Willingboro Master Plan & Public Library

Energy

The project team relied on energy modeling and whole-system integration to improve the building's energy efficiency. The building was projected to have a 57% reduction in peak electrical demand, a 44% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, and a 46% reduction in energy costs, compared with a comparable, conventional building.

With windows on three outside walls, the library receives plenty of daylight. Skylights along the north-south axis on the fourth wall (shared with another building) bring daylight into the reference-book stacks. High-efficiency fluorescent light fixtures are connected to daylight and occupancy sensors.

The building roof is insulated to a level of R-20, and the walls are insulated to R-11; additionally, the building has high-performance windows. The mechanical system brings in outside air when it is cool and dry enough to be used in the library, and operable windows allow for natural ventilation during much of the year. The gas-fired heater and chiller uses no ozone-depleting refrigerants and could easily be retrofitted to accommodate biofuels.

Green Strategies

• Daylighting for Energy Efficiency
  • Use building elements to redirect daylight and control glare
  • Use skylights for daylighting
  • Use north/south roof monitors and/or clerestories for daylighting
• Non-Solar Cooling Loads
  • Use operable windows
• Interior Design for Light
  • Use light colors for surfaces and finishes
• Lamp Ballasts
  • Use automatic-dimming electronic fluorescent lamp ballasts in conjunction with daylighting
• Heating Systems
  • Use high-efficiency, condensing oil or gas boilers and furnaces
• Lighting Controls
  • Use modulating photoelectric daylight sensors
  • Use occupancy sensors
• Roof Insulation
  • Achieve a whole-roof R-value of 12 or greater

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Our thanks to the ENERGY STAR program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and to the U.S. Department of Energy, and to BuildingGreen, Inc. for hosting the submission and judging forms.

For more information about the AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects, contact AIA/COTE. For help on how to use this Web site, contact .