August 15-18, 2010 star Dallas Convention Centerstar Dallas, Texas

GovEnergy 2010 Technical Tours

Sunday, August 15, 2010

 
GovEnergy's optional technical tours provide the opportunity to observe energy-related project sites while connecting with colleagues in an educational environment. All tours are scheduled to depart from lower lobby A/B of the Dallas Convention Center. Please plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to the listed time of departure.  


Registration Information 

Registration is required for all tours. Onsite registration will be based upon space availability. Attendees are encouraged to register online. 

New GovEnergy Attendees: To register for a technical tour, complete either the federal employee online registration form or the non-federal employee  online registration form as part of your GovEnergy registration. Tour payments must be received by July 23, 2010 or you will be removed from the tour.

Previously Registered GovEnergy Attendees: If you have already registered to attend GovEnergy, you may update your existing registration to include a technical tour. To do so, follow the steps listed below:

  • Visit the GovEnergy registration page
  • Sign into the appropropriate GovEnergy registration form (either the federal employee online registration form or the non-federal employee online registration form) by using your email address and login password (if you have forgotten your password, click the link that says, "send password to my email address").
  • Select "edit order"
  • Select "edit item"
  • Select the tour(s) that you wish to attend (***IMPORTANT*** Do not adjust any of the other previously selected registration details, as this will delete all your entire registration record)
  • Select "update" at the bottom of the page
  • You will be redirected to the registration payment page. If you have already paid for your GovEnergy registration, you will only be charged for your tour selection.  If you have not paid for your GovEnergy registration, your new balance will be visible.
  • The payment options for GovEnergy's optional technical tours are the same payment options as they are for GovEnergy registration. Payment options for the tours include either "pay now" or "be billed later" (an invoice along with payment information will be sent through email).
  • Tour payments must be received by July 23, 2010 or you will be removed from the tour.

 
If you are having trouble accessing online registration, please call 800-343-2171 for online registration help. 
 

Technical Tour Details  

Trinity River Audubon Center

Tour Time: 8:30 am - 11:30 am
Tour Cost: $39.00

At 6,000 acres, the Great Trinity Forest is the largest urban hardwood forest in the United States. The actual building site is located near a prominent bend in the Trinity River. Sustainable building features include a vegetated roof, rainwater collection system, energy efficient systems, and recycled materials. The Trinity River Audubon Center is the first LEED-certified building constructed by the City of Dallas Parks and Recreation Department. The tour includes exhibits, sustainable building features and habitat areas. The site's building is recently constructed and is pursuing LEED Gold certification. The building site is a visionary restoration of a landfill. Landfill waste was consolidated into capped rolling hills planted with native species. Building features include: A cistern that collects rainwater for irrigation, a vegetated roof, solar panels, efficient lighting, a well insulated building envelope, a recently commissioned HVAC system, designed for efficiency. The site also utilizes local materials such as wood from within 150 miles of the site, low maintenance materials such as corten steel, rapidly renewable materials such as bamboo, and certified forest products such as cypress siding. 

Green Building Tour

Tour Time: 9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Tour Cost: $35.00

Tour participants will visit three distinct, green facilities within the city of Dallas; The BRIDGE Homeless Assistance Center, Fire Station 38, and the Dallas VA Medical Center.

The Bridge Homeless Assistance Center

Opened in May 2008, the Bridge is a multi-purpose facility based on a unique Public-Private Partnership dedicated to serving homeless men, women, and children, with the primary focus being the chronically homeless. This building is certified LEED Silver.

Fire Station 38

Fire Station 38 is a replacement fire station with two full apparatus bays and two half bays capable of supporting 15 firefighters per shift. The project was designed to achieve LEED Silver certification. The new facility follows sustainable site practices including erosion and sedimentation control, storm water management and treatment, light pollution reduction and reduction of heat island effect with reflective roofing and paving. Optimized energy performance, building commissioning, CFC reduction and green power all contribute to reduce the impact on the atmosphere and energy resources.

Dallas VA Medical Center

The VA North Texas Health Care System was recognized in 2009 by the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) for the Region IV Corporate Energy Management award. The Dallas VA Medical Center (VAMC) has a 337KW rooftop PV system- 1700+ panels. They also have several battery free flywheel based UPS systems, 3.2 million gallon thermal energy storage (chilled water), extensive power monitoring sub metering across the campus and power factor/ voltage distortion correcting filter banks. There is nearly 100% direct digital control and integration with the power monitoring system.

Current pilot test projects underway include an LED retrofit of fluorescent fixtures that will reduce energy consumption by 50%; Occupancy sensors on HID lighting parking lot that switches lamp capacitance reducing energy 45%; Steam condensate return that increased return 50%; and solar hot water heating at the Community Living Center/Hospice. 

Southern Methodist University

Tour Time: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Tour Cost: $35.00

Tour participants will have the opportunity to view a number of LEED certified facilities at the Southern Methodist University (SMU) campus. This tour will include at least 2 of the following buildings: Prothro Hall, Caruth Hall, Simmons Education Building, and if time allows, Patterson Hall (the university’s central plant). These buildings incorporate various energy improvement measures, including wind-generated electricity, and rain water collection for lawn and flower bed maintenance. Fin water is recovered at 10 SMU locations and is used in the campus’ chill water system. A single stream recycling system has been implemented and excess energy is routinely recovered from the SMU steam system. Prothro, Embrey, Caruth, and Simmons are built with the intent on achieving LEED Gold certification. All four buildings use low flow fixtures, waterless urinals, and grey water to flush water closets and irrigate their grounds. Specific LEED checklists will also be available for each building, along with a description of sustainable ongoing initiatives at SMU. 

Cowboys Stadium

Tour Time: 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Tour Cost: $55.00

Completed on May 27, 2009, Cowboy Stadium seats 80,000, making it (by seating capacity) the 3rd largest stadium in the NFL. The stadium in Arlington, Texas, is currently under consideration by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Performance Track program for high-performing facilities. Find out how Cowboys stadium has set a new standard in stadium architecture, all while achieving the status of being the only stadium recognized by The Environmental Protection Agency.

This tour begins with an introduction by Cowboy Stadium's chief engineer, Scott Woodrow, who will discuss the technical side of the stadium and emphasize energy efficient operations throughout the complex. Followed with a question/answer period, tour participants will then tour the IT Data Center, locker rooms, the Press box and suites.

Green initiatives implemented by the Cowboys include use of native trees and plants, purchasing of some renewable energy, recycling approximately 90 percent of stadium waste, and using recycled plastic for stadium and playing field seats. There are approximately 30 acres of grass parking to reduce the amount of runoff into nearby Johnson Creek. The translucent material in the retractable roof and the extensive use of glass allow the team to reduce daytime lighting even when the roof is closed. 

Dallas Convention Center

Tour Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Tour Cost: $20.00

Tour participants will be given the opportunity to participate in a behind the scenes tour of the Dallas Convention Center. The Dallas Convention Center is an ESPC initiated LEED EB Silver complex. Convention Center facilities staff will provide details on operations, energy and water saving improvements currently being implemented and maintained within the Convention Center.