Half-Moon Outfitters is embarking on renovations for a new distribution center designed to be so environmentally friendly as to attain the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum certification (LEED). Throughout the project, expected to take six months to build and up to a year to certify, all phases of construction will be monitored and meticulously documented for LEED-NC 2.2 certification. LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations (LEED-NC 2.2) is the “green” building rating system designed to guide and distinguish high-performance commercial and institutional projects.
As environmental sensitivity has increasingly affected building methods and designs across the country, LEED has become the standard by which all “green” construction is measured. Currently, only six buildings in South Carolina and 340 in the country are certified, while only eight of those, and none in South Carolina, have achieved the highest distinction of LEED Platinum.
“We are attempting to lead by example in building a fulfillment center that is among the 'greenest' buildings in our area, if not the country,” explains Beezer Molten, owner of Half-Moon Outfitters. “Given the environmental aspect of our business, I feel we simply have to do it.”
Molten explains that the environmental focus now so key in his industry has been a growing process for Half-Moon Outfitters and its employees. “For our business, it began with recycling and low-energy light bulbs in our changing rooms and grew into construction techniques,” he shares.
Looking at this project, Molten shares the impact of this growing commitment, “I am astounded at the amount of construction waste that goes to the landfill on even a modest store renovation. Here, all waste will be viewed as a recycling opportunity. In the past, store designers often were forced to have a casual approach toward accommodating additional energy needs rather than examining the building design to address the sources of energy waste. We are going to use this office and warehouse build-out as a lesson in how we might build our next store from the ground up.”
For the renovation, Half-Moon Outfitters is tapping the talents of a former employee now heavily involved in sustainable building design and construction. Nathan Gauthier, currently coordinator of the High Performance Building Service for the Harvard Green Campus Initiative, will act as LEED consultant for the project.
“I'm thrilled to be working with Beezer and Half-Moon again as they continue to be good stewards of the planet,” comments Gauthier. “A surprising benefit from working there was being able to use it as a platform for educating people about sustainability. Getting people out of the disposable, cheapest-is-always-best mindset that has become so prevalent in our society was a tremendous perk of working at Half-Moon, and this project takes that a step further.”
The new distribution center will include rainwater collection and irrigation, a solar energy system, paints and carpets manufactured without volatile organic compounds, and building materials and furnishings that utilize recycled or sustainable harvested materials. Skylights will cover five percent of the ceiling, offering natural light sufficient to “daylight” the space and eliminate the need for artificial lighting on all but the cloudiest of days.
“This building could and should change the way people feel about work. We intend to create a space where people will enjoy the natural environment even while on the clock,” Molten adds. The building is designed to allow employees to have more access to the outdoors, both visually from the interior and while outside with numerous seating opportunities in a garden setting that replaces 50 percent of the current parking lot.
Molten explains that building “green” means using existing resources. The renovation of the building, located near Park Circle, revitalizes a key site in the heart of the North Charleston business district, a once-vital business community that has struggled in recent years. The building was originally constructed around 1940 as a Piggly Wiggly grocery store and has had many transformations since then.
The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System® is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Within the LEED rating system, the NC 2.2 classification is the most comprehensive. Of the 69 points on the LEED-NC 2.2 project checklist, a minimum of 52 must be achieved and documented for the platinum designation. More information on the LEED program can be found at www.usgbc.org.
