Green Building & Environmental Trends : Green Building & Construction LEED AP Consulting : Rich Cartlidge : Environmental Trends, Urban Development

Babcock Ranch is an eco-city being built in southwest Florida by Kitson and Partners. Babcock Ranch is to be powered entirely by an onsite solar power system, the largest of its kind which will make Babcock Ranch the first city powered entirely by solar power. Florida Power and Light is building the 300 million dollar solar facility which will be hooked into a smart grid. The solar system will help Florida reach Governor Christ's goal of having 20% of Florida's power derived from renewable resources by 2020. The facility is scheduled to cost 2 Billion dollars with 300 Million slated for the 75MW solar power plant. Babcock Ranch is projected to create 20,000 permenant jobs within the state.

Key Design Features:

• Largest PV Solar System combined with Smart Grid
• Smart Homes designed for energy efficiency and to withstand 120 MPH winds
• Completely interconnectted with bike and walking paths
• Neighborhood fitness center
• Full wired for the future
• Adjacent to a 73,000 acre wildlife preserve
• Will be a Florida Green Building Coalition Certified Community
• City is to serve as a learning labratory for energy efficiency

What do you think of developing green cities? Is this the model for all future development in undeveloped areas?

All photos: Babcock Ranch

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Great River Enegy recently released a white paper detailing the construction of their Maple Grove, Minn. headquarters, the first building to achieve LEED Platinum in the state. The text of the white paper can be found here.Great River Energy not only built a sophisticated building which scored 56 points but also built a structure which can be used to educate others.

The key features of the Great River headquarters are:

1. Uses 50% less energy and 90% less water than a structure built to just state codes
2. Utilizes an in lake geothermal HVAC system
3. In floor displacement ventilation system
4. Daylight harvesting
5. 72 kilowatts of on site solar power and a 200 kilowatt wind turbine
6. Only cost 10% more than a traditionally built structure

The Great River Energy headquarters is an excellent example of how proper research, communication between all team members, and follow up evaluation and corrective action can create a building that is not only sustainable and efficient but also an excellent educational tool to spread the message that green building does not need to break the bank.

We need to rethink the way we evaluate buildings and energy usage for as the CEO of Green River Energy said: "At Great River Energy, we know the cheapest—and cleanest—kilowatt-hour is the one we don’t have to produce. So conservation and energy efficiency have become our first
fuel.”

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