Sun, water help building reduce environmental impact
The Tarrant Regional Water DistrictÂ’s new home boasts the largest solar panel array in the state, but that bragging right is just one part to a larger goal of having one of the most energy-efficient buildings in Fort Worth.
The building, located at 800 E. Northside Drive, recently opened its doors to the more than 50 state employees who work in the 26,000-square-foot facility. Upon certification, those employees could be working in one of the stateÂ’s highest-rated buildings per standards set forth by the U.S. Green Building CouncilÂ’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, rating system.
“The district has a long-standing policy of environmental stewardship,” said Laura Blaylock, a hydrologist with the TRWD. “We take into account the environmental, economic and social benefits. Knowing we needed to build a new building to house several different departments, we decided we take advantage of every opportunity to build an energy-efficient facility.”
The Gideon Toal-designed facility, completed earlier this year after about 12 months of construction, incorporates a host of features that collectively work to reduce its impact on the environment. Notable features include three 2,500-gallon rain water cisterns to water native Texas landscaping; low-VOC paint on the buildingÂ’s interior; automatic lights that adjust to the amount of daylight within; furniture, floors, carpet and more made of recyclable materials; and the largest roof-mounted solar photovoltaic panel array in Texas, designed by HoustonÂ’s Standard Renewable Energy.
“In this particular case, the solar array covers somewhere near 90 percent of the available roof itself,” said Tom Stumpf, an energy efficiency consultant with SRE. “The way the building was constructed, it significantly reduces electric consumption. The array will offset about 70 percent of their consumption.”
The 1,157 panels face south at an angle that maximizes sun exposure; each panel is about 3 feet by 5 feet, and they fit tightly against one another. The panel system cost $1.47 million, but that cost didnÂ’t discourage district officials from pursuing it and other features.
“There is an initial high cost, that is true, but in the long term this array will pay for itself in 18 years,” Blaylock said.
“The district is a long-term member of the Fort Worth community, the business community,” she added. “We’ve always looked toward more efficient ways of doing things because we do provide water to 1.7 million people. Whether the country is in a bad shape has no bearing on how we operate our system. All of our buildings, we’ve always tried to get energy-efficient initiatives.”
The panel is built in such a way that when it rains, the water drains across the panels and roof and is collected with those three 2,500-gallon water drums.
“When it’s raining we’re collecting the rainwater. When it’s sunny we’re collecting the sun,” Blaylock said.
Stumpf said the company is excited to be a part of the program because the TRWD “has shown to be one of the pioneers as a governmental agency in the state of Texas.”
Per the solar array: “In a way it could be a badge of honor,” Stumpf said, “but it’s also about positive stewardship and putting the county in a good light and setting the bar to be met for other counties. It shows other counties it can be done.
“They’re putting their money where their mouth is,” Stumpf said of the district. “It’s very significant for a number of reasons. It shows a great partnership with the TRWD. Also, it validates things like this can be done in a cooperative environment. We’re both working toward the same goal of making the building energy efficient.”
