Green Buildings on Brownfields Initiative: Pilot Projects Office of Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment (5105T) Quick Reference Fact Sheet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Brownfields Program is designed to empower states, tribes, communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. The Green Buildings on Brownfields Initiative is an EPA effort designed to promote the use of green building techniques at brownfield properties in conjunction with assessment and cleanup. Through several pilot projects, EPA is providing communities with technical assistance to facilitate the development of green buildings on their brownfields. Building environmentally-friendly buildings on what was once contaminated (or perceived to be contaminated) land can be symbolic of a new, environmentally- sound direction for communities, as well as tangible growth for their economies. EPA has selected eight communities for Green Buildings on Brownfields pilot projects. Through the Green Buildings on Brownfields Initiative, EPA works with communities, on a pilot basis, to incorporate environmental considerations into the planning, design and implementation of their brownfields redevelopment projects. Assistance may be in the form of technical, financial, planning, outreach, design expertise, and/or other needed expertise as identified by the community. Generally, each pilot project will receive expert- consultant services valued up to $15,000. The eight Green Buildings on Brownfields pilot projects are: • Community Center Building, Springfield, Massachusetts (EPA Region 1). With assistance from EPA and local government, the New North Citizen's Council (NNCC), anon-profit social service organization, plans to build anew, two-story, 25,000- square-foot building to replace its cramped and deteriorated offices. The project site is located on 1.2 acres, which includes the current offices and several City-owned brownfield parcels and vacant lots. The pilot project aims to meet the criteria, and gain the certification, of the the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system and the Energy Star for Buildings program. The NNCC, which is developing the property in partnership with the City of Springfield, operates in two predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods with low per capita income and some of the highest asthma rates in the state. The National Aquarium in Baltimore's Center for Aquatic Life and Conservation, Baltimore, Maryland (EPA Region 3). To meet the needs of a rapidly growing collection of current and future exhibits, as well as expanding programs in research, husbandry, and conservation, the National Aquarium in Baltimore is building a new aquatic animal care center. A seven-acre brownfield located near major highways and bus routes in Baltimore City is the planned location for the new facility. The Aquarium will seek at least the Silver or Gold level of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED rating system. A multi-use conservation education center, public access to trails, and boardwalks bordering wetlands are also proposed. ReGenesis Medical Center, Spartanburg, South Carolina (EPA Region 4). ReGenesis, Inc., a community non-profit corporation is purchasing a 33 - acre brownfield for redevelopment as a health and wellness park. The property will include a community medical center providing integrated healthcare. Using green building technologies, the Center will be designed to protect indoor air quality, reduce operation and maintenance costs, and protect the watershed of a nearby creek. ------- About the ENERGY STAR Label for Buildings ENERGY STAR is a symbol of energy efficiency. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) have established ENERGY STAR criteria for commercial and K-12 school buildings. The basis of the criteria is benchmarking building energy consumption on a 1 to 100 scale. Buildings that are among the top 25 percent nationwide in terms of energy performance (earning a benchmarking score of 75 or greater) and maintain an indoor environment that conforms to industry standards can qualify to receive the ENERGY STAR label for buildings. Marina District Redevelopment, Toledo, Ohio (EPA Region 5). The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority is in the process of redeveloping the 120- acre Marina District brownfield on the east bank of the Maumee River, directly across from downtown Toledo. The redeveloped area will include residential, commercial, recreational, and entertainment facilities. The Port Authority intends to use expert services provided through the pilot project to identify opportunities to employ green building technologies such as energy conservation measures, natural landscaping, natural stormwater management, and pedestrian-friendly site design. World Headquarters for Heifer International, Little Rock, Arkansas (EPA Region 6). Heifer International, a non-profit organization devoted to ending world hunger, is developing its new world headquarters and an education center on a 28-acre brownfield in a former industrial area in eastern downtown Little Rock. Heifer will seek a LEED Gold rating for the 100,000-square-foot building. Sustainable, environmentally sound features of the building will be highlighted in public education programs to illustrate environmentally responsible building practices. Programs will also demonstrate alternative energy, land and water conservation techniques, and efficient uses of natural resources. Trailnet Inc., Trailhead Building, St. Louis, Missouri (EPA Region 7). Trailnet, Inc., a non- profit organization whose mission is to develop a system of greenways and trails in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area, is converting a former power plant building, located at the primary trailhead for the Confluence Greenway and Mississippi Riverfront trails, into an environmentally-friendly building to serve as office space for Trailnet. The building will also serve as a place for people to meet, eat, get directions and information on the Greenway and learn about the planet's third-largest watershed. Trailnet, working with local stakeholders and partners, aims to achieve a LEED Gold rating for the building. Community Culture and Commercial Center, Kauai, Hawaii (EPA Region 9). This pilot project is located on the island of Kauai in Anahola on a property that has frequently been used for the illegal disposal of items such as automobiles, tires, appliances, batteries, and other household items. Reuse plans for the state-owned property include a senior care living center, an elderly independent living facility, a charter school, retail, office space, and other support facilities. The state plans to design the buildings and landscape to be energy and resource-efficient, using local building materials wherever possible, and to attain LEED certification. Some of the sustainable design measures being considered include alternative energy generation, natural ventilation and day-lighting, water catchment, irrigation with greywater, use of recycled building materials, and the use of non-toxic finishes and materials. Volcanic Legacy Discovery Center, Mt. Shasta, California (EPA Region 9). The redevelopment plan for this 127-acre former lumber mill property includes ten acres for the Volcanic Legacy Center. The Center will be the centerpiece of a scenic byway stretching from Crater Lake in Oregon to Lassen Peak in California, and is expected to receive thousands of visitors each year. The Center will include a 20,000- About LEED The U.S. Green Building Council, a coalition of approximately 2000 diverse organizations, developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. LEED recognizes achievements and promotes expertise in green building through a comprehensive system offering project certification, professional accreditation, training, and practical resources. LEED ratings, ranging from Platinum to Certified, reflect environmental factors including energy efficiency, water conservation and use of recycled and otherwise "green" materials in building. ------- square-foot building with a 200-plus seat auditorium, For specific information regarding EPA's Green exhibit spaces with interactive and educational Buildings on Brownfields Initiative, contact Alison Evans displays (including a section to demonstrate green at (202) 566-2744 or evans.alison@epa.gov. For more building materials), a gift shop, other auxiliary information on EPA's Brownfields Program, please visit spaces, and parking. In addition, sustainable http://www.cpa.go\7brownficlds. For more information landscape on EPA's Green Building programs, visit design features may be incorporated into the reuse http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding plan with a chaparral restoration area, vegetative filter area, wildlife pond, and stormwater retention basin. EPA-500-F-02-141 United States Solid Waste October 2002 Environmental and Emergency www.epa.gov/brownfields/ Protection Agency Response (5101T) Washington, D.C. 20460 FOR MORE INFORMATION ------- |