Greensburg goes green
July 1, 2009 by Administrator
Filed under Green Living
The EF-5 tornado that hit Greensburg — the largest rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale — was the first in Kansas since the new scale was implemented. The twister was 1.7 miles wide, on the ground for 22 miles non-stop and lasted 30 minutes. Maximum winds were estimated at 205 mph. It was the first fatal storm in southwest Kansas since 1967. Photo courtesy of: Wikipedia Commons
An EF-5 tornado, the worst of its kind, destroyed 95 percent of the homes and businesses in Greensburg, Kan. on May 4, 2007.
Two years later, only 800 hard-working residents now call the Midwestern farming town home, in comparison to the 1,400 before the storm. But residents and volunteers are determined to rebuild it into a better, greener place to live.
Energy efficiency and renewable energy play big roles in this rebuilding. Progress being made to green up Greensburg is amazing.
With the help of non-profit organizations, state agencies, DOE, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other federal agencies, energy efficient homes, shops, schools, hospitals and more are springing up everywhere.
To keep track of all this activity, the city has developed the Greensburg Building Database. It includes information on all rebuilding efforts and case studies that reflect a commitment to rebuild with smart design measures and energy-saving solutions.
Greensburg’s rebuilding solutions, to date, encompass:
- Energy efficiency (solar orientation, insulation, day lighting, high efficiency heating/cooling systems);
- Water efficiency (water-efficient fixtures and appliances and native landscaping);
- Renewable energy (solar electricity, wind, geothermal systems);
- Air quality (nontoxic products, ventilation), and;
- Sustainable building materials (recycled materials, construction waste, reclaimed wood).
The local city council passed a resolution requiring all new city buildings larger than 4,000 square feet to meet U.S. Green Building Council LEED Platinum certification – reducing energy consumption by 42 percent compared to standard buildings.
Steve Hewitt, Greensburg city administrator, said,”Maybe it’s a little crazy; there are fewer than 20 platinum buildings in the country, and when it’s all said and done, I’d like four or five right here in Greensburg.”
Among the many rebuilds underway in Greeensburg is the 95-year-old Kiowa County Courthouse, completely renovated with high-tech lighting systems and ground-source heat pumps that tap geothermal energy.
The eco-friendly BTI-Greensburg John Deere Dealership features a showroom illuminated with natural daylight, captured through light tubes from the roof. This simple technology, combined with high R-factor insulation, cuts electricity use and reduces environmental impact. The shop area, where mechanics work, is also well insulated and uses natural daylighting, supplemented with high-efficiency luminaire fixtures.
Greensburg’s new, high-tech hospital is being built to LEED Platinum standards; city leaders are hoping it will be the first such facility in the nation to earn such certification. When finished, the center will provide basic medical services for current citizens while also having expansion capabilities for the future.
The city also hopes to attract new green businesses by offering affordable options for such development. One Greensburg company, Sun Chips, has built a business incubator facility to help support this move.
On the renewables front, Greensburg has entered into a joint partnership with the Kansas Power Pool and John Deere Renewables to develop the Greensburg Wind Farm, a project that will provide the town with 100 percent renewable electricity as early as 2010, from ten new, 1.25 megawatt wind turbines.
Rebuilding Greensburg continues to demonstrate how a rural American town can rebound from disaster and turn it into opportunity.
