Building Green at DNR
Northern Region Headquarters in Spooner

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is building a new Northern Region Headquarters building in Spooner. The project was designed by Berners-Schober Associates of Green Bay. It is hoped that the building will receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification from the U.S Green Building Council and will be at least 60% more energy efficient than a standard code derived building.

Thumbnails link to larger images.

Some of the green strategies that are being used include:

• R-17 wall assembly insulation
• R-31.5 roof roof assembly insulation
• Low-E clear, high visible transmittance, Argon filled glazing.
• Auto control dimming of electric lights in conjunction with natural day lighting
• Occupancy sensor control of electric lights in private offices, storage, restrooms, break room, conference rooms, and data center
• Lighting power density (watts/sf) 15% better than code base in data center, corridor, lobby, storage, mech/elec room, restrooms, and break room
• Super-T8 lamps and extra efficient ballasts
• 96% efficient condensing gas boiler
• Under floor air, electrical, and telecommunications distribution system
• Premium efficiency supply/return fan motors and pump motors
• Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) on supply/return air fans
• CO2 control of outside air, occupancy sensor control of VAV boxes, and total heat recovery
• red pine paneling harvested from the site

Work on the new DNR Service Center in Spooner is winding down, and more than 70 employees are expected to move into the 18,100-square foot facility in early March.

Construction at the site, located immediately behind the current 48-year-old building on Highway 70, began in the fall of 2010. When the new building is operational, the existing one will be razed and replaced with green space and parking space.

See Also

• U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC) [exit DNR]