Our Green Campus-
A Model for the Future
Lessons learned here may change
the way buildings around the
world are designed, built, and run
for years to come.
oERA
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park Campus, NC
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The Environmental Protection Agency campus in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina is one of
the largest models of "green building" in the world. This award-winning campus, which incorporates
hundreds of environmentally friendly features, is also the largest construction project EPA has
ever undertaken. From the start, EPA set clear goals for the campus: build state-of-the-art laboratories
and offices that embody the Agency's environmental mission and save the taxpayers money.
When planning began in the early 1990s, EPA quickly learned there were few green building design and
construction references to draw upon. But an innovative project team—made up of representatives from
EPA, other federal agencies, and the design and construction firms—steadfastly pursued its green building
vision. What they learned along the way changed the project dramatically. And these lessons could very
well change the way buildings around the world
are built and run for years to come.
EPA has developed this brochure in the hopes
that others will learn from its experiences. The
knowledge that buildings can have significant
environmental impacts is well documented. In
fact in the United States, 42 percent of energy
use, 30 percent of raw materials, and 25 percent
of water consumption are building-related. From
the raw materials extracted to manufacture
building goods, to the transport of those goods,
to the waste created during operation and
renovation, buildings impact the environment
directly and indirectly in many ways.
The EPA/RTP Campus provides numerous
examples of how to reduce and even avoid
impacts that have been widely accepted in the
past. Some of the most beneficial techniques
and practices are listed here.
The 15 acres of land along campus
roadways are planted with native
grasses and wild/lowers, significantly
reducing the need for watering,
fertilizing, and mowing.
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25% reduction in parking area by providing incentives
for public transit and other alternatives to single occupant
vehicles
40% more energy efficient than comparable, standard-
design buildings
50% reduction in land clearing for roadways and utilities
70% more efficient lighting than standard lighting systems
80% of construction waste recycled
90% of roadway lighting fueled by solar power
100% capture and natural treatment of storm water
runoff
100% elimination of ozone depleting chemicals in the
central cooling system
200% increase in building life span - 100 years versus
typical 30 to 50 years
EPA's National Computer
Center was designed to achieve
a "silver" rating under the
U.S. Qreen Building Councils-
assessment system -
Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design
(LEED).
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Site Design
• The buildings were placed along the natural contours of the
site, reducing the need for grading and limiting disruption to
existing woodlands and wetlands.
• Native grasses, wildflowers, wetlands, and forests allow all
stormwater runoff to be treated naturally before flowing into
local streams.
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• While every effort was made to minimize land clearing, many
plants would have been lost if not for a rescue effort. Volunteers
transplanted more than 3,500 native plants to nearby locations.
• The surface area for roads, parking lots, and other impervious surfaces is minimized, preserving green
space, reducing storm water runoff, and increasing groundwater recharge.
Building Design
• The main building uses 40 percent less energy compared to standard buildings of equal size, cutting
annual operating expenses by about $1 million a year while also protecting the environment. Lighting,
which includes natural daylight, automatic sensor controls, and high-efficiency fixtures, is 70 percent more
energy efficient.
• An innovative design for the atrium makes use of natural light and
connects different sections of the building, conserving energy,
reducing the amount of material that would otherwise be needed
for exterior walls, and creating more opportunities for interaction
among staff.
• A building automation system uses 25,000 sensors and controls
to respond to changing heat, cooling and ventilation needs. By
monitoring outdoor temperature and humidity, the system optimizes
inward flow of fresh air. Variable speed pumps, fans and motors
work together with variable air volume units to ensure that systems
use no more energy than is needed to meet actual demands.
Construction Features
• Durability and environmental impact were key factors in selecting
building materials. Products had to meet criteria for recycled and
chemical content, and those made of wood had to come from
sustainable sources. Durable materials and a flexible design will
extend the life of the building, minimize the impact of renovations,
and reduce lifetime waste.
Recycling opportunities
abound. Employees can
recycle in the cafe, in
common areas, and in their
own individual work space.
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• An onsite system for concrete production kept 75,000 miles of truck
traffic off local roads, saving 10,000 gallons of fuel, cutting air
emissions, and reducing project costs.
• By recycling 80 percent of construction waste, more than 8,000 tons
of material were diverted from local landfills. Onsite burning of waste
was prohibited to protect the air.
Operations
• Recycling bins and receptacles are placed in individual offices and •
in common1 areas to maximize employee recycling. Compost from
the cafe will be reused as natural fertilizer around the grounds.
• Ail furnishings - from carpeting to furniture to cabinets - were selected
with employee well-being and environmental impacts in mind. Routine
considerations were: Does this product emit harmful chemicals?
Can it be recycled? Is it biodegradable? Does the manufacturer have
a "take-back" program?
• Incentives encourage staff to use car pools, public transportation
and other alternatives to driving alone. In-house services, such as
a restaurant, a dry cleaning service, and a convenience store, reduce
driving - and the related air pollution - even further.
reconjiigiiration, reducing the need for new construction
and renovation as research priorities change.
EPA's campus has shattered the
notion that environmental
enhancements are too expensive
to be practical. Costs can be
kept in balance with
environmental ideals when
builders are willing to sacrifice
traditional methods for new,
environmentally friendly ones.
The campus has the
longest stretch of
solar-lighted roadway
in the world.
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Honors:
Recognition for sustainable design and construction innovations:
White House
Closing the Circle Award (2001)
Hammer Award (2000)
General Services Administration
• Model Sustainable Facility (2001)
• Real Property Innovation Award (2001)
m Planet GSA Demolition Derby Award (2000 and 2001)
Ford Foundation/Kennedy School
• Innovations in American Government - Top 100 (2000)
International Green Building Challenge
• Top-rated project in United States (1998)
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
For more information on the EPA Sustainable. Campus and. its green building design features,
please visit our web site at www.epa.gov/rtp or write to:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Sustainable Campus (MD C604-05)
RTF, NC 27711
Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable process chlorin
free paper with a minimum 50% post-consumer
fiber using vegetable-based ink.
EPA220/F-02-001
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