Sustainable Building Construction: January 2012

"Our Common Future"

In 1987, the United Nations released the Brundtland Report, which defines sustainable development as "development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".

Seven generation sustainability is an ecological concept that urges the current generation of humans to live sustainably and work for the benefit of the seventh generation into the future. It originated with the Iroquois - Great Law of the Iroquois

"People don't want gas and electricity. They just want hot showers and cold beer" -Amory Lovins

Thursday, January 19, 2012

KEC Week 42

The exterior facade work is nearing completion. We have had a few major deliveries, started a couple new trades on site, and are preparing for a few new trade starts in the coming weeks. The high windows in the tower have gone in and they look great. I suspect these will look even better at night with a soft glow of light. The field equipment barn has been set in place. A national greenhouse specialty contractor Stuppy is now onsite erecting the greenhouse structure and glazing is about to start. The PV field has been rough graded and final grading is underway in preperation for their start next week. On the interior, rough inspections are in progress for ceilings and walls. The spray icynene foam insulation in the walls can now begin. Drywall is onsite and has begun in many areas. As walls are insulated, drywall will follow right behind. Electrical switchgear has arrived onsite for installation of permanent power, which is critical for both elevator installation and mechanical equipment start-ups this spring. The elevator equipment is also onsite and the installation is preparing to start. This is all great progress and tracking very well with the overall plan.

[south elevation of courtyard]

[greenhouse with storage shed beyond]

[storage shed]

[greenhouse]

[tower windows]

[pv field looking south]

[pv field looking north]

[pv ductbank excavation]

[siding on east elevation faculty wing]

[mechanical rough-in]

[commons stone fireplace]

[electrical switchgear]

[bathroom rough-in]

[spray insulation]

[stair construction]

[faculty apartment rough-in]

[commons rough-in]

[above ceiling mechacnial rough-in]

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

KEC Week 40

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012

This past month the push was on to get weather sensitive exterior work completed ahead of winter and we made it! The October snow storm and what seemed like continuous rains since we started in April made us think we would be in for a rough winter. We were convinced we would get buried in snow and see below-freezing temperatures all December, but we finally caught a break. All of the exterior stonework is substantially complete. The high area metal roofing is wrapping up around the stair tower where the mason's staging will be coming down as he washing down the stonework. The exterior siding, which is less tied to weather, is about half complete and is on track to be substantially complete by February. Below are some progress shots of the exterior work.