The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program awarded Arrowhead Electric Cooperative, Inc. Gold Certification on May 17, 2010 for its headquarters facility located in Lutsen, Minn. It is the first LEED certified building in Cook County.

To achieve a LEED Gold rating, key areas of design and construction that reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment and occupants were addressed.  These key areas include:

• Sustainable site planning that decreased storm water runoff by more than 25 percent
• Safeguarding water and water efficiency by reducing potable water use by 53 percent through the use of dual-flush water closets, ultra low-flow urinals, and ultra low-flow lavatories.
• Energy efficiency and renewable energy includes a ground source heat pump, solar hot water heating system, and daylighting of almost 80 percent of the occupied spaces to reduce the need for fluorescent lighting.  All occupied spaces have sensors to turn off the lights when not in use.
• Conservation of materials and resources include the reuse of the existing building concrete shell, poured concrete walls with the use of fly ash instead of Portland cement, reclaimed tongue and groove paneling from the old building, installation of recycled glass countertops, reclaimed Douglas Fir for trim and the ceiling in the main lobby, cork flooring, recycled plastic carpeting, and recycled rubber flooring.
• Indoor Air Quality that is increased by more than 30 percent from pre-construction and the use of low emitting materials in adhesives, paints and sealants used during construction.
• Innovation in Design includes a green housekeeping program and a member outreach program.

The addition and remodeling of the Arrowhead facility consisted of the remodeling of the original building to better serve its original function as a warehouse space along with an addition to serve the office and support functions of our operations. Over 75 percent of the original building structure remained intact. The goal for the entire project focused on utilizing LEED standards as a tool for all parties involved and to provide an outreach program to Arrowhead’s members.

Facilitating the design of the headquarters was Architect, Melissa Graftaas, AIA, ARA, LEED® AP of Architecture Advantage, LLP in Duluth, Minn. This was the firm’s first LEED® project and is the first to be certified while they currently have another in the review process. The general contractor for the project was Johnson Wilson Constructors of Duluth, Minn. with main subcontractors, Stout Mechanical of Duluth, Minn. and Belknap Electric of Superior, Wisc.

Energy efficiency tip: When remodeling, look for recessed downlights, or “cans,” that are rated for contact with insulation.

With the hatching of four peregrine falcon eggs over the May 14 weekend, a total of 13 peregrines have hatched at Great River Energy’s Elk River Energy Recovery Station nesting box over its four year history.

The newly hatched chicks, or eyasses, will rely on their parents to protect and feed them over the next six weeks or so. Eyasses eat an incredible amount of food – they double their weight after only six days and will be 10 times their birth size by three weeks! At that time, brownish juvenile feathers will begin poking through their white down fuzz. By five or six weeks of age, the white fuzz will be completely replaced by brown feathers. The eyasses will then begin jumping around and testing their wings, getting ready to fly. Right around 40 days young peregrines will begin flying.

Before the eyasses attempt to fly, they will be banded for identification. The banding will take place in early June with the help of Bob Anderson from the Raptor Resource Project. Banding of the young falcons will provide the Raptor Resource Project with information on the bird’s movements and their habitat needs. While Anderson has access to the brood, he will also check their overall health and condition.

Great River Energy installed the nesting box atop the Elk River Energy Recovery Station in 2006. Peregrine falcons first arrived in 2007, making this the fourth consecutive year that two peregrine falcons have made their home in the nesting box.

You can watch the falcons on our Birdcam page: http://www.greatriverenergy.com/aboutus/environmental/birdcam.html

Energy efficiency tip: During the cooling season, keep the window coverings closed during the day to prevent solar gain.

When any household begins to seriously pursue energy efficiency, the devices with the greatest potential for savings are often those that consume the most power. In many cases, the biggest energy consumption culprits are appliances.

The average home spends about $2,000 on energy bills every year. By replacing old appliances with new models that carry the ENERGY STAR® rating, consumers can save an average of $75 a year in energy costs.

ENERGY STAR appliances are recognized as the standard of efficiency and have lower operating costs than older models. As a general rule, the older your current appliances are, the greater the energy savings you’ll realize with an ENERGY STAR replacement. 

When buying an appliance, remember that it has two price tags: the price you pay at the store and the cost of the energy and water it uses. ENERGY STAR qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that result in 10-50 percent less energy and water use than standard models. In time, the money saved on utility bills can help recoup the up-front cost of the appliance. 

Contact your electric cooperative to learn more ways to save on energy efficiency improvements.

Energy efficiency tip: When shopping for a new dishwasher, look for the ENERGY STAR label to find a dishwasher that uses less water and 41% less energy than required by federal standards.

Great River Energy has signed a 30-year power purchase agreement with NextEra Energy Resources to purchase 51 megawatts (MW) of output from the Ashtabula II Wind Energy Center in eastern North Dakota.

Located in Griggs and Steele counties, the Ashtabula II Wind Energy Center consists of 80 1.5-MW GE XLE turbines for a nameplate capacity of 120 MW, of which Great River Energy will purchase 51 MW of output. The wind farm originally reached commercial operation in November 2009; Great River Energy will begin receiving power from the facility in August.

“Minnesota has an ambitious renewable energy standard that requires electric utilities to generate 25 percent of their electricity from renewable resources by 2025,” said Mark Fagan, Great River Energy’s manager of resource planning. “The addition of the output from the Ashtabula II Wind Energy Center brings us one small step closer to that goal.” This is Great River Energy’s first wind generation purchase in North Dakota, which has greater wind generation potential than any other state.

Energy efficiency tip: Don’t keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures are 37° to 40°F for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator and 5°F for the freezer section. If you have a separate freezer for long-term storage, it should be kept at 0°F.