Metro Waste Authority is teaming up with the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Des Moines Water Works and the Center for Sustainable Communities to honor those who constantly work to take care of central Iowa's environment. It's a time for us to acknowledge businesses, organizations and individuals for the positive environmental impacts they have on our communities. Please help us celebrate our recent winners by reading more about their contributions below.
2011 Winners
Individual Award:
Brad Gerndt
According to his daughter, Stephanie, Brad is a true environmental role model at home, at work and out in public. He believes and teaches that "every day actions do make a difference."
At work, Brad is the founder and president of the Wells Fargo "Today's Stagecoach" Commuter/Transit Community of Practice Group, where he promotes alternative transportation such as car pooling, van pooling, bus/mass transit, biking, and walking. He has even been a RideShare Van Driver from Nevada/Ames to West Des Moines.
Brad didn't stop there. He then leaped into forming the Wells Fargo Environmental Affairs Green Team Iowa. The team started with just five members in 2007 and now has over 800 in the Des Moines Metro area in 27 locations. He even helped start a branch in Omaha and the Quad Cities.
Brad has a passionate distaste for Styrofoam, so he led several Bring Your Mug to Work Weeks and Mug Shot Contests at Wells Fargo as well as reaching out to other places of business to teach them to do likewise. With just one event, they reduced the Styrofoam used by 25%. Today, the Corporate Styrofoam Task Force is giving a reusable insulated 20 oz mug to each employee for free when they sign a pledge to use it instead of Styrofoam. They also get their first fountain or coffee free and then a discount on future refills so long as they use that mug.
In the community, Brad has been involved with the River Run Garbage Grab Committee for four years, most recently heading up the marketing and communications committee. During this annual clean up, he oversees efforts at the large Prospect Park site with over 100 volunteers.
At home, Brad has instilled a commitment to the environment and volunteering in his family. For example, each year his family plants 10 trees on each of their birthdays. When he comes home smiling and asked what his family is doing on a certain date, they ask "What have you signed us up for this time?" all in fun because they love volunteering with him.
Brad has helped organize "Green Teams" for other non-profit organizations and helped them "green" their events. Examples are the Komen Green Team, the M.S. Bike Ride and Walk, and Iowa State University. He is responsible for more than 30,000 trees being planted through various efforts throughout Iowa.
Brad himself has volunteered approximately 800 hours last year alone for environmental organizations and causes. What's more impressive is that he led hundreds of others to log in more than 3,000 volunteer hours for environmental events. This is a substantial contribution to making Central Iowa better place.
As he works to inspire others, Brad's favorite phrase is "Everyone, and I mean everyone, has 'Green Tips!' The key, my passion and mission, is to take those Green Tips and turn them into 'Green Actions' and get as many people doing likewise as humanly possible."
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Civic Award: Agriculture's Clean Water Alliance
ACWA is an association of 13 agricultural retailers - some of which are direct competitors - operating in the Des Moines and Raccoon River basins. Their companies have the dual mission of helping farmers improve agronomic performance in the field while supporting environmental performance beyond the field's edge.
In 1999, ten of ag retailers doing business in West Central Iowa joined together to establish a comprehensive database of water quality for the state's largest source of municipal drinking water: the Raccoon River. They believed that good environmental data was necessary to understand the nature of the problems we face, identify solutions for those problems, and evaluate the effectiveness of those solutions.
In 2008, ACWA doubled its scope by recruiting members and extending its water monitoring network to cover the Des Moines River. They also expanded their mission: to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loss from farm fields and keep them from entering the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers and tributaries.
Today, ACWA monitors over 130 sites in the Des Moines and Raccoon River basins. They identify and demonstrate innovative practices that have shown potential for reducing nitrate transported to streams from tile drainage waters. Following a Code of Practice, ACWA member will not distribute anhydrous ammonia for fall application until soil temperature reach 50 degrees F at a depth of four inches with a forecast of cooling soil temperatures. This is a Best Management Practice designed to reduce nitrogen loss to streams from row crop agriculture.
ACWA monitoring data, collected and analyzed frequently and regularly by partner organizations for over a decade, has characterized conditions in upstream waters, identified geographical uniqueness, helped target projects and obtain resources for implementing appropriate remedial strategies, identified seasonal water quality and difference in high and low flow, identified differences in various landforms within the subwatersheds, and highlighted the need and potential location for a portfolio of solutions tailored to issues and conditions in various watersheds.
For instance, characterization of the nitrate-nitrogen ratio throughout the watershed has helped Des Moines Water Works more effectively manage their systems for nitrate removal from drinking water, and the remote Van Meter device made possible by ACWA provides Des Moines Water Works with advance warning of high-nitrate episodes. In another instance, ACWA found an E.coli problem that was targeted and reduced by 50% through a WIRB-funded project in the Upper Brushy Creek Watershed.
