Build It Green

Today’s environmental challenges make green-building design more important than ever, cautions Portland-based architect Rick Renner, who has more to say at November 19 presentation

Rick Renner of Richard Renner Architects in Portland says green-building design has come a long way during his 30 years as an architect: LEED building standards have set the bar for energy-efficiency, more and more architects practice it, and buildings can be built today requiring a fraction of the energy once used.

But Renner is wary of the success. “I can’t deny green design is moving forward, but I worry we’re not moving fast enough,” he said. “We still have a long way to go.”

At a presentation at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth on Wednesday, November 19, Renner, one of Maine’s leading green-design architects, will discuss how green-design buildings can cut our reliance on energy and natural resources while addressing mounting environmental issues like climate change.

Green Portfolio
A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Renner has been an architect in Maine since 1978. His first green-building project was turning the 19th century Porteous Building in downtown Portland into a dynamic space for the Maine College of Art. The green project was the first EPA Energy Star Showcase Building in Maine.

Next, Renner worked with architects Sam Van Dam and Carol Wilson and Wright-Ryan Construction to build Maine Audubon’s green visitor center at Gilsland Farm in 1996. The challenge there, Renner said, was designing a bold new building that was energy efficient and adaptable to a number of uses while meshing with the sanctuary’s wildlife habitat, trails, and spirit. The building earned the Sustainable Design Award from the Boston Society of Architects.

Green Design Basics
In his presentation, Renner will focus on two recent green residential projects—a two-story house at Cranberry Ridge in Freeport, a collaboration with Wright-Ryan Construction, and a loft apartment and studio space where he lives and works in downtown Portland. Both projects are LEED Platinum rated.

“I want to get people to think of the basic issues of green design,” said Renner. “It’s about recognizing the complicated nature of buildings and that there are no easy answers. You can’t just put solar panels on a building and call it green.”

Size matters: The first tenet of green-building design, Renner said, is a responsible size. State-of-the-art building materials and insulation are affective, but when it comes to making the biggest impact on the demand for energy and resources, smaller is better.

“It’s not glamorous but that’s where the results are,” the architect said. “I’m convinced, though, that smaller can be enjoyable. We can have huge changes in our demand for energy without compromising our lifestyle.” He knows from experience. As well as saving him hundreds on heating and commuting costs, Renner’s green office/loft is a very pleasant space in which to live and work, he said.

Location, location, location: Another important green-building factor is where you plan to put the building. “Smart growth, that’s an obvious first,” Renner said. If a building is to conserve energy, it needs to be close to where its inhabitants frequently travel. The environmental benefits of a building are thrown out the window if you burn through a tank of gas getting there, he said.

Renner also said location has an effect on wildlife habitat if land has to be cleared to build. Maine Audubon has worked to mitigate this effect by co-leading Maine’s statewide Beginning With Habitat program, which helps towns conserve wildlife habitat while managing growth.

Materials: What a house is made of has other environmental consequences. Where building materials come from, how they’re made, and how they’re transported all have an effect on the energy used and emissions created in their production. Green materials are also better for the health of inhabitants, Renner said.

Design: When it comes to making design itself green, Renner said it’s about crafting something that works in harmony with its surroundings. Situating windows to take advantage of natural light and heat, building a planted roof rather than asphalt, and fostering a connection between the inside and outside, for example. In green design, a consciousness of nature can help the environment while fueling the inhabitants as well, he said.

Green Design’s Future
Renner is excited about progress made in green building, but is wary of the success. “What’s not so great is that people seemed satisfied with a low level of greenness,” he said.

Even the greenest buildings today are a net drain on the environment, the architect said. “Nothing yet is sustainable. We can’t afford to keep making buildings this way,” said Renner. “The question is, how can buildings generate more energy than they require, how can they enhance wildlife habitat. It’s hard to imagine how to do that, but it’s something to strive for.”

Despite his concerns that buildings are not yet doing enough for the environment, Renner remains passionate about designing spaces that strike a harmony between people and the environment. “I truly believe high-performing buildings are better for people, and can make a difference,” he said.

Hear more from Rick Renner on Wednesday, November 19, at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center. For more information or to register for the free presentation, please call (207) 781-2330, ext. 275, or e-mail elippolis@maineaudubon.org.