An Oregon developer plans to utilize biodiesel and co-generation units to provide energy for a multi-million dollar mixed-use building in Independence, Ore. Dubbed the “world’s greenest building,” when finished Independence Station will consist of 15 condominiums, and multiple office spaces and retail stores. Development company Aldeia LLC said the $15 million project is expected to be complete by early 2010.
Among the environmentally-friendly aspects of the 57,000 square-foot building will be the use of biodiesel. Aldeia founder/developer Steven Ribeiro said he’s “been a bathtub biodiesel guy since the ‘70s.” He plans to produce biodiesel on-site from yellow grease collected at local restaurants. Ribeiro will also purchase B99 from Oregon-based SeQuential-Pacific Biofuels. “We’re very excited to be a part of the project,” said Gavin Carpenter, SeQuential’s sales manager. “They’re doing some pretty cool stuff.”
Exactly how much biodiesel will be used is difficult to estimate, but Ribeiro predicts that approximately 80 gallons per day will be consumed during the winter months. “On a hot summer day we’ll use little to none,” he added. Solar panels will generate electricity during the brighter summer months.
Ribeiro said the biodiesel will be used to fuel Cummins Inc. generators. Waste heat from the generation system will be harnessed and stored in a tank filled with collected rain water, allowing the building to operate “off-grid” during peak utility times.
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In addition, Ribeiro purchased an antique tugboat engine from a nearby museum for use as a back-up generator. He plans to run the engine on vegetable oil as needed.
“The whole building is based on junior high school physics,” Ribeiro said, adding that he doesn’t know why engineers don’t typically correlate these types of alternative energy sources in their projects. “Systems should work together, not fight each other,” he said.
Upon completion, Independence Station is expected to be awarded the highest rating recorded by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. Out of a possible 69 points, the Independence project is predicted to score at least 64, topping the current highest-rated project by one point. For more information on the LEED rating system, visit the U.S. Green Building Council’s Web site at www.usgbc.org/.
Ribeiro expects to begin leasing space at Independence Station soon. For more information, visit www.worldsgreenestbuilding.com.