Tinker building wins gold

Published Nov. 10, 2011
By Brandice J. O'Brien
Tinker Public Affairs

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- It's not an Olympic Games year, but Tinker officially accepted the gold recently.

Col. Bob LaBrutta, 72nd Air Base Wing and Tinker installation commander, accepted the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, 2011 gold plaque. Awarded by U.S. Green Building Council Oklahoma chapter officials, the award recognizes the new 72nd Security Forces Squadron Visitors' Center, Bldg. 6611, as environmentally friendly.

"Energy efficiency is one of our top priorities at Tinker. In fact, it's one of our Breakthrough Performance Areas," said Colonel LaBrutta. "We established stretch goals for ourselves with the objective of reducing our overall energy consumption by more than 50 percent over the next five years. When we get the opportunity to build military construction projects that achieve a gold LEED standard like this facility, it's a big step in the right direction of meeting our overall energy-efficiency targets."

The Air Force requires new MILCON projects and major renovations meet LEED silver certification requirements, yet the 3,776-square-foot Bldg. 6611 exceeded them.

"The Air Force has a very high standard," said Thomas "Grif" Griffith, base civil engineer for the 72nd Air Base Wing Civil Engineer Directorate. "I would like to say 'thanks' to The Ross Group for being able to put together a facility that not only meets the silver standards but exceeds them to the point where we were able to meet the gold standard."

LEED officials graded the building on five categories - sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environment. The visitors' center scored a total of 39 points, the minimum for a gold rating.

The center earned the most points, 12 out of 15, in the indoor environmental quality category. Within the building's design, ventilation is monitored for acceptable indoor air quality and carbon monoxide output. If the carbon monoxide output exceeds 10 percent or more from the set-point, an alarm will sound. Additionally, low-emitting paints and coatings, adhesives and sealants, carpet and composite woods were used.

"For people who don't quite understand, LEED is a four-letter acronym," said Gary Shlifer, U.S. Green Building Council Oklahoma Chapter Board member. "What it really means is the people who work in this building will work many hours in a clean and comfortable environment. The building is energy and water efficient."

Matt Bell, co-owner of Viridian, which was the lead consultant in the LEED process, said what makes Bldg. 6611 stand out are the qualities that can't be seen.

The center is 24.6 percent more energy efficient. It will use 40 percent less water than like facilities and 95 percent of construction waste was recycled.