Energy Efficiency & Green Building

 After months of looking, we found our “diamond in the rough” in the spring of 2019 at the BartaHouse redevelopment project.   The space was in the final stages of demolition and ready for someone to take a chance.  Because of the asbestos mitigation that was required, the space was left with exposed ceilings, broken windows and cinderblock walls.  It was perfect!  It was a space we could make our own, and a space that would enable us to take it in any direction.  When we engaged our architect, Arrow B Architecture, we set an expectation that we would focus on the environmental impact of the buildout and maximize the energy efficiency.  Some highlights of the buildout included:

    • All external walls were a 4” buildout with closed cell blown-in Insulation

    • Low-E dual pane windows

    • Energy efficient furnace/air conditioning - zoned for both back of house and front of house

    • Relocated furnace from original plan to minimize duct work run, reducing energy output

    • Installed all LED lighting, both lightbulbs and LED fixtures

    • Lighting control system ensures lighting is off when the space is not occupied

    • Replaced cast-iron plumbing drain system

    • Installed tankless hot water system with recirculating pump

    • Resurfaced concrete floors to minimize additional building materials

    • Installed reverse osmosis water filtration system.

In addition to construction efficiencies, we focused on installing all new Energy Star refrigeration equipment. We specifically chose TurboAir appliances for their automatic condenser cleaning capabilities to ensure appliances are running most efficiently and extending the longevity of the equipment.

For our coffee equipment we worked to maximize energy efficiency by “right sizing” the equipment and installing multiple systems with smaller boilers instead of just one large boiler.  Our espresso machine is designed with three boilers to maximize quality as well as minimize energy usage by having separate steam boilers and mixing boilers.

We installed an Automatic Dish Machine from Auto-Chlor, ensuring the lowest water usage for dish and glass cleaning, featuring their WaterSaver Design and less than 1 gallon wash cycle. The system ensures the lowest water consumption and minimal chemical usage.

Tadd Overstreet