Sierra Designs said it expects to move into a more eco-friendly headquarters in Boulder March 19. The company, now based in Louisville, Colo., said it will be fully open for business at the new site by March 24.
The maker of outdoor gear and apparel worked with Henry Mueller Design, Inc. to create a more sustainable space on an economical budget. The company looked at the basic guidelines of sustainable design and kept the “Three Rs” in mind at all times Reduce, Re-use and Recycle.
In March, Sierra Designs will be moving into a newly expanded facility. The newly remodeled space in Boulder, Colo., was designed with priorities placed on reducing the companys carbon footprint.
“We had a great opportunity to design a sustainable space that we could be proud of, and that reflects our teams passion and ethos,” Says Paul Gagner, president of Sierra Designs.
To reduce energy and water consumption, low flow plumbing fixtures were used throughout the remodeled facility. The newly remodeled building also replaced all existing ceiling fluorescent light fixtures, with energy efficient T-8 fixtures utilizing electronic ballasts. This step was the largest contribution to reducing the carbon footprint of the building. According to Henry Mueller Design, efficient lighting not only reduces the lighting energy costs but the cooling costs as well. This principal was also applied to the showroom where the standard flood lighting was replaced with compact fluorescent units. Further lighting energy was saved by utilizing sun tracking skylights in their main open work areas.
Eco-friendly finish materials were utilized in paint, carpeting, floor tile and ceiling tile. Paint with minimal amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was used to reduce air pollution and prevent health risks to people working in the facility.
