When working on a historic building, developers, contractors, and architects have to consider many more factors than they normally do. For instance, they have to ensure that they meet all of the building permit requirements as well as anything that is required by the historical societies that oversee that particular building.

As it pertains to the federal government, the National Register of Historic Places is a section of the National Park Service. Many homes and buildings are listed on this register, and their owners can modify them without consulting the organization as long as federal money is not attached to them. However, before making any adjustments, the property owner does need to check with their state’s historic preservation office (SHPO). This organization will be able to tell the project manager or the building owner whether or not there are any state laws that pertain to that particular property.

Once the project manager has taken those steps, he or she will have to see if their project will be affected by any other state or municipal regulations. For instance, Californians will have to look at how CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) applies to their project. In most cases, CEQA is only relevant to projects that involve the demolition or destruction of historic buildings or refurbishments that would affect the historic significance of the building. Project managers can also find out about how CEQA affects them when they contact their SHPO. In other states, the project may be eligible for a tax credit. Utah, for instance, awards a 20 percent tax credit for the rehabilitation of residential historic properties.

A portion of the historic downtown in Rapid City, South Dakota recently underwent renovation. One hundred years ago, this downtown street was a bustling center of the old west. Full of cowboys, sharp shooters, and poker players, this street was hopping. Because the state’s largest industry is tourism, state officials and residents strive whenever possible to preserve the historic integrity of these areas. In order to ensure that their projects were up to code, project managers had to get approval from the South Dakota Historical Society and Rapid City’s Historic Preservation Commission. These organizations ensured that the project met the right building permit requirements and that it met the requirements set by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

However, in addition to the challenges posed by these projects, they also offer great creative opportunities, and the most creative projects often win prestigious awards. The Harding Shelton building in the historic Bricktown area of Oklahoma recently underwent award-winning remodeling. The Denver architecture firm, Venture Architecture, was responsible for the designs and plans that helped this building win the 2011 AGC Build Oklahoma Award. Many historic projects have the opportunity to win local or state awards like this one.

In addition to local awards, there are national awards as well. The 2011 National Trust/HUD Award was awarded to the Minvilla Town Homes in Knoxville, Tennessee. These town homes were built in the early 20th century, and they were home to some of the city’s most sophisticated members of the growing middle class. However, the area eventually became a magnet for crime, and by the middle of that century, the building was a crime ridden hotel. In 2002, the building was condemned by the city. However, a social services agency purchased it, saved it, and made it an integral part of the city’s ten-year plan to eliminate homelessness. Now, Minvilla Manor consists of fifty-seven units. They all meet Energy Star standards and they serve as housing for people who have recently been homeless. Of course, the building’s design is consistent with its rich history, and many of its best elements were preserved.

When a developer opts to tackle the unique task of remodeling a historic building, they also take on a huge number of challenges. As stated above, they must research all of the relevant building permit requirements, as well as the historic requirements. Any questions that developers have can be answered by a team of professionals like the ones at Burnham who have extensive experience working with the National Historic Register and state preservation organizations. Although the requirements are many, most developers will discover that the creative rewards offered by these projects are compelling and immense.

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A major carbon dioxide sequestration project is being conducted near Decatur, Illinois.  Begun in November 2011, it has so far injected over 75,000 tons of carbon dioxide into a sandstone reservoir 1.3 miles underground.  Plans are to eventually store 10 times that amount in the same location.  The undertaking, known as the Illinois Basin – Decatur Project (BDP), is being led by the University of Illinois.

Carbon dioxide sequestration, also known simply as carbon sequestration, is a simple concept.  Take the greenhouse gases created by industrial activities and store them somewhere out of the way.  This will in turn reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere and help to slow global warming.

The Decatur, Illinois area is ideal for this initiative, since the state has access to the Illinois Basin, which is an 80,000 square mile underground area of sandstone left over from the Paleozoic era.  Several layers of shale sit on top of it, which serve as a cap to keep the carbon in place, preventing it from leeching back into the atmosphere.

The process is being monitored using geophysical surveying tools, such as sending energy pulses into the earth and recording their reflections.  “It’s essentially like taking a sonogram of the earth,” said Sallie Greenberg, an Illinois State Geological Survey representative.  “Using geophysical technology allows us to create a time-lapse view of how the carbon dioxide is distributed in the sandstone reservoir.”

