Aldo Leopold Legacy Center
Energy Efficiency
The Future of Energy
The conversation about the future of energy in America has focused narrowly on developing new energy sources such as finding new reserves of fossil fuels and increasing the gallons of ethanol produced from corn. Energy conservation is a far more lucrative investment which pays many dividends, including economic returns for the investor.
On an annual basis, the Leopold Center is projected to produce 110% of the energy consumed on site. By focusing on energy conservation from the beginning of the design process, we are able to meet the bulk of our energy needs during the winter—and generate income during the summer by selling surplus electricity to the local utility.
Buildings account for 38% of our total energy use, including 71% of our electricity use. Considering that 75 percent of buildings standing today are likely to be replaced by 2035, smart construction has huge potential for reducing our energy needs.
Energy Conservation
The Leopold Center will use 70% less energy than a typical 12,000 square foot building built simply to code. This significant energy saving was realized through a combination of savvy design and scrutiny of building components.
Low tech solutions yield about half of our energy savings:
- Of the energy used by conventional buildings, half typically goes to heating, cooling, and lighting.
- Bringing in daylight reduces interior lighting needs.
- Higher than standard levels of insulation in the walls and ceiling keep the building cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than typical insulation would.
- Promoting cross ventilation—and providing windows that open and close—allows air to flow freely and allows us to turn off the mechanical ventilation equipment.
- Overhangs allow the sun in during the winter yet block the hot sun during the summer.
- A “thermal flux zone” reduces heat flow between the main office and the outdoors.
- Altogether, savvy design reduces the work load on the mechanical systems, and the smallest, most-efficient equipment was selected to do the job.