Going green isn’tjust for unkempthippies anymore. In themidst of what is nowmost certainly an energycrisis, consumers,industries and buildersare trying to ensurethat their buildingsare energy efficient.Whether to save theplanet, or merely marketthemselves as doingso, the fortunate realityis that we are startingto actually follow theadage of ‘reduce, reuseand recycle.’
LEED certificationis the standard bywhich these green efforts are judged. Cities like New York,Los Angeles and Dallas have a broad field of LEED competitors.San Antonio, however, has very few. One of the onlythree certified buildings in San Antonio is the new home ofAlamo Architects. Their office space has been a thorough laborof Earth–love, reducing waste at every turn. The buildingfeatures a rain–collection cistern, as well as measures in theground to reuse rain water and runoff. They also feature a reflectiveroof and awnings for shade to cut down on air conditioningexpenses. Perhaps the most exciting feature, however,is their reuse of the original building. Rather than use all newmaterials (which would actually cost less), Alamo Architectsused the original concrete as their new fence and the originalwood as partitions within the office. This recycling has giventheir new facility a progressive look while retaining the charmof the previous building.
With all the attention paid to developmenton the Northside, one is left to wonder if Downtownwill be abandoned forever. Alamo Architects,through their progressive methods, isrevitalizing the downtown area. Their effortswill breathe new life into the once bustling centerof town. Some of their projects include theSteel House Lofts, as well as the Cevallos StreetProject. The Steel House Lofts, across the streetfrom the Alamo Architects’ headquarters, willhouse a number of converted condominiumsin a historical downtown building. The lofts,priced from around $130,000, will help rejuvenate downtown by restoring its appeal to young professionals.
O ne Green consideration revolves around the LEED Certificationsthemselves. The standards, identical across the nation,fail to take into account differences in climate, economy,etc. In San Antonio, for example, we require more energy tocool our buildings in the torturous Summer months. Thus, itis hard for us to compete with buildings in more temperateclimates which are inherently more efficient. This has spurreddiscussions to modify the LEED Standards to be specific todifferent circumstances.
In our economy of unsure footing, industries are hesitantto invest the extra money in Earth–friendly architecture. Sadly,this short–sighted, quarterly–return mindset will only costus more money down the line. An investment today in suchstructures as those Alamo Architects provides will help theplanet today, save energy costs tomorrow and set an examplethat customers will respect for years to come.
