Going Green: Creating environmentally friendly federal workplaces
General Services Administration's (GSA) Kevin Kampschroer is leading a movement to create greener, more environmentally friendly federal buildings that will improve the well-being of our planet, and the people who use them.
With a lifelong affection for architecture and a family history of public service, Kampschroer entered the federal workforce more than 35 years ago, seeing a government career as an opportunity to make "a practical kind of difference" in his world.
Now, as director of GSA's recently established Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings, Kampschroer is responsible for ensuring that all federal buildings meet the sustainable design and energy reduction requirements established by Congress in 2007. As America's largest public real estate agency, GSA owns and leases more than 354 million square feet of space in 8,600 buildings across the nation.
"This project is one of the most exciting things I've worked on," Kampschroer said. "We are transforming the vast existing federal inventory into a high-performing, green one and changing the way we think about buildings."
Recently, Kampschroer has challenged his team to transform GSA's headquarters located in Washington, D.C., into an iconic model of sustainable design and high-performance.
The building, constructed in 1918, will undergo a major renovation during the next six years including the addition of a natural light-filled atrium, nearly 800 solar photovoltaic panels to generate on-site renewable energy, a rain water collection system to reduce potable water consumption (to flush toilets or run chillers), and modernized windows, which will automatically turn off air conditioning when opened.
Other projects have included placing vegetation on the roofs of the Department of the Interior headquarters and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration building in Maryland. The plants helps lower the roof temperature, diminishing cooling needs and cutting power usage costs. It also reduces storm water runoff, decreasing water pollution and creating an aesthetically pleasing space for tenants and neighbors to enjoy.
Raheem Cash, director of the environment division at GSA, said Kampschroer is not only an expert in the field and driving the innovative program forward, but he has also established "a work environment that I once thought only possible at firms like Google."Kampschroer said he hopes that these and other projects will set the precedent for excellence in sustainable design and energy-efficiency, allowing GSA to affect change not only in the government but in the private sector as well.
"You are inspired to be creative, to think deeply, and to explore novel approaches to solving difficult problems," Cash said.
"Kevin is a sought-after expert in this field and his substantial knowledge surrounding high-performing green building has enabled GSA to genuinely claim leadership in this area," Cash said. "After more than 30 years of federal service, he remains a vibrant, innovative, passionate and distinctly intellectual force."
Using emerging technology and cutting-edge design techniques, the GSA program includes features such as natural ventilation in favorable climates, which can eliminate the need for heating or air conditioning, and sensor controlled day lighting, which can lower energy costs associated with heating by using sunlight instead. Both fresh air and natural light have proven positive effects on employee morale and performance.
While environmental impact is the program's main emphasis, Kampschroer also stressed the importance of the relationship of the physical space with human experience. He defined a high-performing building as one that uses less energy, consumes fewer resources, reduces its carbon footprint, and also maximizes human health and productivity.
"People are beginning to understand that sustainability is more than just conserving water or cutting carbon emissions¿ it is also about how that relates to human performance, " Kampschroer said. "We're not just building structures for people to look at. We build them to live in, to work in, and we intuitively understand that buildings can both harm you and they can heal you."
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/02/AR2010030201316.html
No comments:
Post a Comment