Blog 4_Material Research & Case Study

As the LEED "certified professional" I made an effort in the last weeks to gather information about newly developed and sustainable materials as well as a case study for a Retail space that met USGBC's Platinum rating. 


The precedent study I did was on the Chipotle Mexican Grill in Gurnee Mills, Illinois. This project ended up with 33% energy savings,  43% water savings, and 86% of construction waste was diverted from the landfill. 


Chipotle seeks for integrity in its food and its operation of restaurants. They wanted the restaurant industry to be represented under the LEED retail program. This project had two major goals: Increasing energy efficiency and installing a source of on-site renewable energy. Because this restaurant is located in a area with high wind they installed a 6-kilowatt wind turbine which provides power for lighting and contributes to overall energy savings. 


This project eliminated the use of potable water for landscaping and installed a 2,500 gallon cistern to collect rainwater for native plantings and invested in highly efficient interior water fixtures. Educating its staff and the public about green building is a priority of Chipotle. Employees attend formal crew trainings on sustainability and are trained to recycle glass, plastic and cardboard. 


Here are some of the project details:

Architect: Wilkus Architects 

Civil Engineer: Landform

Owner: Chipotle Mexican Grill 

Contractor: Galant Construction 

MEP Engineer: National Engineering 

Landscape Architect: Landform 

LEED Consultant: Green Building Services 

Structural Engineer: LS Engineers 

Commissioning Agent: Chipotle Mexican Grill 

Project Size: 2,216 square feet

 This Cork material can be grouted as flooring or wall covering and has great sound absorption. Cork  is one of the most eco-friendly materials around but it usually comes in large tiles that can be awkward to install. Recycled from the cork stoppers industry by-product, Habitus have created some cork mosaic tiles that come in sheets for easy laying. The result is non-slippery, insulating warm surface with sound-proofing qualities. 

  

This product is a NOPHADRAIN sheet drain consists out of a dimpled polystyrene core with a filter fabric bonded to each dimple. The core can be perforated or the back can be provided with an extra geotextile or a pressure dividing film. The result is a durable technical product with the following strong characteristics: Constant drainage capacity under prolonged high loads, Light-weight and thin, High compressive strength (up to 1.100 kN/m2) (making it suitable for many vertical and horizontal applications The NOPHADRAIN sheet drain cannot only be used in vertical applications such as a basement and retaining wall but also in horizontal applications like green roof. Clifford G LEED