Going green needn’t cost more green.
That’s the experience in Naperville, Illinois, where library renovations featuring a host of green features are costing over 12 percent less than anticipated.
From design to lighting to furnishings -- even technology -- the three libraries in the Naperville Public Library system will be ecologically friendly as well as intellectually compelling.
With bids 12 to 13 percent below budget, the library district is able to do more work for the same amount of money. “It is possible to be green on a budget, even in these tough economic times,” said PHN Principal Andy Dogan, who is in charge of the project.
Wheaton-based PHN Architects is overseeing renovations of the libraries: the main Nichols Library downtown and two additional facilities, the Naper Boulevard Library in the southwest portion of the district, and the 95th Street Library, in the southern section.
“The Naperville Public Library has a strong commitment to sustainability, allowing us to incorporate green features into the design and the materials,” Dogan said.
The Nichols Library, constructed in 1986, is Naperville’s oldest library building and its most heavily used. Work includes new restrooms throughout the facility; renovated computer lab; new circulation and information desks in both Children’s and Adult Services, and other infrastructure improvements.
Work at the 1993 Naper Boulevard Library involves stairwell renovation, a new circulation desk, expanded workroom space, updated staff facilities, including the kitchenette and restrooms, and landscaping and signage improvements.
The 95th Street Library was built in 2004. There, finishes will be replaced with more environmentally friendly materials. Other work includes improved signage, reconfiguration of office areas and renovation of the library’s cafe.
PHN and library officials incorporated a host of environmentally friendly elements into the renovation plans.
• A new lighting system for the Nichols Library will dramatically reduce energy costs. Windows surround the entire main level, allowing PHN to incorporate daylighting with a state-of-the-art T5 fluorescent lighting system. “As natural light increases, sensors will turn off some of the artificial lamps to save energy. The system continually monitors lighting levels to keep a consistent energy level, and reduce energy costs at the same time,” Dogan said.
• Occupancy sensors in restrooms and offices will reduce energy usage, and water-saving plumbing fixtures will be 20 percent more efficient than required by Environmental Protection Agency standards.
• PHN selected healthy options for paint, carpeting, flooring and other materials, with low volatile organic content. Materials include rubber flooring and natural linoleum, instead of vinyl, to prevent the off-gassing from the vinyl itself and to avoid the vinyl manufacturing process, which can be toxic, Dogan said. These materials are also more durable than those more traditionally used.
• Officials selected Greenguard-certified furniture, the gold standard for environmentally friendly furnishings, said Dogan. “And for millwork, finishings and materials throughout the buildings, we emphasized using those with recycled content, and products and materials, where possible, available locally. That reduces environmental impact as well as transportation costs,” he said.
• Video conferencing equipment in all three buildings will permit employees to confer without leaving their respective buildings, reducing the number of vehicle trips and promoting staff productivity.
• The new landscaping irrigation system at the Naper Boulevard Library will use rainwater runoff from the roof, to reduce the demand for municipal water.
“What we’ve done are simple strategies – practical steps --that anybody can do,” Dogan emphasized. “It’s not difficult to lessen our impact on the environment. It’s not costly, as evidenced by the lower-than-expected bids. And all these steps will save not only energy but also money, in lower utility costs. It’s a win for the library, for the taxpayers and for Planet Earth.”
He praised library officials for their commitment to be environmentally sensitive. “They challenged us to be as green as possible,” he said. “It’s wonderful to work with people who feel as strongly about sustainability as we do.”
The $1.9 million project -- with $1.3 million of that cost for the Nichols Library project -- is expected to be completed by October.
