Environmentally-Conscious
^fa)? Redevelopment Creates a New Home Base
***~* for World Hunger Organization
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Little Rock, Arkansas
Ending world hunger and poverty go hand in hand with preserving
and protecting the environment in Little Rock, AR, where Heifer
International selected the city's old warehouse district as the home for its
new headquarters and educational complex. Through innovative
techniques and the assistance of EPA's Targeted Brownfields
Assessment (TEA) program, this property was cleaned up and
redeveloped using socially and environmentally responsible methods and
materials.
Heifer International's new headquarters is located on a property on the
banks of the Arkansas River that once blighted the downtown area. The
property was occupied by the Union Pacific Railroad rail yard for more
than 100 years, during which time a switchyard ran through the property.
Chemicals and residues from the railroad ties and tracks gradually
contaminated the site. In addition, Superior Trucking utilized this property
for more than 50 years for vehicle maintenance and other activities,
which contributed to the accumulation of contaminants. More recently,
the property was used for light industrial and warehousing operations.
Heifer International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending poverty
and hunger by providing livestock and training to impoverished families
worldwide, had high hopes for cleaning up and redeveloping this property
as quickly as possible, with a groundbreaking date of October 2003. To
meet this goal, the Arkansas Brownfields Program, the Arkansas
Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), and the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (USAGE) worked together to conduct a
comprehensive site assessment. Assessment work was funded through a
$115,000 award from EPA Region 6's Targeted Brownfields Assessment
Program. TBAs are provided through EPA's Brownfields Program and
are intended to provide funding and/or technical assistance to enable the
restoration of brownfields. In addition, EPA's Contract Laboratory
Program came to the aid of the project, providing testing of laboratory
samples. Environmental assessments identified trace levels of
hydrocarbon, lead, petroleum, and mercury contamination at the property.
Cleanup efforts began with the removal of all rail yard ties and tracks.
The support provided allowed for redevelopment to begin as scheduled,
and the new headquarters opened in January 2006.
Heifer International utilizes the word "recycle" in all aspects of this
redevelopment project. As Jo Luck, Heifer's president and CEO stated,
"If we're going to have a lasting impact on ending world hunger, then
everything we do must renew the earth and not deplete it." The
designers of Heifer's new headquarters and education complex took this
The Heifer International headquarters building
under construction.
JUST THE FACTS:
• Assessment work was funded through
a $115,000 award from EPA Region
6's Targeted Brownfields Assessment
Program. Environmental assessments
identified trace levels of hydrocarbon,
lead, petroleum, and mercury
contamination at the property.
The design of the facility incorporated
recycled materials into its construction
including the use of old masonry for
gravel; recycled steel, carpet, and
flooring; and a rainwater collection
system.
• Heifer International was awarded a
$50,000 Innovation Demonstration
Grant from EPA's Office of Solid
Waste and Emergency Response
(OSWER) for their innovative parking
lot design that works with the
surrounding constructed wetland
environment.
"We chose a Brownfields
property because it helps
tell our story."
—Gerald Cound
Director of Facilities
Heifer International
continued
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quote to heart, as the design of the facility incorporated recycled materials into its construction. Instead of
wasting the masonry from abandoned buildings onsite, the material was crushed into gravel that was reused
in redevelopment. Recycled steel was also utilized, and the flooring was made of recyclable materials. A
four-story water collection tower captures rainwater from the roof. The lighting fixtures
within the building dim automatically when natural light increases in order to maximize
energy savings. The narrow, 60-foot-wide design, glass skin, and light shelves allow
staff to work in natural light, reducing electrical dependence.
Overall, the building's design enables its inhabitants to use up to 40 percent less
energy than a conventional office building of similar use and size. The
innovative methods used have attracted the attention of architects and
builders alike. In light of their vested interest, as well as a desire to further Farraeirfamdionconlact
its commitment to sustainable design, Heifer registered the design for a U.S. EPA REGION 6
LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification rating (214)66^6444
from the U.S. Green Building Council. The LEED system is a voluntary VisitlheEPABrownfieldsWebsiteat1
national standard developed to create sustainable buildings through green htlp/Awww.epa.gc^cvvnfieldg'
design strategies. The brownfield strategy and the overall design were also
featured as examples of environmental stewardship in Architectural Record
magazine. As a result of its efforts, Heifer International was named a "Green
Building on Brownfields" pilot project by the U.S. EPA in September 2002. This
Pilot program offered additional technical, financial, planning, outreach, and design
expertise as needed throughout this redevelopment project.
One of the greatest challenges Heifer faced during redevelopment was the incorporation of a 4.2-acre, 337-
space parking lot. Many conventional paved parking lots are impervious to rainwater, which causes rapid
runoff, erosion, and flood damage during severe storms. Contamination can also result from parking facilities
due to oils, metals, and other vehicle pollutants getting washed out into surrounding areas during storms. To
alleviate these problems, Heifer International, in conjunction with U.S. EPA Region 6, the State of Arkansas,
Pulaski County, the City of Little Rock, Downtown Partnership of Little Rock, and several consulting
corporations, developed an innovative parking lot design that would work with the surrounding constructed
wetland environment. Heifer built small "green" parking plazas that move storm water through a runoff
collection system that collects, filters, and returns it back into the environment through drip irrigation.
Landscaped islands surrounding these parking lots feature plants selected for their ability to remove
pollutants from water. The parking lot design also encourages the use of alternative transportation by
providing bike racks and space for a trolley stop that will connect the property to downtown Little Rock,
which is currently under construction. None of this would be possible without a $50,000 Innovation
Demonstration Grant awarded to Heifer International from EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency
Response (OSWER) in October 2003. Heifer hopes that this innovatively designed parking lot will serve as
an environmental educational tool that encourages visitors to think about the environmental impact of
parking lots.
The city and surrounding areas have already benefited from Heifer International's new "green" facility
through the creation of approximately 220 jobs in the Little Rock area as of July 2006, with new employees
continually being added to the facility. Not only will the area benefit from the new jobs, but also through
increased tourism opportunities, such as public events at the educational complex, which they expect to
attract as many as 250,000 visitors each year. Every individual will have the opportunity to learn about world
cultures, hunger and poverty solutions, and will be made aware of the importance of a healthy environment
and the role that it plays in these issues. The structure and design of the facility itself will serve as a learning
tool for everyone, demonstrating how properties can be improved in ways that not only protect, but preserve
the environment. As Gerald Cound, the Director of Facilities at Heifer International stated, "We chose a
Brownfields property because it helps tell our story," which would not have been possible without the
assistance provided by EPA's regional TEA program.
Brownfields Success Story Solid Waste EPA-560-F-06-235
Heifer International, Arkansas and Emergency August 2006
Response (5105T) www. epa. gov/brownfields/
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