar water heating and photovoltaics.

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Real-Time Monitoring,
Interpretive Signage

While the entire building energy con-
sumption has not been metered or monitored
separately, the facility does feature a real-time
monitoring system for key renewable energy
components. With the aid of on-site displays
and web links, the system allows visitors to see
how each component is performing and how
the;savings;translate;into;CO2 reduction. (See
ncdot.technology-view.com/wilkes.);All;major
sustainable energy- and water-saving systems are
monitored:
•;Daylighting;(electricity;savings,;excluding
cooling;benefits);