Comments on: First LEED Platinum Carbon Neutral Building!

By: rainwatercatcher

rainwatercatcher — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:53:21 +0000

Too many comments to read but, it amazes me how so many green LEED buildings do not typically even mention their stewardship to water. Sure, it could be called “carbon neutral” but where is the water coming from? is it being pumped from long distances, chlorinated, filtered, etc.? most likely. is it being drawn from a well? sucking down aquifers and using enormous amounts of energy?quite possibly. How about catching the purest source of water, rain, and using it which requires very little energy while relying on the suns energy and gravity to filter and supply? There are plenty of houses that do this , more now than ever in the past 60-80 years, but can the “greenest house ever built” really not highlight and stand for a detailed focus on water??

By: akrueger

akrueger — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 05:20:53 +0000

@ Scott, and others who seem to be concerned on the matter…

My dad designed this building, and I would like to say that this is not an arbitrary title. While the term “greenest building” leaves a lot of room for question on its exact definition, the entire building was created with the conservation of energy and resources carefully considered. The materials for this building were all supplied locally. The vast majority of the lumber used was cut down on site, and they even used horses to drag the fallen trees. The work that went into the design that allowed the great efficiency that it has, and to create the internal system that collects the energy produced was no easy feat.

@Michael-

The fact that the building is a center not a home is not really important. The building was created for a client, and not intended to be making any sort of strive to win awards and ratings. The architect is simply an environmentalist who takes into consideration all that he can when designing his buildings. His goal is simple, to make a difference in whatever small ways he can, and although I am very bias, I think he has done a great job, and a lot more than many others out there.

Thanks for all the kind words. I think the fact that a building is out there that produces more energy than it uses should be praised, not scrutinized. Isn’t that why we are all here? Because we want more people to take the time and energy to think about the environment?

By: Inhabitat » Recycled Paper Flat-pack Baskets from Engage Green

Inhabitat » Recycled Paper Flat-pack Baskets from Engage Green — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 09:19:54 +0000

[...] of the biggest tenets of living a sustainable life is doing more with less, and as we grapple with reducing our carbon footprints we have to take a closer look at how we equip the world we live in. These beautiful [...]

By: vagen

vagen — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:28:49 +0000

the overall health of the forest (the leopold memorial reserve) was taken into consideration prior to the construction of the legacy center. the forest, which was planted by the leopold family, had reached a level of maturation where the trees were actually suffering from over competition, thus limiting their ability to sequester carbon. selectively harvesting the poorest trees in the forest improved the overall health of the forest and yielded the majority of the structural and finish materials. the logs used in the trusses were bucked on-site by the hands of many volunteers. milling of lumber and finish materials was done by a small, on-site operation (and a local business). it is the product of the local community and they are proud of it.

it is great to see people looking critically at both operating energy and embodied energy.

By: LEED-Platinum Carbon Neutral « Living Well in Westchester

LEED-Platinum Carbon Neutral « Living Well in Westchester — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:13:53 +0000

[...] Read more [...]

By: teus

teus — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 21:31:25 +0000

wow, people like to nit pic. I’m sure its not the greenest building ever built, and people should be careful when making these kinds of statments, but at least this building is a step in the right direction.

and since we are picking nits, since when has ‘unique’ been a synonym for ‘unambiguous’ ? Must be american English

By: marco

marco — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 17:07:46 +0000

The greenest building ever built is an exaggeration, for sure! :) Anyway, the designers made a great job.
The point is to consider the overall flows of raw materials used (wood, metals, chemical compounds) and also all the flow of energy needed for running all the facilities inside. That could be a good starting point. Then, for all these flows, we should consider how such flows can impact the surrounding environment, where all the wastes go, etc. I’d love to know if they have an in depht analysis of all the sustainability impacts.
Thanks, Marco.

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:54:38 +0000

This building is very nice looking but as an example of green home building it is of little practical value.

Build a carbon neutral house not a “center”. Build it in the city or better yet the suburbs on a plot of land next to all the other existing carbon… positive(?) houses. That is where all the most wasteful construction occurs so exemplify how it can be done differently there, not in the woods. Build it for as much as or less than existing homes, not for millions of dollars. Build it for a family who will then live in it and tell us what they think not what the builders want us to believe.

This site is nothing more than a millionaires compound in a forest populated by new age hippies being used as window dressing for the press in another politically motivated stunt.

Prove the technology in the real world or nobody in the real world will take it seriously.

By: margaret

margaret — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 12:18:28 +0000

forgotten are the cave dwellers

By: Green Building 101: What is LEED?

Green Building 101: What is LEED? — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 08:05:10 +0000

[...] First LEED Platinum Carbon Neutral Building [...]

By: Sunday Speedlinks 11-18-07 | InspiredAustin.com

Sunday Speedlinks 11-18-07 | InspiredAustin.com — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 21:19:27 +0000

[...] Here are some great photos and details on the First LEED Platinum Carbon Neutral Building. It’s located in Wisconsin, what is it about Wisconsin and innovative architecture? Inhabitat: First LEED Platinum Carbon Neutral Building. [...]

By: Andy G

Andy G — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:26:22 +0000

I’m not sure how green the aluminium roof and quarried stone are…but well done. good effort

By: truerank » Blog Archive » First LEED Platinum Carbon Neutral Building!

truerank » Blog Archive » First LEED Platinum Carbon Neutral Building! — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 01:26:23 +0000

[...] full story here [...]

By: LEED, Green, Homes, Buildings « Carbon Crusaders

LEED, Green, Homes, Buildings « Carbon Crusaders — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 22:20:31 +0000

[...] LEED’s certified carbon-neutral building was recently finished in Wisconsin. According to Inhabitat, the building scored a 61 of a possible 69 LEED points, which includes producing 15% more [...]

By: simon seasons

simon seasons — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 19:51:29 +0000

Quite agree Miles. ‘Indulgences’ is the perfect description for such false accounting. But, it’s better than no accounting as it has been for generations since the inception of the industrial revolution. My post above yours contains the phrase “the fact remains that we are not individuals in the effect that each and every one of us ‘contributes to the affect on the whole”. So to to for every step forward in accounting.