One of the earlier stories we did for this Down To Earth blog back in 2007 was a tour of the newly renovated historic Saranac Building on West Main Avenue - a state-of-the art "green building" which to us at the time was a fairly fresh term.  The grand opening party for this LEED-ambitious project was just around the corner, and we decided that we had to check the place out.  Plus, we were awfully curious ourselves about the massive solar array that you could see from 1-90 and many places downtown. 

With very little effort, we got in contact with William Webster, owner of Isabella's Restaurant (Saranac tenant) and he agreed to take us on a tour of the building.  With construction equipment still scattered in the hallways, and not a finger tapping on a keyboard anywhere in sight or sound, Webster walked us through the 32,000 square-feet of floor space showing us the water capture storage in the basement, the reused materials on the ground floors, the impressive rooftop garden, and yes, those massive solar panels. 

Since that story ran the Saranac Building Renovation project achieved what it aimed for - LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council - the highest level possible.  But it hasn't quite had the "lead by example" effect we envisioned it would, and probably what building owner Jim Sheehan envisioned also.  Construction and renovation creates HUGE amounts of waste, lighting and powering buildings isn't nearly as efficient and smart as it needs to be, and resources are never fully utilized.  The path we're on isn't a sustainable one, and it won't be until buildings like the Saranac are just regular old buildings in a city. 

That being said, on Monday we took part in a ceremony on the rooftop of the Saranac that celebrated the official LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.  After the jump you can read our recap of the event.

 

As the sun baked the nearly 100 guests gathered on the rooftop patio of the historic Saranac Building on Monday evening, one couldn't help but grin at the irony of feeling Mother Nature's wrath on top of one of only five buildings in the state that returns that wrath less.

In April, the Saranac Building Renovation was Certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum from the U.S. Green Building Council, and on Monday the building which sits at 25 W. Main Ave. was publicly recognized for the distinction featuring guest speakers such as Spokane Mayor Mary Verner and Sen. Lisa Brown.

LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings and LEED Platinum is the highest certification awarded. There are currently five LEED Platinum buildings in the state of Washington, including the Saranac, which is the only one east of the Cascade mountains in our stat

Built in 1908, the renovated Saranac Building is the crown jewel of the ever-changing West Main Avenue scene and part of the East Downtown Historic District. Home to Isabella’s Restaurant, the Magic Lantern Theatre, an art gallery, and plenty of office space, the Saranac is an extension of the Community Building complex, and a marvel in responsible and sustainable design.

In their respective congratulatory speeches, Verner and Brown, both of whom had offices on the 4th floor of the Saranac after it opened two years ago during a transitional time in their careers, spoke highly of Spokane’s environmental progress and Mr. Sheehan’s role. “To consume less, so others can have more,” Verner plaintively said about Spokane’s sustainability goal, acknowledging the work of the Sustainable Task Force and the community of non-profits at the Saranac like the Lands Council and Center For Justice.

For her part, Lisa Brown mentioned the new conscious generation of political leadership with a nod toward current candidates for City Council as an indicator for Spokane’s eco-progress. (Coincidentally, District #2 candidate Jon Snyder was briefly in attendance.) However, most praise was saved for Sheehan, telling the crowd, “Jim, you inspire us all.”

Next Rob Butler, from Zeck Butler Architects, the principle firm on the project, discussed the technical feats like using 79 percent less water than a building of its size and asked the audience to “look around at the magnitude that is the Saranac.” Standing on the green roof, with its drought tolerant plants including basil, thyme, and oregano for temperature control, and the largest private solar field in the state with 98 solar panels, it was hard to disagree with Butler’s comment.

Accepting the large glass LEED plaque from Brandon Smith of Cascadia, the leading green building organization in the Pacific Northwest, was building owner, and Center for Justice founder, and DTE-recognized “7 Wonder of Spokane”, Jim Sheehan. In a humble speech, Sheehan gave credit where credit was due: “I want to acknowledge the workers who stayed late and banged their thumbs. They’re not here and we can’t forget them.” He also echoed Verner’s thoughts on sustainability, saying the Saranac was symbolic of the connectivity---from recycling to using our natural resources as a clean, healthy energy provider---towards the way we positively treat each other and improve our quality of life.

Developed in 1994, LEED provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction and verifies environmental performance, occupant health, and financial return. There are currently more than 14,000 projects in the United States and 30 countries. There are four levels of LEED certification: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

Points are awarded in six categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation in Design.  Platinum certification requires 80 points or more out of 100.

According to Zeck Butler Architects, the Saranac Building Renovation was designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification through the incorporation of a multitude of sustainable strategies including the following:
• 85% of the original building was re-used, eliminating the need for all new materials.
• 90% of construction waste was diverted from landfills through recycling and re-use.
• Construction incorporated 20% recycled materials, including steel, acoustical ceiling panels, carpeting and denim insulation.
• 27% of materials were obtained from local sources including lumber, concrete and ceramic tile.
• Water use was reduced by 47% over conventional construction through re-use, low-flow fixtures and waterless urinals.
• A rooftop garden uses a catchment system for recycling rain water and cooling the building with vegetation.
• Energy use was reduced by 86% through solar collection, a ground source heat pump, direct digital controls and daylighting.
• Solar panels generate 14% of the building’s power.
• The remaining power is from 100% renewable sources.
• Building users are able to reduce carbon emissions through use of public transportation with connections to existing transportation systems.

From our vantage point on Monday evening, the Saranac rooftop was also one heck of a looking post to check out more progress and renovation--- and possible sight of another LEED certification ceremony - in the Main Market Co-Op construction sight at the former Goodyear Tire store location on the corner of West Main Avenue and Browne Street. But this night was all about the Saranac, and awarding those involved in the project and the celebration of community.

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