High Plains Architects Goes Triple Platinum

BILLINGS, Mont. — In just a one-month period, Billings-based High Plains Architects has received three LEED Platinum certifications for their design of the Boy and Girls Club of Carbon County, the Wyss Wilderness Medicine Campus and the renovation of the historic Tracy Lofts.

Including their recent successes, High Plains has received six LEED Platinum certifications. Though the projects may differ, the firm generally uses many of the same strategies to achieve each of their sustainable buildings.

“We have a pretty low-tech approach to these things,” said Ed Gulick, AIA, LEED AP, project manager for High Plains. “It’s about getting the fundamentals right.”

The firm does not regularly rely on high-tech control systems, Gulick said. Instead, High Plains focuses on their commonly used strategies, which include super insulation, taking advantage of heat gain and recovery opportunities, rainwater collection systems, renewable energy systems, radiant floor heating and daylighting, among others.

High Plains also believes that clear and efficient communication between all stakeholders in a project is key to achieving success. LEED often requires very specific information, and communication is vital in providing the needed LEED documentation, according to Nash Emrich, AIA, LEED AP, project manager with High Plains.

“Managing the expectations and communication are two of the most important things that you need to do well in order to achieve those goals successfully. When managing expectations, it’s very important that the entire project team understands from the very beginning what is required in order to meet these lofty sustainability goals,” he said. “Everyone has a piece that they need to play and everyone will have contributions that they need to make in order to make it happen.”

Tracy Lofts

Formerly a refrigerated warehouse, the George L. Tracy Building was built in 1919.
The 18,000-square-foot masonry building was converted into 19 loft apartments that partner sustainable design with historic details.

The building, which also qualified as a Historic Tax Credit Project, needed to retain its antique charm while also being renovated to meet the project’s green goals.

“The energy modeling there was key to making sure that our strategy met both of the needs of the historic rehabilitation goals and LEED Platinum,” Gulick said.

The building has maintained its beautiful exposed brick; original wood columns, beams and ceiling; original cooler doors; and cork insulation. Windows were refurbished to increase thermal performance and reduce air infiltration; the building envelope was insulated; and radiant floor heating was installed throughout the entire building. A 5,000-gallon rainwater collection system in the building’s basement provides water for toilets and laundry. Additionally, a 4 kW photovoltaic rooftop system provides electricity to the building.

Fisher Construction, also of Billings, completed construction in late 2012. This is the third historic LEED project completed by High Plains.

Boys & Girls Club of Carbon County

The Boys and Girls Club of Carbon County is the first LEED Platinum project certified in Red Lodge, Mont., and is also the first LEED Platinum project in Montana using the v2009 rating system.

Constructed by Turning Leaf Construction, based in Longwood, Fla., the 9,700-square-foot building was built in order to accommodate the clubs growing youth population.

The building utilized salvaged, recycled and healthy materials, daylighting, ventilation, an 8.7 kW photovoltaic array and a 3,400-gallon rainwater collection system. As a result of water conservancy efforts, the Boys and Girls Club uses 86 percent less water than a building of the same size built to typical building codes.

Wyss Wilderness Medicine Campus

Owned by the National Outdoor Leadership School, the Wyss Wilderness Medicine Campus is located in a remote location in Lander, Wyo. The location caused some challenges in that the area did not have a wide selection of local suppliers or public transportation.

However, through the use of salvaged, recycled and healthy materials, daylighting, ventilation, passive solar design, a superinsulated building envelope, a ground source heat pump, radiant floor heating and cooling, composting toilets, an 18.8 kW solar array and a 55,000-gain rainwater collection system, the project was able to meet its LEED Platinum goals.

MBA Construction, headquartered in Magnolia, Texas, completed construction on the project in late 2012.