Green Building at Friends Center

Green Building at Friends Center. . , The sustainable renovation of Friends Center is an expression of Quakers’ commitment to a responsible relationship with the earth and all of its inhabitants. The meetinghouse and office buildings were modified to reduced energy consumption, protect the watershed, and eliminate carbon emissions. Friends hope others will be inspired to find creative ways to express reverence and care for our planet. , Come inside to learn more., [Captions:] , Interiors filled with daylight reduce electricity usage for lighting and increase workers’ sense of well being., Rainwater from the meetinghouse roof is captured in cisterns and used to flush toilets in the office building reducing storm water runoff and reducing potable water usage., The building is heated and cooled without the use of fossil fuels, by using the earth’s mass as a heat sink. In summer excess heat drawn from the interior, put through the underground well, and absorbed by the earth. In the colder months the system works to compress the earth’s energy (heat) and release it inside the building. Seven wells, ranging from 650 to 1,500 feet deep are drilled in the sidewalk along 15th Street., Solar panels generate about 5% of Friends Center’s electricity and reduce summer peak loads. , Vegetation planted on the roof of the office building captures rain water, cools the building in summer, and preserves the underlying roof. And it’s beautiful.