Witness The Shingles

The Shape of Things

This week we start putting shingles on Buiding A and then Building C. We are also building the roof structure on Building B.

Beautiful Roofs

The sheathing is done on Building A (all with FSC Certified Plywood) and we're getting ready to start sheathing building C. At the same time we'll start installing the natural cedar shingles, which eliminate any heat island effect the roof might have.

Highway Work is Done

As part of the project we were required by the town to widen the highway and access street, as well as putting in turn lanes and crosswalks. That work was completed yesterday, all that's left is for the line striper to come on Monday and paint the white lines...

Raise The Roof...

The Brick Yard

Highway Work

As part of this project, we are widening the street that access our property and installing turn lanes to handle the extra traffic flow. That work begins today...

The Second Floor Begins...

Reused Asphalt

It doesn't look like much but that top coating is crushed asphalt mixed with top soil that we took from the original site here. The debris never left the site and thus never added to landfills or polluted storm drains.

Septic Tank and Storm Drains

The storm drains and septic tanks are going in today and it's a bittersweet event, not simply because of what will eventually fill these tanks. The local government is not really up to speed on a what a green building entails and thus enforced building requirements that in reality are completely unnecessary for a green building. For example, this property will save 100,000 gallons of water per year once it is in operation but according to county requirements, an office space uses a certain amount of water and an apartment uses a certain amount of water and that is what you have to plan and provide for.

So for these storm drains, we are forced to install over two dozen of these massive concrete rings in order to capture the apparent deluge of water that we regularly receive out here. The problem is that that as a green building project, we have achieved a ground surface that is 100% permeable. The parking area is crushed pea stone and the rest of the property is native grasses. So all stormwater will naturally percolate into the soil and will never even reach these catch basins. 80% of them may never see a drop of water, EVER. The carbon emissions released by manufacturing, transporting, and installing these, not to mention the cost is frustrating to us since it goes against the green principles of this project and is only this way because local government has not caught up with the green building trend.

Steel Goes Up on Building C

Building C is now taking shape as the steel goes up. We just confirmed today that all of the steel we are using is formed using the electric arc furnace process and as such contains 95% post consumer recycled content, a major contributor to MR 4.1-4.2 Recycled Content .

Beautfiul Steel

We are finally building upwards with the installation of steel on building B. Next week all the steel should be up and we will really be moving towards our goal of being completed in October. The steel comes from a town in Connecticut that is within 500 miles of the project making it a regional material according to LEED-NC MR5: Regional Material.

Setting Forms on Building C

Pouring Concrete

Setting Forms

Putting Up Forms on Building B

Nothing Leaves the Site

All of the dirt and medium that has been dug up for the foundations will be reused on site for grading and backfill. None of the medium will be carted off site and no new fill will be brought on site.

Building B Footer is Poured

Finally Building

Well we had a few weeks hiatus due to a mixup with our building permit but now it's all sorted out and we are moving full steam ahead. We dug the foundations and have started pouring today. The concrete we are using contains fly ash, a by product of burning coal which counts as a recycled material under LEED-NC MR4.1-4.2: Recycled Content and a very good use if you ask us.

The Foundation is Coming Out