Jon Heller’s article on Issaquah Fire Station 72 titled “Here’s how we slashed one station’s energy use by 75%” appeared in the DJC yesterday. The article outlines how Ecotope successfully reduced energy use in this typically energy-intensive building by incorporating high levels of insulation, using a heat recovery ventilator, a ground source heat pump, automatic controls for lights and equipment as well as solar electric panels. Heller also used the piece to show the significance of an energy efficient building like this to the community, “Firefighters are a traditionally conservative group and are almost universally respected by the community. To have the firefighters visibly embrace sustainable buildings and practices helps to further convince the community that high-performance buildings are an appropriate response to climate change and dwindling resources that will impact future generations.”
