Materials

Everything we interact with – from chairs and clothing to trees and other people – contain embodied energy.  The AJLC aims to minimize the embodied energy in all materials used in its construction. 

Materials for the AJLC were selected to enhance its sustainability and were evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Recycled or reused
  • Low energy to produce, use, and maintain
  • Locally harvested, produced and/or distributed
  • Supportive of creative approaches to environmental problem solving
  • Products of service (materials leased from a company rather than bought outright -- when worn out, the product is returned for recycling and replaced)

Examples of products utilized in the center that best meet these criteria include:

  • Regional sustainably harvested wood from northern Pennsylvania
  • Interface carpet panels
  • Recycled steel I-beams
  • Energy efficient lighting fixtures
  • Acoustic panels constructed of agricultural straw wastes

Finding products to fulfill these criteria still present a variety of challenges, such as:

  • Lack of markets for local recycled or reused materials
  • Difficulty finding "green" products, local or otherwise
  • Incorporating products of service into contracts -- for example, we attempted to negotiate for solar cells as products of service, but finding a producer that would enter into such an agreement proved impossible.

We hope the information in this section will encourage others to consider similar materials in the design of new and renovated buildings.

Supplier: Pine Collins Co. 

All wood materials are from sustainably managed forests following the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council and certified by Scientific Certification Systems.

  • Glue-laminated beam: Exposed interior roof beams are Douglas Fir harvested from Collins Almanor Forest in the California Sierra Nevadas.
  • Auditorium stage: Structural wood is Hem Fir, also from the Collins Almanor Forest.
  • Auditorium seats, corridor and classroom trim: Maple provided by Kane Hardwood, a division of Collins Pine Co., sourced from FSC forests in the Allegheny Mountains of northern Pennsylvania.

Supplier: Perilstein Distributing Corp. - Now merged to create United Glass Systems.

Description:
1/4" Azurlite heat strengthened
1/2" Air space with Argon gas
1/4" Clear Sungate 1000, heat strengthened
1/2" Air space with Argon gas
1/4" Clear Sungate 100, Annealed
1 3/4" Overall Thickness 

Specifications:
Visible light transmittance: 46% 
Solar transmittance: 17%
Solar reflectance out: 8%
U-V light transmittance: 5%
Winter nighttime U-value: .13
Summer daytime U-value: 0.15

Designer: Living Technologies, Inc.
Cost: ~$400,000
Actual amount treated: 200-300 gal/day

(Incomplete) Materials List

Product Group Product Manufacturer Local Product of Service Recycled/​Reused Low energy to produce Low energy to maintain Creative solution
Product Group Solar Product PV panels Manufacturer BP Solar Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution ✓
Product Group, Product Group, Product Group, Product Group, Product Group, Product Group Wood Products Product Roof/ceiling wood Manufacturer Collins Pine Co. Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce ✓ Low energy to maintain ✓ Creative solution ✓
Product Laminated beams Manufacturer Timber Systems Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain ✓ Creative solution ✓
Product Corridor trim Manufacturer Kane Hardwood (Collins Pine Co.) Local ✓ Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce ✓ Low energy to maintain   Creative solution  
Product Auditorium stage Manufacturer Collins Pine Co. Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce ✓ Low energy to maintain   Creative solution  
Product Auditorium seats Manufacturer Kane Hardwood (Collins Pine Co.) Local ✓ Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce ✓ Low energy to maintain   Creative solution  
Product Resource room table Manufacturer Oberlin College bowling lane Local ✓ Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused ✓ Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain ✓ Creative solution ✓
Product Group, Product Group, Product Group, Product Group, Product Group, Product Group, Product Group, Product Group, Product Group, Product Group, Product Group, Product Group In the Atrium Product Triple-paned windows Manufacturer Perlistein Distributing Corp. Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain ✓ Creative solution ✓
Product Steel supports Manufacturer Rankin MFG, Inc. Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused ✓ Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution ✓
Product Aluminum window frames Manufacturer   Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused ✓ Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain ✓ Creative solution  
Product Bricks Manufacturer Belden Brick Local ✓ Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution  
Product Concrete block walls Manufacturer   Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution  
Product Slate tiles Manufacturer   Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution ✓
Product Sectional furniture Manufacturer Ohio Desk  Local ✓ Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain ✓ Creative solution ✓
Product Plastic chairs Manufacturer Herman Miller  Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused ✓ Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution  
Product Desks Manufacturer Herman Miller  Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused ✓ Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution  
Product Carpets Manufacturer Interface Local   Product of Service ✓ Recycled/​Reused ✓ Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution ✓
Product Raised floors Manufacturer   Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution ✓
Product Acoustic panels Manufacturer Architectural Forest Enterprises Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution ✓
Product Group, Product Group, Product Group, Product Group Paints and Cleaners Product Paint Manufacturer Benjamin Moore and Co. Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution ✓
Product Paint Manufacturer American Formulating and Manufacturing Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution ✓
Product Adhesives Manufacturer Re:Source Americas Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution ✓
Product Cleaners Manufacturer Simple Green Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution ✓
Product Group, Product Group Landscape Product Topsoil Manufacturer Kurtz Bros, Inc. Local ✓ Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution  
Product Pond liner Manufacturer Exterior Landscape Contractors Local ✓ Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution  
Product Group, Product Group Water Treatment Product Living Machine Manufacturer Living Technologies, Inc. Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused   Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain   Creative solution ✓
Product Restroom stalls Manufacturer Santana Hiny-Hiders Local   Product of Service   Recycled/​Reused ✓ Low energy to produce   Low energy to maintain ✓ Creative solution  

For each product described in the first three columns, a checkmark symbol in columns 4-9 indicates the product has that attribute. A space or empty cell indicates the product does not possess the attribute.