Fire Station 7

In July the Chattanooga Fire Department opened the doors to their first LEED Certified fire station. The fire hall serves as a second home to its firefighters, so the architects and designers at Franklin Architects designed a comfortable space that minimized toxic materials and maximized natural light.

“We’re honored to receive this recognition for building an environmentally friendly fire station,” said Chief Parker. “In addition to being green, achieving LEED certification also means we’re saving money through improved energy efficiency.”

Northwest Georgia Bank

The 105-year old community bank was the fifth LEED Certified project in Chattanooga. Working with Scott Smith, Northwest Georgia Bank president and COO, was a delight. Mr. Smith and his team learned quickly the importance of gaining this environmental certification for business and their bottom line. Besides being great for business, employees enjoy a lot of natural light and a comfortable office space.

"Northwest Georgia Bank's LEED Certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. "The urgency of USGBC's mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and Northwest Georgia Bank serves as a prime example of just how much we can accomplish."

Majestic 12 Theatre

Green buildings are designed and operated to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment. Carmike Cinemas' first LEED Certified theatre, Majestic 12, offers a healthier environment for movie goers while leaving a smaller carbon footprint in Chattanooga's downtown. Low VOC paints, carpet, and glues were chosen for the theatre. During construction 90% of project waste was diverted from landfills, this added up to more than 1400 tons.

Outdoor Chattanooga

Born from a strategic Outdoor Plan for the Chattanooga Region, Outdoor Chattanooga promotes recreational use, education, and stewardship of the area's natural resources. This renovated facility is located in Coolidge Park and was green|spaces first construction project with The City of Chattanooga.

2 North Shore

Over the next few weeks I will be posting case studies of the projects we have incentivized. Click on the image for a larger version. Each case study provides an overview of the project as well as points earned in the LEED rating system.

The first one is 2 North Shore, home of Greenlife and Rock/Creek Outfitters. 2 North Shore was already in the planning phase when green|spaces started and we were thrilled about how open the owner and developer were regarding reaching for LEED Certification. This project was completed and certified in 2009. 2 North Shore has recently added a solar array in their parking area that is part of the Green Power Switch program. This array also offers a nice shady place to park.

Inspiring Change

We started this blog to share good news. We do talk about scary things from time to time – we look for reliable answers and options, and present them. Today, we're talking about sad news, but with a real sense of hope for the future.

When we started green|spaces in 2007, we were selling a vision of what Chattanooga could be. We talked candidly about Chattanooga's industrial past, and pinpointed the current problems that keep us from being a cleaner city. We're still working for Chattanooga to become a true environmental city.

This idea of vision (not yet) and reality (already) was influenced by many voices, one of which was Ray Anderson, the founder of Interface, Inc. and author of two books on sustainability. He passed away earlier this month.

I first heard him speak in 2005, and – like many people – was inspired. He believed that sustainability as a movement, at its core, was about doing just that. Inspiring people to change.

Martin Melaver recently wrote this about Ray:

“Ray was one of those rare individuals who somehow touched the core of what human-ness is all about – a blend of ambition and selflessness. He would begin most every talk he gave with the statement that he was as driven and as competitive as any businessman you would ever meet. And yet somehow, he would “flip” this all-so-common human trait, one most of his audience identified with, into something filled with a higher purpose: stewardship of planet earth. He was a self-proclaimed plunderer of natural capital, a sinner – but then by implication so weren’t we all? And his hope and undiminished optimism gave us all a clear path toward redemption.”

“A sustainable society into the indefinite future...depends totally and absolutely on a vast re-design triggered by an equally vast mind-shift - one mind as a time, one organization at a time, one technology at a time, one building, one company, one university curriculum, one community, one region, one industry at a time, until the entire systems of which we are each a part has been transformed into a sustainable system, existing ethically in balance with Earth’s natural systems, upon which every living thing utterly depends - even civilization itself.”

We are inspired by change. We are inspiring change.

Click here to hear a two-minute video where Ray talks about what was most important to him.

A tightly sealed house is a safer house.

If you are thinking about buying or building a house, or even just making improvements to your existing home, what should you look for when it comes to sustainable construction?

Energy efficiency is a practical goal, to reduce energy bills and improve comfort. You might also consider a tightly sealed home, to impact indoor air quality and keep the air inside your home safer.

