• The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community was awarded its first LEED certification for the building which houses South Metro Federal Credit Union.
• Silver level LEED certification was announced March 25, 2010.
• South Metro opened in the new building September 8, 2009.
• It is located across from Mystic Lake Casino Hotel behind Dakota Mall and to the east of its previous location.
• The new one-story building provides 7,934 square feet of space.
• Construction contract signed beginning of December 2008 and SMFCU moved in September 2009.
• 9 offices on one level.

About LEED

• The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national rating system for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings.
• LEED addresses all building types and emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies in five areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resources selection, and indoor environmental quality.
• LEED Certification is a program of the United States Green Building Council.
• LEED certified projects cost less to operate and maintain.
• LEED certified projects are energy and water efficient.
• LEED certified projects contribute to occupant health and productivity.
• Certification at the Silver level of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System compliance or achievement requires a building project to earn 33 to 38 points of a possible 69 across six areas of examination: site sustainability; water efficiency; energy and atmosphere; materials and resources; indoor environmental quality; and innovation and design process.
• This building earned 36 points.

Geothermal System

• Geothermal heating system for temperature control captures heat and cooling from the ground.
• Wells were drilled down 180 feet to utilize the temperature of the earth, which maintains a constant 52 degrees Fahrenheit, to help heat and cool the building.
• 144 wells drilled in the area which later became the parking lot.
• Approximately 26,545 feet of piping is used in the geothermal system.
• The system runs a 30% propylene glycol and 70% water solution. 
• System volume is between 1,300 and 1,500 gallons. 
• Solution is tested yearly to verify the concentration of additives and corrosion inhibitors. 
• Solution should last 10-15 years or longer.
• MEP Associates of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, did the geothermal installation.

Other Environmental Initiatives

• All the finishes are low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) finishes. These include
  • Adhesives and sealants
  • Paintings and coatings
  • Carpet systems
  • Composite wood and agrifiber products
• Local or regional materials produced within 500 miles were used to reduce emissions from transport.
• Numerous large windows, including clerestory windows, allow for the use of daylight. (Clerestory windows are placed high on the wall to allow more daylight to come in.)
• An onsite retention pond collects storm water.
• The parking lot was designed with a minimum number of parking spaces (71) to reduce impervious surfaces.
• There is preferred parking for fuel efficient and low emitting vehicles as well as carpools.
• Drought tolerant landscaping was used so no irrigation is needed.
• Water efficient plumbing fixtures were used.
• The building runs on alternative energy which is purchased from the utility company.
• Construction waste was greatly reduced by use of recycling.
• 29 windows in building
• Acoustical clouds, made of rigid insulation and covered with cloth, are used to help dampen the sound.

Materials Used

• 9,060 square feet of shingles
• 858 square feet of Rockface CMU (Concrete Masonry Unit)
• 2,409 square feet of brick
• 1,252 square feet of glass
• 1,889 square feet of EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finishing System)
• 797 square feet of stone
• Concrete floor area is 8,410 square feet (does not include foundation and footings)

Pavers

• 4,165 square feet of pavers
• 2,083 used truck tires and 62,475 one-gallon size plastic containers were used to make pavers for this project
• Average of ½ truck tire and 15 one-gallon size plastic containers per 1 square foot of paver.
• Pavers using recycled tires instead of brick or concrete.

HVAC

• No CFC-based refrigerants are used in the Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) systems used.
• The project selected refrigerants and HVACR equipment that minimize or eliminate the emission of compounds that contribute to ozone depletion and global warming.
• The completed Refrigerant Impact Calculation indicates that the project’s total refrigerant impact is 97.9 per ton, which is less than the maximum allowable value of 100.

Site

• The site has the minimum 100 feet buffer between the site and wetlands.

Energy Efficiency

• Energy efficiency measures incorporated into the building design include an improved building envelope, reduced interior and exterior lighting power density, occupancy sensors and daylighting controls, ground source heat pumps, and energy recovery.
• The project has an energy cost savings of 22.7% using the ASHRAE 90.1-2004 Appendix G methodology.

Water Use

• The project has reduced potable water use by 40% from a calculated baseline case through the installation of low-flush water closets and urinals and low-flow lavatories and sinks.
• A minimum of 40% project water savings has been achieved.

Recycling and Building Materials

• The project has provided appropriately sized dedicated areas for the collection and storage of recycling materials, including cardboard, paper, plastic, glass, and metals.
• Project diverted 36.13 tons (82.75%) of on-site generated construction waste from landfill.
• 28.53% of the total building materials content, by value, were manufactured using recycled materials.
• 26.06% of the total building materials value is comprised of building materials and/or products that were extracted, harvested, recovered, or manufactured within 500 miles of the project site.
• 65.42% of the total wood based building materials were harvested from Forest Stewardship Council certified forests.

Indoor Air Quality

• Carbon dioxide concentrations are monitored within all densely occupied spaces.
• Direct airflow measurement devices have been provided for each mechanical ventilation system serving non-densely occupied spaces.
• Monitoring equipment has been configured to generate an alarm when conditions vary by 10% or more from the setpoint.
• Indoor adhesive and sealant products, paint and coating products, including anti-corrosive and anti-rust paint products, comply with the VOC limits.
• Carpet systems, composite wood, and agrifiber materials used on the project contain non urea-formaldehyde.

Lighting

• Daylight 77% of spaces.
• Direct line of sight views through exterior windows for 99.32% of all regularly occupied areas.
• Project team has provided an Innovation in Design proposal for development and implementation of a green housekeeping program.

Construction Team

• HTG Architects was the architect for the project.
• Bolton & Menk was the civil engineer.
• Emanuelson Podas was the mechanical and electrical engineer.
• Eminage was the interior designer.
• Clark Engineering was the structural engineer.
• General contractor was Randy Crooks Construction, owned and operated by Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community member Randy Crooks.

Education

• An education program has been developed to present the project’s sustainable design practices to occupants and visitors to the facility.
• This includes a manual highlighting the building’s sustainable design features throughout the building and public tours by appointment.