From emagazine.com
A Midwest Town Continues Its Green Rebuilding
On May 4, 2007, an EF5 tornado cut a 1.7-mile path of destruction through Greensburg, Kansas. Winds reaching speeds of 205 miles per hour uprooted trees, demolished homes and leveled the town. Eleven people died and 95% of the buildings were destroyed beyond repair.
The town, whose population has dropped from 2,000 to 800 following the storm, responded with a first-of-its-kind commitment: to rebuild its businesses, schools and homes to meet the highest environmental standards. The motto on the town’s website captures the enthusiasm: “Greensburg: Better, Stronger, Greener!” Town officials passed a resolution that all future municipal buildings over 4,000 square feet would meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s prestigious LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum designation. And word of the commitment created a media frenzy, including a reality TV show about Greensburg on Planet Green with eco-celebrity host Leonardo DiCaprio that’s now in its second season. President Obama even gave Greensburg a specific mention during his address to Congress in February.
Greensburg Mayor Bob Dixon says all that outside attention has given the town an advantage with attracting corporate sponsors and new businesses. While the rest of rural America is being hit hard with the economic downturn, high unemployment and layoffs, Greensburg’s emphasis on green living has given the town a buffer.
From EcoHomeMagazine.comCylindrical design and green techniques provide strength and sustainability.
With completion of Greensburg’s first “Eco-Home” expected next week, the tiny town in Kansas once ravaged by a tornado is drawing eco-tourists from all over the world.
After an EF5 tornado tore through southwest Kansas in May 2007, 95% of the town was reduced to rubble. In the wake of the catastrophe, Greensburg’s leaders and many residents embraced the idea of rebuilding as a green community.
That vision is slowly becoming reality with the completion of the community’s first Eco-Home, inspired by the local co-op’s grain elevator that was left standing after most homes and buildings were destroyed.
A news photo of the silo resonated with David Moffitt, a Florida builder who was preparing to market his ultra-hurricane-resistant home, under development since 2004. He realized his sustainable, durable Silo home was a perfect fit for tornado-prone Greensburg. “After the tornado went through Greensburg, we were impressed that the only thing left standing was the town’s silo,” says Moffitt, owner of Bushnell, Fla.-based Armour Homes. “We decided we could help out in Greensburg and work to market our product, not just to build back green, but also tornado-resistant.”
After meeting with Greensburg GreenTown founder Daniel Wallach, Moffitt decided to be the first builder to participate in the organization’s Chain of Eco-Homes project. Groudbreaking on the Silo home was in December; it is expected to be complete just after Labor Day.
GREENSBURG — This town is famous for having the world’s largest hand-dug well and the world’s largest pallasite meteorite.
But it’s another tourist attraction, not those claims to fame, that is bringing folks across the globe to Greensburg.
Take a drive in a tour bus through the streets of Greensburg, which was nearly wiped off the map by a tornado two years ago. Yes, you’ll see lingering effects of devastation, but, more importantly, something else — a town being rebuilt as a model green community.
Look inside the town’s new eco-home, which features ideas like energy-efficient heating and air conditioning, water-efficient toilets and a garden on the roof. Tour the art center, eat at one of the local restaurants or shop at the business incubator — all places using environmentally friendly technology.
“So many people are interested in what is going on here,” said Greensburg resident Susan Reinecke.
She and her husband, Scott, who ran an auto body shop in town before the tornado, opened Studio 54 — a glass art studio and gallery — a few months ago in the business incubator on Main Street. For several months, they didn’t know if they wanted to stay or open a business in a town ravaged by a tornado. Now, folks from New York, England and Australia are setting foot in the store.
Across the nation, people have tuned in to Planet Green’s television documentary, she said. They want to see the town for themselves. READ MORE
John Deere announces that the recently rebuilt BTI Greensburg (Kansas) dealership has received the platinum level of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Building Design) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
The platinum level certification is the highest level Green Building Rating available and is the nationally accepted benchmark for design, construction and operation of green buildings. The John Deere dealership was completely destroyed by a tornado on May 4, 2007, along with the rest of the town of Greensburg.
According to Mike Estes, general manager for the BTI Greensburg dealership, the new 28,500-square-foot facility was built to LEED platinum standards as part of the overall reconstruction of the city and Kiowa County, and for the obvious environmental and business benefits.
“Most of the other buildings in Greensburg have been rebuilt to various LEED standards and we wanted our dealership to participate in the ‘Greensburg Green Town’ theme,” Estes says. “We decided to rebuild to platinum level certification to serve as a model for other businesses in the community, as well as for other John Deere dealerships that might want to use some of these greener technologies in their facilities.”
Estes adds that incorporating the LEED standards into the new facility has turned out to make “good business sense” for the dealership. “We’ve utilized more sustainable and environmentally friendly materials in everything from the building to the landscaping. In addition, we’ve significantly reduced water usage, electricity and maintenance needs, and we’ve created a very attractive, bright and inviting retail and service facility that customers seem to enjoy.”
LEED certification facts about the BTI Greensburg dealership:
- Uses 51.5 percent less electricity than code-required minimum performance, which saves 161,911 kWh annually — enough electricity to power 14 homes for one year.
- 18,600 kWh are produced on-site by two wind turbines.
