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Olin Rice 249
1600 Grand Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
651-696-6274
Comments & questions to:
esson@macalester.edu
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Campus Environmental Issues Committee
Meeting with INTEP
October 11, 2005
Olin Rice 250, 12:00 p.m.
Attendance
Brett Smith(Co-chair), Mark Dickinson, (Co-chair), Claire Briguglio (ES student worker), Maggi Hughes, Timothy DenHerder-Thomas, Badger Johnson (Macalester Wolves), Claudia Leung (CEIC & others), Miki Palchick (MULCH), Erin Foster West (CSO), Ruth Janisch Lake (CSO), Elise Pagel, Claire Stoscheck
Meeting begins with a few brief announcements:
- Brett: The environmental roundtables have been promoting recycling and “Zero Waste” in Saint Paul. MPIRG is holding a meeting on Thursday, October 20, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. (location to be announced) with Jim Davidson, the supervisor of the Mac recycling program on how students can help with increasing recycling. If interested in this meeting contact Sarah Stephens or Brett Smith or if interested in a zero waste initiative at Macalester, contact smithb@macalester.edu.
- Erin Foster West: Reminder that the second “Zero Waste” roundtable meeting is on October 17, 7-9 pm, at the Mounds Theatre (1029 Hudson Rd, Saint Paul). The community service office is providing a van service to the meeting. Anyone interested in taking the van, contact: efosterwest@macalester.edu.
History of INTEP and Macalester’s green building
- About two years ago, coaches, faculty, students, etc., met with planners to create strategies and formulate ideas about sustainable approaches for Macalester’s athletic and recreation building.
- In the fall of 2004, architects began working on the conceptual design, and INTEP has been hired to work with architects and engineers to achieve Macalester’s goals.
- The general plan consists of an entrance onto the ground floor where the gym is held, past that will be the field house and track. The 2nd floor will hold multi-purpose rooms and the fitness center, and on the 3rd floor will be office suites and a wellness center.
Presentation by Joel from INTEP (Integrated Planning)
- INTEP begins by defining a building in consideration of its purpose and secondly by optimizing its spaces. INTEP then produces a series of choices based on student, faculty, and community needs/expectations.
- INTEP works off of a global base of knowledge through its international offices to create high-performance buildings.
- Goals are created and target values are set, and all design factors are considered in order to achieve these goals.
- INTEP solves on a multivariable basis, considering free resources and benefits first (rainwater, natural light, etc.) Choices in resources (insulators, plastics, composites, windows, etc.) are considered for environmental effectiveness, conventional effectiveness, money, special occupation, etc.
- INTEP does not design the building but helps Macalester create expectations and requirements. These expectations will be laid out in a series of choices available to Macalester in the form of a “Duty Book” to be finished by the end of October.
Questions (generalized)
Q: Is there, or can there be, a focus that can be publicized to the Macalester community?
A: INTEP creates a lot that is invisible and inconspicuous. Communication to students should be presented on effects they might not otherwise notice without being informed.
Q: Are there any particular features that are prevalent in the buildings plans?
A: Again, many of the buildings features are inconspicuous, however, one of the main features that will be a significant choice is the use of day lighting.
Q: From the present plans, the MULCH garden will not be able to occupy its present space. Is it possible to integrate a space for the garden into the plans?
A: Mark Dickinson responds that this issue had been discussed as part of the master plan, and although there is no allocated spot for the garden presently, possible garden locations are being considered.
Q: It seems significant that Macalester’s energy efficient work is being done on a building where kinetic energy is constantly being created. Could we use this kinetic energy (from bike machines, etc.) to create a surplus of energy?
A: This idea seems very interesting, and INTEP does consider things such as body heat that is released from people in a room and how this ultimately affects other factors of the building.
Q: INTEP communicates ideas and choices to Macalester, does INTEP also do design?
A: INTEP provides data and information based on models considering efficiency as choices for design, without defining a specific look or design.
Q: Is a green roof being considered and what factors are needed to achieve this? Are operating costs included in the calculation of the cost of the building?
A: Options have not been presented yet, and consequently, choices have not been made, giving the possibility for a green roof or other choices to still be adopted. In answer to the 2nd question, the choices that INTEP produces do consider human resource costs and operating costs.
Q: Will the Macalester community have a chance to talk to INTEP again once the process is further along?
A: Mark comments that meetings are already being considered for the end of this semester ad the beginning of next. INTEP should have the “Duty Book” available by November 1 and a meeting may be held so that students and faculty will be able to see the choices available for the green building.
Meeting adjourned.
Minutes taken by Claire Briguglio.
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