The Smiley Building - Durango Colorado

The solar and energy conservation features listed below help make The Smiley Building one of the most energy efficient buildings in the country.

45,000 sq ft recycled 1936 junior high school

Solar Electric (Photovoltaic): 44.6 kilowatt ( or 44,600 watts) photovoltaic system consisting of 279 individual modules. This system provides more than 100% of the building's electricity needs year around.

Solar Thermal: 1000 sq ft solar thermal system. Provides 30% of the building's heat in winter
and most of the hot water year around. Hot water from the solar is circulated in tubing within the floors.

Efficient Boilers: Four 200,000 BTU 97% efficient natural gas sealed combustion gas boilers and one 100,000 BTU high efficiency cordwood boiler heat the radiators, floors and fan coils.

Heating Controls: Individual Zones and programmable thermostats control heat to individual rooms. Heat is off at night or when the room is not used.

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs): The majority of the bulbs in the building were retrofitted with energy saving CFLs. CFLs use 75% less energy than equivalent standard incandescent light bulbs while producing the same amount of light.

Occupancy sensors: save energy when common areas, restrooms, and other spaces are not occupied. Infrared sensors turn the lights out and ventilation off when not needed.

Photocells: Photocells control lighting in hallways, stairwells and outside lights. They turn off lights when there is sufficient natural light available.

Solar charged battery powered lawn tractor and snowblower: This tractor is completely powered by the sun. It is charged by 216 watts of photovoltaics and can mow all the buildings lawns on one charge. It also clears the snow from the sidewalks and paths around the building. This tractor eliminates the need for small gasoline engines, which are a major factor in urban air quality.

Cooling: The Building is cooled by a combination of evaporative cooling, two stage evaporative cooling as well as natural and mechanical ventilation . There is no air-conditioning in the building.

Hot water heat recovery: Waste heat from some showers and sinks is recovered to pre-heat domestic
hot water.

Efficient Appliances: All appliances are energy star rated.

Insulation: Insulation has been added throughout the building where possible to help with heat loss
and gain.

Exit signs: High efficiency LED (light emitting diode) exit signs throughout building. They are a worthwhile energy savings investment especially since they are always on. They use very little electricity compared to other types.

LED lights: LED light rope and some stage lighting in the theater help reduce electricity use and heat gain.

Low Flow Plumbing Fixtures: Toilets, sinks and urinals are designed for low water
consumption.

Shade Trees: Shade trees have been planted on the east and west sides of the building for protection from morning and afternoon summer sun. This helps dramatically with summertime temperatures in the building.

Bike Racks: Bike racks at every entrance help encourage riding and leaving cars at home.