While the accomplishments above are significant, another notable achievement is ACWA's ability to enter into and maintain working collaborations with local, state and federal agencies, as well as private environmental organizations for over a decade to achieve common goals. Among these organizations are the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines Water Works, US Geological Survey, Sand County Foundation, USDA Agricultural Research Survey, and the Nature Conservancy. ACWA hopes to collaborate with more stakeholders in the future.
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Small Business Award:
RDG Planning & Design
RDG is known for the design of several LEED certified buildings around the metro. But today, we are recognizing them for what they are doing inside of their own walls.
RDG is a registered participant in the 2030 commitment - a global movement to reduce carbon impacts by the year 2030. And they plan to meet that commitment. RDG has an in-house sustainable learning community that shares knowledge and implements actions into their office practices as well as client projects, and they seem to have all of the bases covered.
In an effort to reduce waste, RDG has installed print tracking software and implemented a system that requires staff to log all in-house printing. This effort has resulted in a measurable reduction in paper use. In addition, they have an in-house recycling program for all paper, cardboard, metal, glass, and plastic products as well as a composting program that reduces food waste. Even their IT department has implemented a recycling program for electronic components such as batteries, computer components, wiring, light bulbs, etc.
Beyond saving material resources, RDG is also actively saving energy and water resources. Their building has been updated with high efficiency (intelligent) building controls, high efficiency lighting and mechanical systems, monitoring devices and sensors. What is of particular notice is that RDG leases approximately 20,000sf of space at 301 Grand Avenue. RDG renovated and remodeled the building, keeping the existing infrastructure, maximizing day-lighting, and leaving much of the original character in place. RDG recently requested that their landlord have an energy efficiency audit performed, which resulted in learning the space they currently occupy had room for energy and water savings measures. In response, they are in the process of commissioning the mechanical systems to ensure they function at the highest efficiency possible and replaced existing mechanical and lighting components for increased efficiency. They will be installing an interactive kiosk to track and trend building utility usage.
RDG's purchasing and improvements for furniture and remodeling efforts follow LEED® requirements for high recycled content. When available, RDG purchases office supplies and other goods that include recycled content from local suppliers and manufactures. They are always on the lookout for vendors that follow sustainable practices, and give preference to products that are third party certified.
And last, but certainly not least, is the focus on employees. RDG has 43 LEED APs across their various markets and disciplines. RDG provides employee incentive programs and benefits designed to reduce company and individual environmental impact. They promote alternate transportation through the Rest-Your-Car program and DART's unlimited access program. They are also advocates for Bike to Work week, where it is not uncommon to have 70% of the office participate. In fact, in 2009, RDG was a Silver Award Winner for the League of American Bicyclists's Bicycle Friendly business awards. RDG believes people are a major resource, just like energy and water. As such, their health is taken very seriously. Their wellness program includes health screenings and educational activities. They have ongoing biking, running and work-out groups that are employee generated, and they have implemented a health-food option that includes locally grown produce for lunches that are offered during employee meetings and gatherings.
RDG is currently in the process of receiving LEED®-CI certification for their facility and anticipate it will be the first LEED version 3 - most recent and stringent requirements - office in Des Moines.
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Large Business:
The Principal Financial Group
The Principal Financial Group takes its responsibility to support the natural environment seriously. Their concern for the environment is an extension of their core value of Integrity. While they have pursued sustainable efforts for years, The Principal formalized their commitment in 2008 by establishing a sustainability committee consisting of cross-functional team members whose purpose is to advocate environmental responsibility throughout the organization. With the help of this team, Principal has implemented waste reduction strategies in general office printing, food service, maintenance and janitorial products and office equipment including electronics.
For example: Principal's company-wide recycling program collects paper, cardboard and metal. 2009 results include:
- Paper recycling - 246 tons
- Cardboard recycling - 48.1 tons
- Aluminum recycling - 1.2 tons
Other creative incentives, like giving employees a 5 percent discount for choosing china vs. take-out containers in our cafeterias, have generated measurable reductions in waste.
In collaboration with Terrus Real Estate, Principal's property manager, a team of energy efficiency experts has worked to reduce energy consumption by over $750,000 over the past 18 months. They have achieved this by completing a lighting retrofit in all buildings, adding a new lighting controller system that turns lights on and off to reduce usage after hours, replaced three heat exchangers with a single high efficiency heat exchanger for the domestic hot water, use of outdoor air to cool many buildings and having vending suppliers add energy-mizers on vending machines.
Whenever possible, The Principal's purchases of environmentally preferred products and services are made with companies that have environmentally friendly policies. Even their travel program is attuned to sustainability as they promote ways to connect with customers, advisors and employees across the globe through electronic means rather than through air travel.
Principal Financial Group owns and occupies 11 buildings in Greater Des Moines, totaling 2.4 million square feet. A very commendable ten of these 11 properties are ENERGY STAR-certified. One of them, the child development center, is Gold LEED® certified - one of the first such buildings in Des Moines. The Child Development Center is not only a Gold LEED certified building, but it incorporates environmentally friendly practices into the learning curriculum, ensuring the children attending the center understand the importance of conservation and the environment.
