Energy-Efficient Buildings Sprout Throughout Region

What started with the local university is now the norm for area convenience stores.

The University of Arkansas' Innovation Center became the state's first LEED certified building 10 years ago. Kum & Go has opened six certified stores in Northwest Arkansas and has two more in the works.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is the U.S. Green Building Council's third-party, building certification. The council defines a green building as one that is resource-efficient throughout its existence. Projects are graded and earn points based on sustainable site location, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality.

"I think people are seeing the value of going green," said Brendan Owens, the council's chief of engineering. "We've gotten much smarter about the things we need to focus on."

The Natural Resources Defense Council reports it costs an average of 2 percent more to build a LEED-certified project, but Owens said the return can be much larger.

LEED buildings have lower energy costs because of high-efficiency systems and use of natural light; less water usage because of low-flow toilets, flush-free urinals and rainwater capture and storage systems for irrigation; reduced eco-system disruptions; and use building materials and equipment that tend to last longer, require less maintenance and less frequent replacement, he said.

Studies have shown that increased natural light and improved air quality lower worker absenteeism and increase productivity.

There are 145 commercial certified projects in Arkansas, according to Cecilia Shutter, data and policy communications specialist at the Green Building Council. Washington County has 20 certified projects and Benton County has 18.

The number of certified projects could more than double in coming years as material and equipment costs come down and the process becomes more mainstream, said Linda Smith, executive director of the Arkansas chapter of the council.

There are 127 projects in the two-county area that are registered, but not yet certified.

Smith said most projects that earned certification early in the program's history were large like the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock.

The certification process can be long and intensive, and projects earn points to reach different levels, she said. It starts in the design phase and requires documentation and reviews throughout the building process. It can take up to six months to become certified once a building is completed and all paperwork is filed.

Commercial buildings must earn a minimum of 40 points on a 110-point scale to be certified. Projects scoring 80 or more points earn the highest ranking of platinum. Only five commercial projects in the state are platinum.

Owens said some LEED standards are now building permit requirements in cities across the country. The changes in building codes is one reason LEED guidelines have undergone three major updates and another handful of small changes.

Phillip Stafford, president of the University of Arkansas Technology Department Foundation, said lowering the cost was secondary to identifying building systems that were reliable and efficient to operate and maintain when the Innovation Center was built.

One savings the university sees in the $6.2 million building is about 40,000 fewer gallons of water annually because of waterless urinals. Large windows allowing natural lighting and motion sensor lights also help reduce energy costs.

Stafford said it is hard to put a dollar figure on total savings because he doesn't have another to do a direct comparison with, adding many factors from site location to building design can impact utility usage. He said savings also can be seen through a healthy work force; floor vents provide a constant flow of fresh air throughout the building.

"We still have many original tenants with us," he said. "LEED promotes a good work environment."

The university added eight certified projects in the past decade, including the Enterprise Center across the street from the Innovation Center. The 65,000-square-foot office and manufacturing building earned silver certification in February 2010.

The Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences received a gold rating in 2013. The building's features include energy-efficient systems, use of natural light, rainwater collection and use of low VOC products. Volatile organic compounds are chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary room temperature, so products with a low VOC emit less vapor.

Other LEED-rated buildings in Northwest Arkansas include: Kohl's in the Rogers Scottsdale Center and Nunnally Chevrolet in Bentonville. Each earned the certified rating, and the Hobbs State Park-Visitor Center in Rogers and Fayetteville Public Library are silver rated.

Kum & Go's new stores include reflective roofs that cool stores, high-efficiency heating and air conditioning systems and low-flow sinks, toilets and urinals.

The Iowa-based company has 82 LEED certified stores nationwide with two in the application process, including a store that opened Dec. 12 at 104 N. Bloomington St. in Lowell.

Sara Kurovski, Kum & Go's manager of sustainability, said the company started seeking certification in 2009. The company has 17 certified sites in Arkansas. The company has 18 stores in Washington and Benton counties.

"All the new stores we are building are LEED certified," she said. "We should hit our 100th store by early 2015."

Kurovski said the top benefit the company gets from the certification process is a better understanding of its energy usage. The amount of energy used at the electrical outlets was a surprise, Kurovski said.

"We were using the most efficient coolers and HVAC systems, but no one was paying attention to the plug loads," she said. "That is what used the most energy in every store, and we were shocked."

More builders are submitting single and multifamily projects for certification than before, Smith said.

Benton and Washington counties have 317 of the state's 349 certified residential projects. An additional 1,028 projects are registered statewide, including six in the two-county area.

Specialized Real Estate Group has a handful of certified apartment buildings, including Eco Modern Flats, in Fayetteville. The 96 unit project earned platinum certification and garnered numerous awards.

Jeremy Hudson, chief executive officer, said the certification process holds everyone involved in projects accountable.

"LEED helps make sure the performance of the building is what it is meant to be," he said. "It requires everyone to be on the same page."

Each Eco Modern apartment has features such as a ductless heat and air system and hot water heated partially by thermal solar panels on the roof. The complex has community gardens and a rainwater harvesting system.

The company won the U.S. Green Building Council's 2012 LEED for Homes Award for Outstanding Multifamily Project, the only time the award has gone to an Arkansas project.

The Fayetteville-based company has since earned gold certification for 219 units in Sterling Frisco and is waiting for final review on 150 units in The Cardinal. Both Fayetteville apartment complexes are designed for university student living.

Hudson said two projects in various stages of development, Uptown Apartments and Beachwood Village, are LEED projects.

"We want to build high-quality, healthy buildings," he said.