Dane County Regional Airport New Parking Exit Plaza Earns LEED Silver for Green Building

May 27, 2009
Sharyn Wisniewski (608) 661-6485
Airport

MADISON — Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk today announced that the new exit plaza and parking administration building at the Dane County Regional Airport has received LEED® Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. “This fulfils a vision we had from the very beginning to go green in all our new airport facilities,” said County Executive Falk. “This is a big step in showcasing the value Dane County puts on sustainable building practices.” The new, 2,000 square foot exit plaza has six gates and a parking administration office. It adjoins a new, 3-story parking ramp which adds 1,200 more close-in ramp parking spaces and is connected to the existing 4-story ramp. No county tax dollars, only airport revenues were used for construction. The exit plaza was built using many noteworthy green practices: • 86% of construction waste was diverted from landfills into recycling programs • 43% of construction supplies and products were made from recycled materials • 94% of all wood used on the project is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified • High-efficiency plumbing fixtures provide a 35% reduction in potable water use • A white roof with a high-solar reflectance was installed to reduce heat absorption • Low-emitting products were selected for paints, coatings, sealants, adhesives and furniture • Optimized heating and cooling systems save energy and are responsive to occupant needs • Native landscaping was installed that does not require permanent irrigation systems • The building design and use of glazing maximizes natural daylight Overall, the airport is providing 70% of its energy usage per year through non-coal sources by purchasing renewable energy from MG&E’s Green Power Tomorrow program. (This program provides wind energy from three wind farms in Iowa and Wisconsin and solar power from local installations.) The end design is in keeping with the current prairie style of the Dane County Regional Airport and has enough green features invested in it to offset 35 tons per year of carbon dioxide. Eppstein Uhen Architects (EUA), with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, served as the design architect and LEED administrator for the new exit plaza. The design team for the project was led by GRAEF, which provided structural, civil and MEP engineering. J.H. Findorff & Sons served as general contractor, and landscape design was provided by Ken Saiki Design. “Meeting LEED requirements for this project was particularly impressive, due to the unique project type,” said Jennifer Holpfer, EUA sustainability specialist. ”As a result, the Airport’s original goal was to strive for the LEED Certified level, but with some extra effort the project team was able to attain LEED Silver.”