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comment Beyond Green Awards
The top recognition in the 2008 Beyond Green Awards, announced by the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) in February 2009, went to Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., and the American Society for Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) publication High Performing Buildings. The awards were presented as part of an educational Congressional briefing in conjunction with the High-Performance Buildings Caucus of the U.S. Congress. SBIC has issued awards annually since 2001.
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Nationals Park won first place in buildings category. Designed by HOK Sport and Devrouax + Purnell, it is LEED-certified at the Silver level. The $611 million park is a 25-acre redevelopment of a brownfield near the Anacostia River, and is accessible by metro and bus (and has been criticized for including enough parking spaces for season ticket holders but not for most game attendees). Its water use will be reduced by approximately 30%, or 3.6 million gallons annually through the installation of water-saving plumbing fixtures, and landscape plantings are drought-resistant species that do not require irrigation. Efficient light fixtures are expected to use 21% less electricity than typical field lighting. The stadium’s roof is reflective, to minimize heat absorption, and a 6,300 square foot green roof covers a concession and restroom building adjacent to the outfield. A sophisticated filtration system separates stormwater and water used for cleaning the park, screens out organic debris—such as peanut shells—and treats water before it is released to sewer and stormwater systems.
High Performing Buildings, which began publication in winter 2008, took the top award in the initiatives category. The print and online magazine features detailed building case studies, many written by engineers, with a focus on mechanical systems. HPB is free to industry professionals in print, and to everyone online.
In calling its awards “Beyond Green,” SBIC underscores its position that buildings need to meet several critical objectives, which relate to environmental performance but also accessibility, aesthetics, cost, function, safety and security, occupant health and productivity, and historic preservation.
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