Green Building at Potawot
The Potawot Health Clinic building represents the relationship of modern and traditional values. The green design aspects of this unique building allow for all sorts of alternative energy. Our one of kind visual aspects makes The Potawot Health Clinic a great achievement for all the Native people and Tribes that participated in its creation.
Sustainable Practices
Appliances
- Energy Star Refrigerators
Foundation
- Slab foundation using local aggregate
Exterior Finish
- Stained concrete to look like redwood
- Seamless Metal Roof
Interior Finishes
- Non-lead based paints
- Recycled redwood from old mill and barn
Plumbing
- Insulated hot water pipes
- Urinals, lavatories, and faucet aerators throughout the building are low-flow water-conserving designs
Structural Frame and Building Envelope
- Concrete tilt-up wall construction using split redwood forms
- The walls, roof, and glazing all feature higher resistance to heat transmission than required by California
Insulation
- Use of all dual pane windows
- Minimum of R-19 on walls
- Minimum of R-30 in the ceiling and roof
Electrical
- All Compact Florescent Lighting (T-8 and T-5 lamps)
- Use of some motion sensor light switch
- Microlite Lighting System
Flooring
- Recycled hem-fir ends
- Non-toxic glues in carpet
- Patch type carpet for replacing only small areas that need it
Site / Demo
- Restoration of native landscape and farm 4 years prior to building
- Designed with considerations to solar, wind, and visual aspects
- Fill used to create topography for habitat and aspect
Renewable Energy
- 42 KW grid-tie solar system (~25% of clinics energy demands)
- Installed well pump for garden with conduit ready to integrate solar
- Use of passive solar (skylights, windows, etc.)
- Waste reduction efforts through recycling, composting, and resource minimization
- Promote use of email to reduce paper consumption
Landscaping
- Planted wetland, meadow, and upland native plants throughout clinic landscaping and entire site
- Integrated stormwater system from roof and parking lot runoff
- Installed snags and woody debris to attract wildlife
- Pine resin pitch semi-permeable trails
- Use of recycled plastic decking (Trex)
- Used recycled redwood on decks, bridges, benches, and signs whenever possible
- 3 acre Organic Food Garden with onsite farmer’s market
- Installed bike racks to promote biking
Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning
- Highly efficient Boilers (min. 87% efficiency)
- Highly efficient Chillers
- Computerized HVAC system
- Use of VAV (Variable Air Volume) system to manage airflow with a Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) to reduce the speed of the standard induction electric motor. Maximizing the fan energy savings associated with matching airflow to building load.
- High Efficient motors for air handlers and pumps
- Building Automation System: The Direct Digital Control (DC) system provides accurate, efficient control of all the building system components.
