The different shades of green

The different shades of green

Written by Christi Covington Wednesday, 07 November 2007

Projects blend dollar and earth-friendly values in latest building trend

Hints of support for environment-friendly development have sprouted their first shoots in Round Rock, and for more than one reason.

“Green is good business,” said Don Dungan, a developer with Designated Tree Inc. “It is changing every day,” he said. “Even Wal-Mart is going green.”

Dungan and his partner Kang Lee began construction this summer on Green Square, the city’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified office space, a designation that dubs the project officially green.

Dungan chose Round Rock as the site for Green Square because of the city’s interest, the need for office space and the lack of green projects already in the area. It does not surprise him other developers have already entered the landscape.

“We felt like we found our niche,” Dungan said. “We thought the marketing of the unique property gave us an advantage, but as green becomes more popular, we will see competitors.”

Expectations

Within the next decade, Dungan estimates at least half of Round Rock’s new buildings will meet similar standards.

“Williamson County does not really fit the mold [for green growth],” he said. “Usually, you think of liberal areas using green. This works for the conservative communities when it looks like green projects are economical. It does not need to be a political issue.”

He said green projects increase market value because the buildings must be sustainable and made with quality materials. The emphasis on energy efficiency also attracts buyers, he said.

Round Rock realtor Robert Rees has found similar trends. In January, Rees with his partner Brian Sippel opened Go! Green Builders, a construction company that focuses solely on environment-friendly structures.

“To be honest, I was surprised Round Rock was going green,” Rees said. “Usually you see that trend in large municipalities like Austin, but Round Rock has definitely shown it supports a green growth environment. I guess they just want to get ahead of the curve.”

Rees said he can now find eco-friendly materials at or near the same cost of those used in the past. One such product called PaperStone is made of 100-percent recycled paper, which Rees describes as hard as traditional countertop and similarly priced.

Explanations

However, in the end consumers often build green simply for energy efficiency, Rees said.

“[People] want to save on utility bills. That is the No. 1 reason for businesses,” he said. “The other aspect is the return on investment. They get a better market value.”

Both Rees and Dungan admit the term “green” is loosely used. That is why Dungan’s project is certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, which uses more than 100 criteria to judge new construction.

As a result, Dungan’s development not only uses green materials, but the products also come from as near the city as possible to save the energy of transporting goods. It also emphasizes design, using features such as reflective roofs to retract sunlight and showers for employees who might ride their bike to work.

After Green Square broke ground, Simmons Vedder and Company began construction this summer on Frontera Vista, a mixed-use and Class A office space. Located on 43 acres at La Frontera shopping center, the project earned the LEED certification.

All of Simmons Vedder’s projects are built with the certification in mind, said Leisha Ehlert, a development associate with the firm. During the next decade, she expects the building trend will become an expectation, not an asset, in the construction industry.

“The whole green movement is transforming communities and improving quality of life,” she said. “We just want to promote that movement and build projects that are environmentally safe, more profitable and healthy and pleasant for employees. The majority of building [taking place] nationwide is green building now.”

A Greenprint for Growth

Envision Central Texas, a non-profit regional group that assists in public development, has asked Williamson County to help fund Greenprint for Growth, a computer program that would be designed to assist in conservation planning.

At a cost of $250,000, the Trust for Public Land would build a computer program covering a five-county region of layered maps created with multiple Geographical Information System images. Each layer would generate a map of a different topic, such as locations of habitats or water sources.

The maps for Travis County were already completed with the help of private funding. ECT has asked Williamson County for $50,000 and is also seeking federal grants.

This summer, ECT brought the proposal to the Williamson County Conservation Foundation, which is led by county commissioners Valerie Covey and Lisa Birkman. A vote was scheduled for the October meeting of the foundation, but was tabled until a future meeting. If approved by the foundation, the proposal will go to the commissioners court.

“We are interested in [the program], but we wish it had come a year ago,” Birkman said.

Birkman said while the program has the value of being a regional model, the county already paid $60,000 for the Williamson County Regional Habitat Conversation Plan this last year. Just completed in April, the plan outlines environmentally sensitive areas. Birkman said she wants to have some questions answered before the foundation votes, such as if ECT has acquired a grant that could fund the entire project.

ECT Executive Director Sally Campbell said the organization plans to complete the regional program with or without the help of the county, but hopes commissioners will support the project because the more quickly the money is available, the sooner they can begin.

“That is wonderful that they have done [the conservation plan] and certainly that information will be integrated into [Greenprint for Growth], but this is different. It’s not a one-time thing. The data they have gathered is the most recent information. Ours will be based on information from the Capital Area Council of Government and as new information comes, it will be updated. It will be a living, breathing document. Obviously, [the commissioners] are most concerned about Williamson County, but it is important to see what their neighbors are doing and how they interact with them. This way they can see the whole picture.”

Once the program is complete, it will be available online at the CAPCOG Web site. All the information will be open to the public, except for data about private entities and persons. The soonest it is expected for completion is late next year. For more information, visit www.envisioncentraltexas.org.

Wind Power

The Environmental Protection Agency has recognized Round Rock Independent School District as a partner for its use of green power.

RRISD’s green power use began in 2003 when Austin Energy staff asked the district if it would like to buy into the GreenChoice program, which uses energy generated by natural resources such as wind.

In exchange, the district would lock in its rate for the next decade. The school board approved the decision in 2004.

The choice worked in the district’s favor because market energy prices have fluctuated, according to Alan Albers, RRISD executive director for operations and facilities.

When the school district replaced old HVAC systems with more energy efficient models, Austin Energy also gave RRISD a $30,000 rebate.

Twelve schools in the district are powered by green energy. The rest of the campuses use other energy services. All of Austin Energy’s GreenChoice power is currently subscribed.