2017-011 LEED Feasibility Study for Fire Station 3 KB 021017
Date: February 3, 2017 Report No. 2017-011 Ɏ
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
The City Council Committee on the Environment (COE) met January 17, 2017 and
recommended that the attached LEED Feasibility Study for Fire Station 3 be forwarded to the
full council for review.
The purpose of the report is to provide the LEED Feasibility Study for Fire Station 3 to the full
City Council as requested by the City Council Committee on the Environment (COE). The
feasibility study was completed as required by the Municipal Green Building Policy and is
designed to assist in decision making regarding pursuing LEED certification. This is an
information item only.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Denton adopted a Municipal Green Building Resolution and Policy in March of
2014. Since that time, two projects have been approved to move forward with LEED design
certification, Fire Station 2 and Fire Station 4. Fire Station 2 design was substantially complete
prior to adoption of the Municipal Green Building Resolution and Policy dated 18 March 2014.
Construction contracts for Station 2 were evaluated 10 July 2014. Station 4 is the same basic
design as Station 2 and used similar LEED elements.
Fire Station 3 provided the first opportunity to fully implement the Municipal Green Building
Policy guidelines on a large project. The feasibility study was completed by a third party and is
included, as an attachment. The feasibility study includes two LEED checklists; the first would
achieve LEED certified with little or no additional design, and the second addresses the ability to
achieve LEED Silver certification with low cost options.
It is important to note that Fire Station 3 is unique with regards to building energy issues
because the project is registered under the 2009 LEED standards (older version) and will be
nternational Energy
Conservation Code (IECC).
Incremental costs of LEED have been difficult to determine. Multiple North American studies
have estimated the cost increase to range from the 0-3 percent. Staff believes, based on the
number and depth of the studies, that this is likely an accurate range for Fire Station 3 for overall
project cost.
To further define true costs, the initial cost differential for LEED should be compared to any
operation savings that will occur as a result of these LEED elements. Unfortunately, these
analyses can become quite complicated. The City of Dallas commissioned a LEED justification
Date: February 3, 2017 Report No. 2017-011 Ɏ
study to review operational cost of LEED v non-LEED structures in mid- 2012, and the results of
that study are included with this informal staff report. The Dallas study was specifically
s,
and focused on nine fire stations and ten libraries constructed between 2000 and 2011. The
study period was set as the calendar years of 2009, 2010, and 2011, and construction costs were
normalized relative to each other using 2012 costs as the baseline.
The study looked at water and energy efficiency LEED elements, since these elements could
provide a calculated payback period under expected usage patterns. Specific to fire stations, the
Dallas study found:
Electricity and natural gas consumption of LEED fire stations is 10.9% less than non-
LEED fire stations.
The estimated three year energy savings for LEED fire stations is $30,040, as measured
during the study period.
Water consumption of LEED fire stations (exclusive of irrigation water) is 46.9% less
than that of non-LEED fire stations.
Staff is aware that the new version of LEED will exceed the requirements of the new building
code. During discussions with the Committee on the Environment, Staff proposed reviewing the
newest version of LEED as compared to the new building code to evaluate the implications of
designing and constructing to the more stringent standard. This review and evaluation may
result in recommendations to modify the existing Municipal Green Building policy.
The Committee on the Environment recommended pursing LEED for Fire Station 3, evaluating
the interactions between the new LEED standards and 2015 IECC building codes, and using this
information to evaluate the Municipal Green Building Policy at future meetings. Review of the
2015 IECC and LEED v4 will begin with the COE in March/April 2017.
EXHIBITS:
1. Fire Station 3 Feasibility Study
2. City of Dallas LEED Justification Study
STAFF CONTACT:
Katherine Barnett
Sustainability and Special Project Administrator
940-349-8202
Katheine.barnett@cityofdenton.com
Date: February 3, 2017 Report No. 2017-011 Ɏ