ST. ALBANS HIGH SCHOOL
rgy Future stricter storm water guidelines are in place. Although not practical for many structures, vegetative roofs can capture more than 50 percent of rainwater runoff from buildings, while providing other benefits.”
“I’ve found that most people are open to new ideas,” he said. “So if a new concept or technology is presented in a factual, objective manner, people will listen and perhaps be swayed to try something new that ultimately benefits them.”
“Model Building Codes are catching up by adopting these strategies and standards. In the near future, what we now call ‘sustainable design’ will simply be called ‘building design and construction.’”
He also sees lighting and air conditioning as important areas for significantly reducing overall energy use.
Many people believe that sustainable design will be more expensive than traditional methods, said Doeffinger, posing a challenge to designers.
Doeffinger lives with his family in Point Pleasant, W.Va., where he has also served on the City Council for the past 20 years. He gives back in other ways as well, including, recently, by getting involved with WVU’s Solar Decathlon team, helping them meet the Department of Energy’s standards for a successful project in 2013. He said he is glad to see WVU and other colleges and universities throughout the state begin integrating sustainability into their programs.
“When you reduce your energy use, you reduce the burden on all energy sources, both renewable and non-renewable,” he said. “The energy savings with new lighting sources are significant, and translate to air conditioning savings. Also, high-efficiency air conditioning systems that include new control hardware and methods are contributing to energy savings.” Doeffinger takes a practical approach to introducing new, more sustainable technologies.
“There are numerous sustainable design strategies available to the designer,” he said, “and many cost nothing at all. With proper planning, sustainable design can be a part of most projects.” In fact, said Doeffinger, sustainable design and construction is more and more becoming the norm. “Sustainable rating systems and standards continue to push the envelope and drive the industry forward,” he said.
“New graduates must lead the way as businesses look to implement these principles to remain competitive,” he said.
ZMM has sponsored several events aimed at helping West Virginia businesses understand and capitalize on the advantage of sustainable technologies, including “Making the Business Case for Sustainability” at the University of Charleston, and “Sustaining Lean” with Bridgemont Community and Technical College. A new energy code passed by the West Virginia legislature will help to improve the overall sustainability of many new buildings throughout the state, said Doeffinger.