Building Green at DNR
Stanton W. Mead Education and Visitor Center

The 30,000 acre Mead Wildlife Area, located in central Wisconsin, is home to the Stanton W. Mead Education and Visitor Center (Mead). Constructed in 2005, this 6,208 square foot building showcases numerous sustainable or "green" design methods and renewable energy technologies and received Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. The Sustainability & Energy Efficiency (SE²) Leadership Conference sponsored by the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance selected the building for a 2006 SE² Award of Excellence.

The facility provides meeting rooms for school and community groups as well as office space for the four WDNR wildlife staff who oversee "The Mead" - a 28,500-acre wildlife area that is a popular destination for hunting, bicycling, bird watching, hiking, wildlife watching, boating, dog training, and nature study.

Thumbnails link to larger images.

The Mead facility is projected to use only about 22% of the energy of a conventionally-built structure of similar type and size. The renewable energy systems are expected to contribute about 25% of the needed electricity, with an eventual goal of producing as much energy over its useful life as it uses.

Key Design Features

The key sustainable design features include a high-performance building envelope, cool daylighting, environmentally-friendly building materials and finishes, and advanced mechanical systems. Incorporated into the building are 5 different renewable energy systems: wind energy, solar photovoltaic electricity, geothermal heating and cooling, solar hot water, and a wood biomass masonry heater.

• environmentally-responsible construction methods — bio-swales and retention ponds to reduce and treat runoff; on-site construction waste management; panelized construction to reduce construction waste; construction practices to minimize contamination and degradation of materials and systems
• environmentally-responsible materials — high recycled content materials, such as recycled-glass floor tiles, ceiling tiles, drywall and blown-cellulose insulation; paints, coatings, caulks, and adhesives with low- or no volatile organic compounds (VOC); recycled office furniture; "agri-board" work surfaces made from agricultural waste products; materials with local or regional origin, high-durability, and low maintenance
• high-performance building envelope — interior-strapped wall configuration for air-tightness and to create a thermal break between the interior and exterior wall surfaces
• passive solar and cool daylighting — east/west elongated layout exposing more the interior to the sun in winter and is easier to shade in summer; choice and placement of windows maximizes winter heat gain and minimizes summer heat gain; light-reflective surfaces and transom windows admit natural light and limit direct sun penetration to minimize cooling needs and artificial lighting systems
• active solar heating and domestic hot water — 3-panel array of solar collectors provides hot water for the kitchen, restrooms, staff shower, and laundry; PV panel and DC pump circulates liquid between the collectors and a large storage tank in the building; heat exchanger pre-heats domestic hot water; geothermal heat pump provides supplemental hot water
• geothermal heating and cooling — liquid circulated through a "close-loop" tubes buried outside the building; liquid exchanged in 7 "ground-source" heat pumps in the building that raise the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant liquid; heat exchanged with a separate internal water loop and circulated in the floor to heat the interior; reversed process for summer cooling
• wind energy — electricity generated by a 10kW wind-turbine mounted on a 120 foot tower; alternating current (AC) generated connected to the building's electrical system and excess electricity sold back to the local utility
• solar photovoltaic electricity — 18 photovoltaic panels mounted on a 2.3kW tracking array follows the sun; inverter converts the direct current (DC) to AC for conventional use; excess electricity sold back to the local utility
• biomass wood heat — central masonry heater, with a special refractory core and extended heat-exchange flue, absorbs heat from a relatively short and hot fire; high-efficient, low-emissions, and long-term radiant heat storage and distribution; hydronic heat exchanger tied into the geothermal radiant heating system
• high-performance mechanical systems — non-CFC equipment avoids atmospheric ozone depletion; individually-zoned control for heating, cooling, humidity, and ventilation; zone-controlled energy-recovery ventilation equipment for mechanical ventilation and make-up air; zone-controlled in-floor hydronic-radiant heat distribution; indoor air quality monitoring

Recognition

A unique partnership between the State of Wisconsin and the non-profit Friends of Mead McMillan Association, Inc. made this project possible. $606,000 in State funds were matched by over $1.6 million in private funds and in-kind donations of materials and services. The successful incorporation of the many sustainable building techniques and renewable energy systems in the facility are a direct result of the private fundraising effort.

See Also

• Energy and Green Design at the George W. Mead Wildlife Area [PDF 76KB]
• Friends of Mead-McMillan Wildlife Area [exit DNR]
• Architect Tom Brown Case Study [exit DNR]
• 2006 Sustainability and Energy Efficiency (SE²) Leadership Award Winners [Exit DNR][PDF]