GreenByDesign

Projected LEED Platinum certified building is most energy efficient, sustainable building in the Upper Midwest; one of less than 50 of its type in the world

MAPLE GROVE, Minn. - Great River Energy kicked off dedication ceremonies for its new LEED-Platinum headquarters by announcing a new revolving loan fund for LEED-certified projects as well as a zero-interest loan fund for energy efficient equipment in its service territories.

The company’s new headquarters will use up to 50 percent less energy than similarly-sized buildings that use standard construction technologies. A large part of the savings come from the building’s unique design, which includes a long axis to the building and extensive use of glass that will harvest daylight to serve as the building’s main light source. Lighting is commonly responsible for up to 30 percent of electric costs in commercial buildings.

Loan Fund Will Spur LEED Projects Throughout Minnesota

A new $20 million revolving zero/low-interest loan fund will enable commercial members of most of Great River Energy’s 28 distribution cooperatives to comfortably finance the additional costs to construct LEED buildings. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a program overseen by the U.S. Green Building Council (www.USGBC.org). Great River Energy will also finance 100 percent of the costs related to the LEED application that must be submitted to the USGBC as part of the certification process.

“This is the first loan program of its kind in the region and will help companies practice energy efficiency and sustainability” said David Saggau, Great River Energy CEO. “Our building may be the first of its kind in the region, but this program will ensure it’s only the first of many.”

Additionally, Great River Energy will offer zero/low-interest financing to commercial members through an $8 million program to finance the purchase and installation of energy-efficient equipment in their facilities.

New Building Has Noted and Visible Sustainable Attributes

The building is noted for a 160-foot tall, 200 kilowatt wind turbine located on site that is visible from nearby Interstate 94. The turbine and a 72-kW solar array on the roof will provide up to 15 percent of the building’s electricity. Excess electricity from the wind turbine is distributed onto the local electric grid.

Although energy efficient and sustainable construction can have higher up-front cost than standard technologies, it quickly pays for itself. The energy efficient aspects of the Great River Energy headquarters will pay for themselves in less than seven years as the company will save more than $90,000 annually in electric costs.

Other noted facts about the building include:

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A low-energy HVAC system design featuring under-floor displacement ventilation and a geothermal heating and cooling system that utilizes the adjacent Arbor Lake. The system will result in a dramatic improvement in indoor air quality and workplace productivity.

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An on-site 200kW wind turbine that transforms wind energy into electricity. The 160-foot tall wind turbine is visible to motorists on Interstates 94.

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Photovoltaic solar panels mounted on the roof of the building will convert the sun’s energy into electricity.

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Nearly 15 percent of the building’s total electric use will come from renewable energy.

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Sustainable landscape features such as rain gardens, and native plantings reduce run-off and minimize irrigation. Rainwater will be used for on-site irrigation and the flushing of toilets, saving 1.6 million gallons of water annually.

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Dimming ballasts, daylight sensors and motion sensors are used throughout the building. The new headquarters will also harvest daylight through narrow office floor plates and multiple light-filled atriums. With reduced lighting requirements, there will be less heat generated from the lighting, reducing the need for air conditioning to cool the building. Artificial lighting is reduced by the use of high-efficiency fluorescent lighting.

– The building will use 40 percent less energy for lighting than similarly-sized buildings that use standard technology.

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Window’s on the long north and south sides of the building maximize daylight harvesting, while windows on the east and west sides were kept at a minimum to reduce the harsh low-angle sunlight encountered in the morning and evening.

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The building’s concrete structural frame contains nearly 50 percent fly ash, a byproduct created when coal is burned to generate electricity. Fly ash from Great River Energy’s Coal Creek Station was used in both the structure as a replacement for cement, and in the carpet backing. Using fly ash in concrete decreases the amount of Portland cement required reduces energy consumption and carbon emissions.

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Energy efficient elevators that use 60 percent less energy and require less space use a counterbalance mechanism and high-efficiency motors.

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Local construction materials were used when possible, including Mankato Kasota limestone and Lake Superior granite.

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Nearly 90 percent of construction waste was recycled.

About Great River Energy

Great River Energy provides wholesale electricity to more than 1.7 million people via 28 distribution cooperatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin. With more than $2 billion in assets, Great River Energy is the second largest utility in the state, based on generating capacity, and the fifth largest generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative in the United States. Great River Energy’s member cooperatives range from those in the outer-ring suburbs of the Twin Cities to the Arrowhead region of Minnesota to the farmland of southwestern Minnesota. Great River Energy’s largest distribution cooperative serves more than 120,000 member-consumers; the smallest serves just over 2,400.