“If you’re going to achieve some of the reductions in emissions by 2050 that have been set forth by international agencies, you can’t come close to those targets without carbon capture and storage being a part of the process,” said project director Robert Finley.  “For us to perfect this in a site that we believe to be safe and effective is very important.  We can create a test case that demonstrates the best practices.”

The presence of layers of shale over the sandstone was an important factor in deciding to go ahead with the project.  Without such a covering, the carbon could eventually leech up through the earth, causing water contamination.  A study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology modeled the effects of CO2 release underground.  It led to contamination of aquifers by poisonous elements, creating levels exceeding the maximum amounts set by the EPA.

Such potential hazards are of utmost concern to the researchers.  Illinois is home to the Mahomet Aquifer, a massive underground reservoir that supplies 100,000,000 gallons of water a day to 15 counties, for use in agricultural, industrial, and residential areas.  To minimize the risks, officials are closely monitoring every stage of the project.

“The research we’re doing is very much on the subsurface geologic environment, to make sure that we can do this safely and effectively, and that we can monitor the CO2,” said Finley.  “So we’re using our research dollars to answer these questions about safety and effectiveness, and we don’t have to use our Department of Energy funds to just try to get our flow of CO2.”

Using sandstone for carbon dioxide sequestration is a fairly new development.  The method being used by the University of Illinois researchers will capture an average of 1000 tons of CO2 per day from the Archer Daniels Midland ethanol fermentation plant in Decatur over the next three years.  It will supplement efforts by the oil industry, which traps 30 to 50 million tons of carbon dioxide annually in wells.

Burnham Nationwide is at the forefront of cutting-edge developments in the field of sustainable building and energy creation.  So when you need consultation in those areas, be sure to turn to their expert staff to find the answers you need.  Contact them today.

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“Our first office was at 299 Broadway, it was a closet that fit three folding tables and three chairs. As business grew, we moved out and up to130 William Streetand 1500 roomy square feet. My first thought was, ‘ what are we going to do with all this space?’ It quickly filled up and shortly thereafter we moved up 4 floors and added 1500 square feet of office space for a total of 3000 square feet. Our current location is directly across the street from the NYC Department of Buildings, which is convenient for our clients and us. I think we can claim to be the closest consultants to the Building Department.

 As the new guys in town, our early years in NY were challenging. Mike Gaynor even spent a couple years working the streets trying to land new clients. Now we have a staff of 15 and in the past year alone secured permits for ABS Partners Real Estate, Brookfield Properties, CB Richard Ellis, Park Tower Management, Tribeca Green & The Veneto. It’s been a wild, crazy and rewarding ride. Here’s to another 20.”

-        Tom Walsh, Burnham -New York

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As leaders in the field of progressive thought, it is no wonder that many colleges and universities are striving to incorporate LEED sustainability efforts into their campus buildings and dormitories. Taking this step allows an academic institution to improve their energy efficiency, conserve their resources, and enhance the environmental quality of their buildings. When a project manager who is working with buildings at a higher institution decides to pursue LEED certification, they have several avenues that they may work within.

When working on new construction or major renovations, they may apply for LEED-NC. That kind of project on a college campus can, of course, apply for and receive credits within the five LEED categories: Sustainable Site, Water Usage, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources and Indoor Environmental Quality. However, most project managers will discover that they will also be able to also achieve a lot within LEED’s sixth category: Innovation and Design. This category allows the project manager to explore environmental categories like education and community enhancement. These categories can be uniquely dealt with on a college campus.

LEED certification can also be invaluable when applied to existing buildings. The LEED-EB certification is ideal for dormitories. This certification helps buildings become better stewards of the environment, but it also helps them become healthier places for their occupants. This is especially relevant when considering older structures like dorms that were built decades or even a century ago. Because students live in and spend much of their time in these buildings, campus directors should look closely at how they can be improved.

However, making a campus more sustainable does not just lie in the realm of changing individual buildings. In fact, a lot of LEED credits can be earned by implementing new campus-wide efforts. College and universities can apply sustainability efforts to the entire life cycle of their campus. They can draft plans that address everything from the campus’s master development plans to the campus’s operations and maintenance.