But be sure that your contractor knows best practices. For example, proper ventilation systems are key, and windows don't count. We found a wonderful article on Energy Recovery Ventilation - showing how you can control the amount of fresh air coming into your home, while minimizing energy loss.

Read by clicking this link to the EnergySavers website.

Our homes are unhealthy. What can we do about it?

A couple of years ago, green|spaces turned our office into a crime scene to raise awareness about air quality – click this link to see the amazing pictures. But we weren’t talking about outdoor air quality (which isn’t receiving any gold medals in the US) we were talking about the air inside our homes.

We get a lot of questions about better building practices, energy efficiency and water reduction, but indoor air quality is easily missed.

But it’s so important. The average American spends 90% of their time indoors.

Most of us know where problems like pollen and animal dander come from (hint: plants and animals), but what about mold, chemicals, radon and volatile organic compounds?

Many harmful chemicals end up in our homes, carried in by us. Everything from our mattresses and carpet to our cabinets and cleaning products contain chemicals that are hazardous to healthy breathing – fire retardants, stabilizers, binders, sealers and more.

Ironically, many of the chemicals found in these products were created to mimic something found in nature, but be produced at mass scale, faster and cheaper. For example, a polymer is made to mimic rubber or amber. Synthetic cleaning products mimic the good properties of natural cleaning products.

So the good news is that there’s a simple solution. When selecting products for your home, pay attention to what they’re made of. Look for natural products and materials where possible – buying natural products doesn’t make you hip, or a hippie. It just makes you breathe easier.

*photo curtesy of treehugger.com

something smells funny...

If you are in Chattanooga this Saturday, go check out Riverfront Nights. green|spaces is the stage sponsor this year, so we will be there along with Chattanooga's first residential green building program Better Built. Come say hello!

Perkins + Will's Precautionary List

Perkins + Will, a large commercial architecture and design firm, recently came out with a list of harmful chemicals commonly found in buildings. The firm hopes that this list will help educate the building industry and promote the development of new, less toxic alternatives. Click here to see the list.

Also,check out this funny video from Method. ....shiny suds, shiny suds!

Good news starts here

There's enough bad news. In fact, if you drop by our space at 63 E Main Street in Chattanooga, you will see a crime scene of statistics on hazardous air quality - both indoors and outdoors - and its impact on human health. (If you're not in Chattanooga, contact us through our site and we'll send you some great links).

But this is Good News! Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find out what you can do to improve air quality in your home, office and community.

Believing is seeing.

For high resolution versions of these images or poster design files, contact us through our site.

Cleaning Products

I am a sucker for a pretty label and scent when it comes to cleaning products. I also don’t like the way most cleaners (especially bathroom/surface) make my hands feel after I am finished cleaning. The chemicals in most cleaning products are very dangerous and harmful to our health. Chemicals like ammonia, bleach, sodium hypochlorite and formaldehyde are all commonly found in the cleaning agents we use in our homes and businesses.

Good news - there are alternatives.

Seventh Generation posted this article on their website that includes a cheesy little video with Dr. Greene (really? Greene? ...I know...) with the basics on how to choose better cleaning agents inside your home.

Concerned about safer products being more expensive? Green Works line, put out by Clorox, is more cost competitive. Since Clorox is such a big company they can keep the price down on their products. Sierra Club is partnering with them on this product.

Want to make your own cleaners?

Grist.org always seems to have a level-headed opinion on things. Here is a product comparison that they did.

I have to say again that I am a sucker for a pretty label, so green|spacers' personal favorite brand is Mrs. Meyers. These products make me want to clean!

Furnishings & Finishes

Often, the greenest and most affordable furniture you can purchase is antique or pre-owned. However these options aren’t always free of harsh chemicals. The most affordable options for green furnishings and finishes will be at some of the bigger chain stores. Several retailers, including Crate & Barre, IKEA, and Target now carry a line of more responsible furniture.

The Swedish company IKEA is known for modern design at an inexpensive price. The company has corporate environmental initiatives ranging from purchasing wood from sustainably managed forests, to reducing formaldehyde in pressed wood products.

Crate & Barrel's Lockport sofas and chairs have Forest Stewardship Council-certified hardwood frames, use a soy-based poly-foam for the seat cushions and recycled post-consumer fibers for the back cushions, have slipcovers, and use water-based stains and fabric treatment.

Target’s "eco-friendly" furniture lines are called Linear and Intown. They have a minimalist, modern look and are made with FSC/Rainforest Alliance Certified SmartWood, formaldehyde-free plywood, and water-based stains and finishes.

