In week fifteen, we tapped into the city water and sewage systems. The yard hydrant is now installed and we completed the plumbing rough in, in which we located all of the corresponding pipes in the walls. We used P.E.X. for the supply piping—it installs quickly, is affordable, and is recyclable and therefore environmentally friendly. We also installed a 40 gallon Marathon water heater, which is non metallic and will not rust. Also inside the building, we tilted up the interior walls and poured Durock’s Quick Dry Floor, a product from US Gypsum. This Gypsum based white finish flooring product will make up the entire first floor.

Our water reclamation system includes gutters, a cistern, and a drywell. We installed a Roth MultiTank cistern, by Roth Global Plastics, with attachments from J.R. Smith. This 1,500 gallon tank is made from all recycled materials. Water moves through the gutters, channels through a pipe, then a filter, and makes its way to the cistern, where it is stored until someone chooses to use it. The drywell receives overflow and drainage from the cistern. This complex system reduces stormwater runoff. The system also reduces site disruptions pertaining to water, such as erosion, topsoil depletion, and any other water maintenance issues. Installing everything properly will gain us 2 LEED points in the Sustainable Sites category.

Back in the warehouse, we had installed the appropriate electrical wiring within the walls and the ceiling. Now on site, we are able to connect these wires with the city of Greensburg and run power to our building. With the help of Clint Gottschalk, an electrician from Lynn Electric, all needed home runs were made up, watt Stopper devices were installed, and all electrical panels were organized. The last panel houses a charger/inverter, which is responsible for converting the DC voltage of the wind turbines and PV panels into AC voltage. We also installed our compact fluorescent lights and energy saving bulbs. If there is enough sunlight available during the day, then these lights will not turn on in the building. When dealing with energy calculations, the lighting load is the largest load in a building, so by reducing this when we can, we are helping to save energy.

We poured the first half of our concrete retaining wall that encircles the plinth. The 16-foot long forms that we fabricated will be used again when we pour the second half of the wall. We are looking forward to the completion of the plinth and all of its little details.