12/25/2009 6:00:00 AM Solar tubes to brighten building
Courtesy
Construction superintendent Steve Plodinec of Hardy Construction, Inc. holds a diffuser panel from a solar tube lighting apparatus in the Mohave County Development Services building presently under construction.
KINGMAN - New technology is bringing a bright future for Mohave County's latest "green" building."
The new County Development Services building being built by Hardy Construction in Kingman will receive a designation from the U.S. Green Building Council as a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified Green Building, said Mohave County Office of Management and Budget Manager Gene Hepler.
"And 15 unique solar tubes will help light the way for our increased energy efficiency, and that certification," he said.
Solar tube lighting "is kind of amazing," said Superintendent Steve Plodinec of Hardy Construction, Inc. "They are nothing more than clear-plastic, solar-collector domes on the roof connected to highly polished tubes that come down to diffuser panels that put out more light than the electric lights."
The diffuser panels look like bright electric lights but are "just sunlight reflected down from the domes," he said. The placement of the solar tubes is "to get the most amount of light into the building where we need it."
The tubes are 21-1/2- inches in diameter "so all the piping will go between the roof tresses," Plodinec said. "Most solar tubes that are now being used in residential construction are 12 to 14 inches."
The light is the brightest when sunlight directly hits the domes, he said.
But even in the morning when the sun doesn't hit directly, light is reflected. "During the full moon it almost looks as if they are lit. They collect light from the moon.
"No electricity or energy usage of any kind is involved with solar tube lighting," Plodinec said.
"To go along with this, the building is equipped with sensors along the exterior wall lines to measure the amount of sunlight hitting the domes," he said. "If the sun is very bright, the sensors will cut down the electrical lighting."
The solar tube lighting is being paid for by an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant, Hepler said. "It comes as part of an Energy Efficient Conservation Block Grant. We used $35,000 for this electricity-free lighting, which pays for the lights and the installation. And, we will receive a five-year credit from UniSource for installing them."
With the building planned for at least 50 years of service, the lighting is only one of many long-term, cost-saving benefits designed into the facility, he said.
"Overall, there are a lot of things that go into the design and construction of a LEED Certified Green Building. The design must be focused on sustainability and energy efficiency. There will be bicycle racks outside with showers and lockers so employees can walk or ride to work and then shower and dress for work. Carpooling will be promoted, " he said.
"The materials that go into the carpeting, furniture and paint will be low VOC (volatile organic compound) material and contain less glue and chemicals to cut down on allergy problems. Everything will be designed to use less energy and less water while utilizing natural resources and recycled materials."
Chillers placed on the roof will circulate cooling solution from a buried 50,000-gallon tank through the building to cool it in the summer, Plodinec said. Greywater from sinks and rain off the roof goes into a tank to be stored and used for irrigating the landscaping. All landscaping will be desert plants which will require a minimum amount of irrigation.
Recycling of waste materials during construction is a large part of LEED certification.
"It's amazing," Plodinec said. "We are recycling and reusing over 95 percent of the construction trash generated on this job - all lumber, sheetrock, concrete, blocks, pallets that carry the materials, cardboard, etc. Initially, we were sure we could do 50 percent; we had hoped to get 75 percent; and, at this time, we are close to 97 percent. I'm amazed we were able to achieve that high a percentage."
Construction should be completed by late February or early March. "It's moving right along," he said.
The Development Services Building will be the second LEED Certified Green Building in North-western Arizona; the first being the Mohave County Administration Building in Kingman, Hepler said. "And our third 'green' building will be the Mohave County Library, Bullhead City Branch."
Reader Comments
Posted: Thursday, January 14, 2010
Article comment by:
Mr. Morgan
Great Project!
There are those that will comment without having all of the facts,that of course is "human nature".
I manage an energy efficiency company in Bullhead City, AZ.
The weather plays an important part of any products life-span when it is exposed to the elements, and we have extreme elements in this area.
To claim the products will last only 5 years is an un-educated guess at best. The products available these days (such as the ones we install) are waranteed for 25 years (for all parts.
The claim of having to repair the roof after 5 years is also claiming the installer had no idea of what they were doing.
As far as the savings benefit goes... the ROI on the products we here at Heat Guard Today install is 3-7 years depending on the installation variables.
While facts prove the energy savings are great ($0.04 per day per 32 Watt energy efficient 4 ft. bulb) the physiological and psychological benefits, increased productivity and just overall feeling of doing good for the environment, should incline everyone to use daylighting in every building and home.
Now to address the heat coefficient question 0.23 (again speaking of the products we install.
Those may think that the addition of insulation around the tube is required to stop the transfer of heat from the light coming through the tube are a little off the mark. The transfer of any amount of heat would come from the attic or cavity that the tube runs through, which, with solar ventillation and radiant barrier, that wouldn't be a very measuerable amount.
I hope all is clear. any questions please call.
Be smart, Save energy, Go Green.
Posted: Monday, January 04, 2010
Article comment by:
Avery Ray Colter
I would be more enthusiastic about this if it was a fiber optic transmission rather than hollow skytubes. Hollow skytubes need to be wrapped in insulation to prevent excessive heat transfer, and the longer they are, the more insulation is needed.
Is there an NFRC rating on the system? What is the solar heat gain coefficient? This is an important number for reducing the amount of heating coming into the recipient zones along with the light, which affects the cooling costs in the summer.
What this article does not say is how much will be saved by using less electricity for the lighting. If that is more than the "$800 roof repair every 5 years", then so be it.
