Ch. 3 Sustainability: Redefining Progress

The resource and energy use in Billings is by creating homes that could help conserve energy. They are large windowless buildings, but also a pretty disfigured home in the city. But it is also the most energy-efficient building in the nation. It is useful especially in dry climates. They design the building at downtown in a way that could get exposure from the sun with clerestory monitors and photo-voltaic panels. The skylights being exposed on the roof framing creates energetic lit galley and reception space. 


By reducing the use of fossil fuel, they reduce the need for more energy. They would gather the energy from daylight using the roof, walls, and windows, while reducing the heat transfer into the building. The remaining energy can be used for radiant floor heating, evaporate cooling, and daylight sensors. It creates more renewable sources, and 10 kilowatt photo-voltaic system contributes to 50% more electricity every year. The fossil fuel energy is then reduced to 19%.


They also make use of waterless toilets, and 60% of water can be saved up throughout the building. The other way they do to reduce the use of water is by planting drought-tolerant plants. Other reusable resources are recycled glass paving, which is suitable for its climate because it makes easier to remove storm water, alleviate urban heat island effect, and lessen the wattage for parking lights.


GHG emissions included CO2, CH4, N2O, and CO2e from both gas and oil wells own by federal and non-federal governments. As for CO2, Billings’ is predicted to have a total of 21,007 metric tons per year. CH4 is 158.1 metric tons per year. N2O is 0.103 metric tons per year. CO2e is 22,105.1 metric tons per year.

Carbon pollution from power plants had been addressed by Obama recently that coal mining should be stopped to prevent further climate change. A new pollution standard should be created for the power plants. Then environmental organization said that it should be made into renewable fuels and never run out. Montana is ranked as the sixth in coal production within America.
http://www.usgbcmontana.org/northernplainsresourcecouncil.html