The goal for any university or college should not be to create one new LEED certified building or to make one old building greener. Ultimately, their goal should be to institutionalize the LEED sustainability efforts and reduce the campus’s carbon footprint overall.

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When answered in very basic terms, the answer to the question “What is solar energy?” is that it is energy from the sun. The sun’s radiant light and heat have been captured and utilized by humans since the ancient times. However, as technologies evolve, solar power also changes and progresses. Explaining how solar energy works is a slightly more complicated issue than defining it.

There are basically two types of solar power. These are passive and active. Each type of solar power is placed into one of these two categories. It is defined as passive or active depending upon exactly how the energy is used. Active energy tends to be stored and can be used later, while passive sources take advantage of the light without storing it. For instance, solar power that is used to create electricity through the use of thermal collectors and photovoltaic panels is considered to be active. Solar architecture techniques, on the other hand, are primarily considered to be passive. These techniques include things like designing spaces that allow for the natural circulation of air, using building materials with favorable thermal masses, or orienting buildings toward the sun.

Socrates’ Megaron House is a great example of ancient architecture that uses a passive solar design. The features on this building allowed air to circulate. This allowed the building’s occupants to enjoy a fairly comfortable range of temperatures. Modern day attempts at this type of architecture do not have to worry just about the occupants’ comfort levels. Obviously, the occupants of most contemporary buildings can be quite comfortable by using central heating or air conditioning. Instead, contemporary designers must worry about how to design a building in a manner that does not tempt its occupants to use conventional heating and cooling methods that exploit fossil fuels. Contemporary solar architecture uses features like orientation to the sun and selective shading. Then, they tailor these features to the local weather patterns in the region. By doing this, they are able to create well-lit and comfortable spaces that are not as reliant on fossil fuels. When combined with active solar features like pumps or fans, these buildings can seem amazing.

The answer to the question “What is solar energy?” is a short one. However, it is an answer that is primarily defined by how solar energy works. As technology continues to change and advance, the way that we use energy from the sun will also continue to change and advance. Ultimately, these changes will make it more widely used and more affordable to purchase and implement.

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As the City of Chicago’s summer calendar quickly fills up, it’s easy to see how we are becoming a warm weather destination. Offering access to the sparkling lakefront, prestigious museums and most importantly providing the best music festivals the country has to offer. 

 Joining the summer festival roster this year is the Dave Matthews Band Caravan. Not only is Dave providing a star-studded line up for his 3 day festival; The Flaming Lips, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero’s, Emmylou Harris, Ray LaMontagne, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, among others, but he is also utilizing the former south side U.S. Steel mill as the concert venue.

 The US Steel plant provided the materials for both the Hancock Building and Willis Tower and was shut down in 1993, leaving behind an unsightly brownfield site. It has since been abandoned due to the high costs associated with cleaning up and restoring former industrial sites.

 In a rare public-private partnership, Jam Produtions, Live Nation, Starr Hill Presents, U.S. Steel Corp and McCaffery Interests of Chicago have combined forces with The Dave Matthews Band (who are synonymous with sustainability and green culture) to revitalize and repurpose the 600 acre former steel mill into a lakefront venue.

 The Dave Matthews Band Caravan tour rolls into Chicago July 8-10.If this venture is successful it will open to door for further repurposing of brownfield and industrial sites into vibrant, useful public spaces.

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by David Anderson, Licensed Architect and LEED AP BD & C

Energy consumed by all the buildings in Chicago accounts for 70% of the city’s total greenhouse gas emissions and a substantial portion of these buildings are the homes where we live. To help counteract this, the Chicago Climate Action Plan calls for several agencies to come together and ramp up retrofitting homes in the Chicago area with a 25 million dollar Department of Energy grant.

This topic was part of the discussion at the USGBC Illinois Chicago Branches presentation on the emerging residential green real estate market. The event was held at the Green Depot, a smaller version of a Lowes or Home Depot for sustainable building materials located at Fullerton and Pulaski in Chicago. The program discussed a variety of topics including different residential green rating systems including HERS and LEED for Homes and marketing green homes to prospective buyers.

