Impressive Green Buildings Energy Design Showroom
We invite you to visit our one-of-a-kind design showroom where we put our energy platform into action! Our showroom is a working example of the practical integration of energy-efficient construction and renewable energy technology. The 10,000 s.f. building (6000 s.f. trade shops, 4000 s.f. office space) houses four businesses with a utility bill in hot, humid South Carolina of under $100/month.
The Design Studio is an all-concrete tilt-wall building, a very energy-efficient structure. The building is almost air-tight and very thermally stable. As a result, this building requires much less energy to heat and cool than a comparably-sized metal structure and can be served by smaller energy equipment.
To this already efficient environment, we've added several systems to produce energy or use it more efficiently. We've installed a geothermal system for HVAC, which uses the thermal stability of the ground to heat and cool at three times the efficiency of traditional units. We have a solar thermal system for heating hot water. The byproduct of the geothermal system is hot water, so we use this hot water to pre-heat the water for the solar thermal system. As a result, we need no electricity supplement for hot water needs. The major appliances of the building are powered by a 4 kw photovoltaic system supplemented by a 1.2 kw wind turbine.
The Design Studio offers a one-stop experience for people who are interested in learning more about the different energy technologies available and tailoring a system to the needs of their particular building. Of course, not everyone needs four different energy systems, but you will see all technologies being used in a practical, cost-effective way.
Go Green With Impressive Green Buildings, Inc. "Realizing Tomorrows Resources Today"