Congressman Shuler Joins Forest Service Officials to Break Ground on New "Green" Building
Asheville, NC
"The Forest Service is investing $1 million dollars to construct a new research and training facility that will help educate an array of natural resource professionals about “state of the art” information on hardwood forest ecology and management, including research results gained by scientists here at the Bent Creek Experimental Forest,” said Reaves. “This facility also represents an investment in the community of Asheville and the region. And it’s an investment in the field of forest science that will pay dividends in the form of sustainable forests for the future.”
Designed to meet the standards required by the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification, the Bent Creek conference center will provide space for small conferences, workshops, and research meetings, as well as training for professional natural resource managers.
Director Reaves opened the event with a brief history of the experimental forest and the role it has played in promoting sustainability in Southern Appalachian forests. He talked about the significance of experimental forests and provided an overview of the “green” center.
Congressman Shuler, who sponsored the Small Energy Efficient Business Act in the 110th Congress, focused his remarks on the synergy of economic and efficiency benefits the project represents. “I strongly believe that energy-efficient buildings are essential to reducing our country’s dependence on fossil-fuels and foreign oil. I’m proud to have this example of energy-efficiency in our district,” remarked Shuler. Construction of the building, which will be completed in about a year, will provide support to local and regional economies through job creation and the use of local construction materials, with extensive use of those manufactured from recycled materials.
Katie Greenberg, project leader of an SRS research unit that includes the Bent Creek Experimental Forest, explained how Bent Creek staff members and partners in extension and research will use the new building to share results of their studies on upland hardwood forest ecology and management, and other “state of the art” information, with a variety of audiences. Greenberg said the new center will facilitate “science delivery” to land managers which supports science-based management of forests and their associated wildlife communities. Greenberg also said the environmentally friendly, handicapped-accessible building will provide meeting space for up to 50 people and additional office space for 5 Forest Service employees.
Mark McDonough, acting SRS engineer, provided additional details about the 6,587-square-foot project.
“The Bent Creek research and training center is designed to achieve LEED-Silver certification, which is based on five major areas of sustainable design and construction,” said McDonough. “We will start by minimizing disturbance on the site, limiting clearing to within 40 feet of the building perimeter, 10 feet beyond parking areas and utility corridors, and 15 feet beyond roads and driveways.”
The new facility will incorporate erosion control measures to keep runoff from reaching nearby streams. Construction waste will be recycled or reused on other projects, with less than 25 percent sent to the local landfill. Seven small, highly efficient HVAC split systems will limit heating and cooling to occupied areas. A reflective roof system will reduce heat gain during the summer, which will reduce air conditioning use. Enhanced building envelope insulation, combined with insulated windows and doors, will increase energy efficiency. The building is designed to take advantage of natural light and to reduce the need for artificial lighting. Also, all workspaces will have operable windows to allow occupants access to fresh outdoor air.
A fact sheet, posted online at www.srs.fs.usda.gov, provides more information on the building’s “green” design elements.
An SRS research facility, the Bent Creek Experimental Forest, which encompasses nearly 6,000 acres, is the oldest federal experimental forest east of the Mississippi. Established in 1925 for research purposes, the experimental forest also provides a demonstration of forest management practices. Long-term research conducted at Bent Creek has made significant contributions to the understanding of silviculture and forest ecology in upland hardwood forests of the Southern Appalachians and throughout the southern United States.
With administrative offices located in Asheville, NC, SRS conducts cutting-edge research across the 13 southern states on topic areas that range from global climate change, to economics, to forest and wildlife ecology, to wood-based bioenergy. The mission of SRS is to create the science and technology needed to sustain and enhance southern forest ecosystems and the benefits they provide.