Principal also infuses sustainability into its product offerings, and encourage customers and shareholders to take advantage of electronic delivery of 401(k) statements, Explanation of Benefits, annual meeting materials, etc.
The Principal participates in the Natural Capitalism program in Greater Des Moines, the Carbon Disclosure Project and the Business Roundtable's S.E.E. Change initiatives. These voluntary programs encourage companies to share sustainable solutions and provide the opportunity to disclose greenhouse gas emissions, water management and climate change strategies. The Principal took another important step in sustainability by earning the Forest Stewardship Council's "chain of custody" certification for the Print-to-Mail facility in Urbandale. The certification demonstrates that the timber and paper The Principal uses has been managed in a sustainable fashion. In 2011 nearly 98 percent of the paper purchased for the facility will have sustainable forestry certifications.
The Principal encourages use of alternate and mass transit options through DART's unlimited access program. They also support Bike to Work Week and provide bike racks for employees to use year-round. They are also a sponsor of Des Moines B-Cycle, a new bicycle sharing program that emphasizes fitness, eco-friendly transportation and a new way to travel in and around downtown. Human Resources is leading an initiative to provide more flexibility and flexible work arrangements for employees, which means more employees are tele-commuting as needed or on a permanent basis, conserving fuel. An estimated 43 percent of employees used formal or informal work-at-home or telecommuting options in the past year.
When it comes to goals for the future, Principal has it's sights set on converting to a commercial single stream recycling program involving disposal of paper, cardboard, plastic and metal, and pursing LEED Certification on some additional existing buildings, just to name a few.
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Residential Built Environment:
Iowa Home Crafters Inc.
Iowa Home Crafters has a long history of building sustainably or 'green' and in fact, their website is 'iowagreenhomes'. Established in 1989, they build high quality, environmentally friendly homes in central Iowa and their goal is to protect the environment and conserve energy resources while providing a beautiful home to live in and enjoy.
The project submitted for their application stood out for its complete, comprehensive, conscientious, whole-systems approach to building.
To name a few key attributes incorporated into the home:
- Triple glazed windows
- ICF foundation
- Insulation under the basement floor
- Closed loop earth tube cooling system
- High efficiency whole house dehumidifier,
- Very tight building envelope
- 100% rainwater collection
- Two cisterns - no well or rural water
- Advanced framing to minimize lumber use
- Reused scrap foam, insulation, lumber concrete & masonry on site
- Recycled metal, plastic, paper, cardboard & glass
- Home was well ventilated during construction
- Universal design was incorporated
- Custom entry door from a burr oak tree blown down on the property
- Exterior materials were chosen for durability & minimal maintenance
- Followed LEED for Homes criteria
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Commercial Built Environment Award:
BNIM Architects
Founded 40 years ago, BNIM is redefining the national and global agenda for progressive planning strategies, responsible architecture and design excellence. The Des Moines office was established in September of 2007 and we are benefiting greatly from their presence here.
The other key partners involved in the project are, KJWW Engineering, unmatched in the industry as a leader in providing a unique combination of mechanical, electrical, structural, technology, acoustics, architectural lighting & medical equipment planning services with the highest level of integration among these interdependent systems.
Also, the Iowa Utility Board and the Office of Consumer Advocate are both committed to ensuring our access to reasonably priced, reliable, environmentally responsible and safe utility services and they have exemplified this mission in the embodiment of their new facility.
The BNIM/KJWW/IUB/OCA project stood out among its competition through the dedicated testament for sustainable stewardship of this highly collaborative team (as you can tell from the name!) Intended to serve as a model energy efficient office building, the project met its goal to demonstrate proven, cost-effective new construction measures. Going beyond energy efficiency, the building also incorporates other essential elements of storm water management, and an optimal indoor working environment.
Some of these key elements include:
- An infill lot on a previous landfill site
- Native prairie restoration & treatment train for stormwater mgmt.
- A quarter mile from a major public transportation hub
- Projected savings of over 60% compared to standard code compliant buildings
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Net-zero ready - focused on
- 1st reduced loads through envelope, orientation and daylighting
- 2nd - efficiency through power management & occupancy controls
- 3rd - Make the rest - on-site renewable energy - roof photovoltaic solar panels
- Horizontal geothermal bore field
- Operable windows tied to HVAC systems
- No site irrigation with native and adapted plant species
- Significant incorporation of recycled content, certified, rapidly renewable, regionally sourced & Cradle-to-Cradle materials were utilized
- 83% of the construction waste was recycled
- Indoor air quality plan implemented during construction
- Multiple innovative, replicable, integrated strategies were incorporated
- Comprehensive energy measurement/verification plan implemented
- Energy management available to single workstations
- Registered to receive a LEED Platinum certification under LEED version 2.2
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