Part of the outcome of all of this is the creation of a Green MLS where real estate agents can market new or retrofit green homes to clients. The MLS or Multiple Listing Service is assembled by the Real Estate Board as a shared database of virtually all the homes for sale in the United States. Homes have already been listed on the Green MLS in parts of the country for several years and more areas are picking up on this trend. Preliminary studies conducted in Portland and Seattle have shown that green certified homes take less time to sell and fetch higher prices than their non-certified counterparts. An important statistic as the housing market continues to struggle with a glut of homes for sale in the wake of the financial crisis.

Hopefully this represents the start of a shift where sustainable homes will become part of the mainstream marketplace instead of being unique “only house on the block” entities.  The public building sector has led the way up to this point with an ever increasing number of new buildings and existing building retrofits seeking green certification with both building owners and municipalities seeing the long term value of building sustainably. Reaching greenhouse gas emission reduction goals by 2020, 2040 and beyond will become more of a reality with housing doing its part.

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By Chris Chwedyk

Frank Lloyd Wright started his first office out of his home in Oak Park in 1898. For several years, this Home and Studio has served as both a tourist attraction and as the central office of the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust. When Mary Ellen and I lived down the block on Forest Avenue, she became a volunteer at the Home and Studio, eventually becoming a Research Captain for two homes on the Wright Plus Tours, an annual event in May.

When we left Oak Park and purchased a small co-op unit in Hyde Park, I felt it was only fitting that I start volunteering at Robie House, the second of the Preservation Trust’s sites, on the campus of the University of Chicago. I was trained last summer and have been giving House tours since September.

When Frank Lloyd Wright opened his office in Oak Park, he realized that he also needed a downtown presence to be accessible to more clients. Wright chose the Rookery Building as the site of his Chicago office, located at 209 South LaSalle Street. In 1905 Wright remodeled the lobby spaces — striking a balance between Burnham and Root’s original ironwork and ornamentation with his own Prairie style concepts. The Rookery is Wright’s only executed solo project in the Loop, after leaving Adler & Sullivan in 1893.

 This past December, the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust opened a public information center, as well as administrative offices for the not-for-profit’s development, membership, events, communications, and guest relations divisions. On April 1, the Trust will begin offering free tours of selected areas of The Rookery and later this Spring will open a “ShopWright” gift store 

Alex Westa and I assisted staff architect Karen Sweeney obtain approval for what should have been a very simple permit for installing Steelcase full-height partitions to add a conference room. Unfortunately, there is no good process in Chicago for obtaining a permit to do this work without going through the Standard Plan Review. So, of course, the plans got bogged down with some corrections. Karen states that, during the process, “Burnham was very professional, kept us continuously up to date and were very responsive. They were very helpful with their knowledge of how the City Permit process works.”

 In the end, Karen sailed through the Open Plan Review and she received the permit one day before the contractor showed up to build the room. Although Burnham waived our usual fee for this work, we know that we helped in some small way in making the Trust’s new home at the Rookery that much more functional, and assisted in their work to showcase one of Daniel Burnham’s greatest Chicago buildings.

Check out the Wright Angles newsletter at http://www.epaperflip.com/aglaia/viewer.aspx?docid=8c76563131c1433cbd8a28735377ab21

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By John Progar

Earth Hour is quickly approaching, but it is not too late to participate!

Citizens, companies, and municipalities from all over the world will “Turn it Off”  tomorrow for one hour at 8:30 PM local time.  Earth Hour is a big deal for all of us and is important to Burnham employees.

Last year, during a trip to the South West, I had the opportunity to witness Earth Hour in Las Vegas.  Being it was my first time in Las Vegas, my experience was truly memorable when I saw the Vegas Strip at night and then see it power down.  In fact, a Hoover Dam tour guide told us the dam operators were preparing for a decrease in power demand because of Earth Hour.  Now that’s impressive!

Sadly though many people in Las Vegas were unaware of what was going on and believed there was an electrical problem in the city!  Sadly that was not true.  On that, I felt a need to push harder and spread the word about Earth Hour and its benefits.  Hopefully more people know about Earth Hour this year, but you should ask your friends, relatives, and co-workers if he or she is participating.  You might be surprised at how many people don’t know so get out there and do your part!

http://www.earthhour.org

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