Green Building Features

Click on the images above to learn about the features of the building.

 

 

High Performance Envelope

What is a high performance envelope?
Creating a “high-performance envelope” for a building (or for your home) means successfully integrating a number of energy efficient designs and features into the shell of the building (outer walls, ceiling, roof, windows, doors and insulation) to block the outside temperature, increase access to more natural light, and to regulate the amount of moisture, dust, allergens, noise, insects and pollutants that get in. Think of a high performance envelope as the same kind of holistic approach to building design which we already discussed: incorporating many features working together, which then act as a shield of protection around a building.

Features of a high performance envelope may include: a light colored roof to deflect the heat from the sun; energy-efficient insulation, heating and cooling systems; rainscreens, and high-performance windows to provide protection from the heat and cold. The orientation of a building (preferably with as many south-facing windows as possible to maximize the daylight) is an important design component. The orientation of the Morristown Parking Authority’s green building, however, is constrained by a pre-determined building footprint.

Why create a high performance envelope?
A well-designed high performance envelope achieves a high level of insulation, which helps reduce energy consumption and costs. Furthermore, a building with a high performance envelope has a longer life than one built to current building code standards.

 

 

Next: Light Shelves...