Haskell Sears Design is located in Chattanooga and has years of experience restoring antiques and crafting new, unique furniture. HSD uses formaldehyde free pressed wood and water based stains and paint. Not only does it help support your local economy, but minimizing the transportation distance greatly reduces a product’s embodied energy. Websites specializing in green furniture include:

Furnature - they sell sofas, chair, bed frames, and mattresses. Their products are free of harmful chemical.

Vivavi - they offer mostly high-end furniture and furnishings that are more modern.

Learn more about selecting healthy, eco-friendly furniture in GreenHomeGuide’s Green Furniture Know-How section.

Energy Efficiency

Altogether reducing the demand of energy will reduce the demand of burning coal and producing energy, which ultimately causes pollution. Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, making your home more energy efficient, and buying energy efficient appliances reduces our dependence on coal.

You can visit the USGBC's website to learn about the programs they have for building green.

The Energy Star website offers guides to products that are certified for efficiency.

Visit us at green|spaces for more information on what you can do to save energy in your home or office.

Cleaner Wood Burning Alternatives

You can reduce emissions of wood burning pollution into the air that may affect families, neighbors, and the community by conducting these activities:

• Consider cleaner heating fuels- Alternative include: gas, oil, propane, or electric heat. This will reduce wood smoke and will heat the home more efficiently.

• Heat more efficiently- Replace an old wood stove or fireplace with an EPA-certified wood stove or EPA-certified fireplace insert. These stoves emit 50%-60% less pollution and have an efficiency ratings exceeding 80%

• Change operating practices- It is best to burn only clean, dry, and seasoned wood that has been split and dried for at least 6 months. Burning hardwood is also best, since hardwoods embody more heat energy and burn more slowly and evenly, which produces less smoke.

• Inspect and maintain- Have your chimney inspected and cleaned on an annual basis. These steps will ensure safe and clean wood burning.

Click here for more information.

Advocate For Clean Air

Trees provide many benefits to a community. They create the oxygen we breathe, reduce air and water pollution, reduce storm water runoff, provide shade, reduce energy costs, reduce the urban heat island effect, and act as wind breaks, sound barriers, and visual screens. A single tree stores 13 pounds of carbon a year. They improve our quality of life in enormous ways. Follow this link for information on how to plant a tree and choosing the proper tree and site. Become an Advocate for cleaner air- tell your elected officials at the national, state, and local level that you care about clean air legislation. Become active in the Chattanooga community. You can visit our website and join our email list for more information and notification of local events and educational programs going on in Chattanooga.
Educate yourself by following this link that provides basic information on the types of air pollution, the Air Quality Index, and the effects of pollution on humans.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds are chemicals that are emitted from a liquid or solid and evaporate into the air. Some VOCs have short or long term adverse health effects. VOCs can be found around the house in products like cleaning solvents, paints, and wood preservatives. These compounds may contribute to sick building syndrome and other effects such as allergic sensitization or asthmatic symptoms.

There is good news - there are alternatives to these harsh products.

Paint has a history of being pretty harmful - now we are seeing some non toxic options. the best non toxic paints are Zero VOC but these usually be a little more costly.

Low VOC paints are comparable in cost to regular paint.

Although many carpet & adhesives manufacturers have reduces the toxic chemicals used in their products there are still wise decisions that should be made when buying and installing carpet. Look for wool and natural fibers in carpet, but also look for Green Label Plus logo for carpet and adhesives.

Office Air Quality

Americans spend about 90% of our time indoors, many of us spend the majority of that percentage in an office. The major contributors to poor office indoor air quality are:

Chemical Pollutants (see VOC, Furniture & Finishes, and Cleaners blog entries)- such as emissions from printers, furniture, wall & floor coverings, and cleaning products.

Biological Contaminants- mold, bacteria, viruses, and allergens; all resulting from a number of sources and reactions.

Good News - there are ways to control the quality of air in your office.

Design, maintenance and operation of building ventilation systems - this includes making sure there is adequate outdoor air supply, air filtrations systems, and maintaining heating and cooling systems.
Laser printers are a big source of indoor air pollutants. It is important to make sure printers are in a room that is ventilated and away from staff.

Treehugger has a clever article on what plants to introduce in your office space to help clarify the air.

Click here to learn more about how to Green Your Office Air Quality