Exelon’s Education Center Earns LEED® Silver Certification
October 27, 2008
Exelon’s new Renewable Energy
Education Center at Fairless Hills
(Harrisburg, Pa.) Ganflec Architects and Engineers, Inc. designed Exelon’s new Renewable Energy Education Center located in Fairless Hills, Pa. that recently earned a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver level certification rating in the Commercial Interiors category from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Ganflec Architects and Engineers, Inc. provided the architectural, structural and civil design for the project as well as the LEED strategies and documentation necessary to achieve the Silver rating from USGBC.
Sustainable design features that qualified this project to earn the Silver rating included such items as high efficiency lighting and mechanical systems, use of local and regional construction materials, interior finish materials with a high recycled content, and use of eco-friendly materials with low or no solvent based paint, adhesives or sealants. More than 83 percent of the construction waste materials were either salvaged or recycled, keeping it out of the landfill waste stream. High indoor air quality was of special concern for the Center so special attention was paid to the HVAC filter systems, finish materials, and proposed cleaning supplies to minimize air borne toxins. Finally, the Center is fully powered by a renewable energy source and all the electronic displays and appliances used in the project are ENERGY STAR rated.
Exelon’s educational outreach center
Exelon’s new Renewable Energy Education Center
The renovated facility showcases Exelon’s commitment to the environment and renewable sources of power by providing an educational outreach center that targets students 8-13 years of age. Educational tours and interactive displays are now a part of this facility’s daily operations.
A full array of audio and video equipment are contained in the conference/classroom of the Renewable Energy Education Center so the visitors can learn “the story” of renewable energy sources, especially the story of the greater Fairless Hills Power Generation Plant itself. The plant was the former site of a US Steel mill that when constructed in the 1950s, was the world’s largest fully integrated steel mill ever to be built at one time. To date, Exelon has invested more than $50 million to improve the site and convert the plant to burn methane-rich landfill gas, harvested from two nearby landfills, to generate electricity. These landfills, known as the Grows and Tullytown Landfills are owned and operated by Waste Management Incorporated and are two of the nation’s largest landfills. Exelon has improved the reliability and performance of a power plant that would have otherwise been a shuttered industrial site.
The Renewable Energy Education Center features interactive architectural models, educational videos, and multiple games and interactive learning tools that will educate and entertain visitors. Information within the center also meets Pennsylvania State Education Curriculum Requirements, and will become a popular destination for school, civic organization, and community interest group tours.