ABC Keystone members had the opportunity to tour the new Lancaster Family YMCA facility located at 265 Harrisburg Avenue in downtown Lancaster.

 

The intent of this tour was to look, listen, and learn about some of the key aspects related to the design and construction of a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) project in pursuit of a certification level of silver.

 

With only three months left during the construction period, guests were able to see some of the green aspects of the design in place, yet also perceive the overall scope of the project in its surrounding context.

 

The tour was led by Adam Kerr of Cornerstone Design-Architects (Lancaster) and Tony Vilk of Wohlsen Construction Company (Lancaster), both of whom are LEED Accredited Professionals, and are intimately familiar with the design and construction of the facility, in particular its green design aspects.

 

Overall green building principles were discussed in relation to the LEED rating system including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in design.

 

Building design elements such as recycled content and regional availability of building materials, building orientation, natural daylighting, and wall and roof insulation were also discussed. The incorporation of heat recovery wheels on the rooftop mechanical units was explained and how this contributes towards the twenty percent overall decrease in energy consumption of the facility.

Tony Vilk also explained the measures taken during construction to mitigate the amount of construction debris from entering the mechanical ductwork system and the overall reduction in the amount of volatile organic compounds used on the project site.

 

Tour attendees were given the opportunity to ask questions about green building practices, building materials, strategies, and the implementation of the LEED rating system into the design and construction of this particular project. This proved a beneficial platform to discuss current green building practices and their relation to the development of a LEED project during its design and construction.

 

The ABC Keystone Green Building Committee hopes to continue sponsoring tours like these to engage the membership and advocate its devotion to green building principles.

 

Event sponsors included B.R. Kreider & Son, Inc., Frescatore Consulting, LLC, and USA Gypsum/Agri Marketing, Inc. Others involved in the planning of the event tour included Bill Sutton with Wohlsen Construction Company and Steve Reed, ABC Keystone Membership Director/Green Building Committee staff liaison.

 

ABC Keystone, operating out of Rapho Business Park, Manheim, represents over 700 construction-related firms locally and is part of a national federation with 1,800 members in Pennsylvania and over 25,000 members in 79 chapters nationwide. ABC Keystone members are involved in commercial, industrial, and institutional free enterprise construction throughout south central Pennsylvania.