- 64 tons of the 73 tons of construction waste were diverted from landfill for re-use and recycling.
- Uses 48.8 percent less water than code-required minimum, saving 38,750 gallons of water annually.
- Utilizes low VOC carpet, paints, and sealants throughout the facility to ensure healthy indoor air quality.
- Has 23 skylights in the retail and service areas to utilize natural lighting as much as possible.
For more information about the BTI Greensburg John Deere dealership, visit www.gti-bti.com.
John Deere (Deere & Company — NYSE: DE) is the world’s leading provider of advanced products and services for agriculture and forestry and a major provider of advanced products and services for construction, lawn and turf care, landscaping and irrigation. John Deere also provides financial services worldwide and manufactures and markets engines used in heavy equipment. Since it was founded in 1837, the company has extended its heritage of integrity, quality, commitment and innovation around the globe.
Located across the street from the SunChips Business Incubator at the head end of Main Street, the Kiowa County United building will soon offer several 1,500-ft. retail spaces. Several local merchants are planning to bring back businesses and new businesses are also planned. The shopping center will also feature off-street parking.
Governor Mark Parkinson tonight named BTI of Greensburg the winner of the Governor’s Award of Excellence, while Cereal Ingredients of Leavenworth was named the Governor’s Exporter of the Year, at the annual Kansas Cavalry Encampment at Johnson County Community College.
The two awards are the state’s top business honors and serve as the highlight of the Kansas Cavalry Encampment, the state’s annual celebration of Kansas business. The event is sponsored by the Kansas Cavalry, a volunteer group of business leaders who promote Kansas as a business location, in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Commerce.
“We are honored to present BTI of Greensburg and Cereal Ingredients of Leavenworth with the state’s top business awards,” Governor Parkinson said. “These companies embody Kansas ingenuity and values, and they illustrate what a great place Kansas is to live, work and do business.”
Mayor Bob Dixson told a crowd of spectators why the new Greensburg SunChips Business Incubator is truly the lifeblood of bringing back exising business and provding an incentive for new and prospective businesses as part of the Greensburg recovery.
Greensburg mayor, Bob Dixson
Located at the busy intersection of Highway 54/400 and what will become Greensburg’s new Main Street, the new Leed Platinum building provides state-of-the-art facilities for an extremely rental cost to businesses .
The building is owned and operated by the City of Greensburg. Funding was provided by USDA Rural Development, SunChips/Frito Lay and celebrity Leonardo Dicaprio.
The bottom floor offers retail space while the second floor provides professional offices. Already, the building is home to an art glass gallery, paint store, massage therapy/aromatherapy herbal store, law and accounting offices, psychological therapy offices, sign shop, and new Kiowa County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Corporation office. Only a few spaces are still vacant.
The ecologically green building utilizes solar panels to supplement electricity, rain water and gray water collection and re-use, high-efficiency heating and cooling that uses a special earth heat sink. Earth-friendly furnishings and building materials are used. Recycling bins are located throughout the building. Even parking spaces are designated for car-pooling and high-efficiency, high-mileage automobiles.
The building is one of the early-risers of the many “green” public buildings in Greensburg. Click here for more information on the floor plans and building information for this innovative way to help Greensburg continue to grow.
In listening to Gary Fisher of USDA Rural Development at the grand opening of the Greensburg SunChips Business Incubator, one thing became very clear—USDA Rural Development played a major role in helping Greensburg recover.
Coming on the scene almost immediately after the tragedy of May 4, 2007, USDA rural development began a systematic process of helping to evaluate and fund many recovery projects.
As the lead federal agency serving rural America, USDA Rural Development aims to increase economic opportunity in rural America and improve quality of life for all rural Americans.
Working as early as providing funding for the Greensburg Water Tower in April, 2007 (with eight participating partners), they have participated in financing for several housing projects, the business incubator, the county courthouse repair, city hall, the upcoming Big Well Museum, conferences and meetings and other projects. It is projected that the USDA/Greensburg/Kiowa County initiative will provide between $60 to $75 million in USDA funding.
There’s no question that USDA’s focus on Rural Development makes the Greensburg area a shining example of a successful, fast-acting federal program.
As the new Greensburg sprouts from the ground, the local tourism board is ready to help tourism grow right along with it.
Mike Husband and Judy Herberling of Herberling and Associates of Alexandria, PA, have been retained by the area to create a master tourism plan for the area. Along with a listening tour from March 23-25 and a visit on April 9, the couple is putting together a plan that will help establish Greensburg as a tourism destination.
The Big Well already draws tourists from around the world and will certainly become a centerpiece of the recommendations.
The group expects to produce a plan with the next six months.
Fresh off of creating a master tourism plan for neighboring Dodge City, Huband and Herberling are surveying information on all the things needed to bolster tourism in Kiowa County, including focusing on tourism-related businesses including shops, restaurants, eco-tourism and agri-tourism, among many other areas.
The master plan should be a great help in aiding the attraction, development and support of local business and industry.
With an eye toward providing even more community services, another building is about to grow in Greensburg. The Kiowa County Council on Aging is about to break ground for a new Senior Center at the corner of Maiin and Grant streets.
Special landscaping has been planned for the north side of the property to help create a pleasing green buffer between the building and residential areas. Possible plans include additions of low shrubs, shade trees and flower beds.
