There is also a Capitol Park Trolley system that is implemented in downtown Baton Rouge. It is a free service, but the hours of operation are limited from 10:30 –2:30 p.m. with continuous service. There are several pick-up and drop-off locations, one being for the 400 block of Third Street located on the retail corridor of the proposed site.
New Technologies: There are new initiatives being established by the Louisiana Speaks Program based on transit oriented development. According to the author or “Green Building A to Z”, transit-oriented development (TOD) is a residential or commercial area that is designated to maximize accessibility to public transportation and encourages the use of this system to reduce emissions and traffic congestion. The use of transit-oriented development decreases the need for parking spaces, particularly parking garage structures.
According to an article in The Times Picayune from July 2006, planners are on board with the new commuter rail system. There was a meeting held where people came to a consensus about the transportation and recovery of Louisiana. The residents stated that “they are more ready than ever to use a commuter rail system that can move them between far-away jobs and homes…” Furthermore, the Louisiana Speaks Program diagrams the planned transit corridor to extend primarily from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. The rail line stops at several indicated town centers, existing urbanized areas, city centers, and urban centers, including the Baton Rouge Area.
With the following three transit systems in place, the site at 333 Laurel Street meets the requirements of 2 or more transportation systems within a quarter of a mile of the site.
The following maps are cited from the Capital Area Transit System Website and from t he Capitol Park Trolley or Baton Rouge Government's Website and are used a reference for the LEED SS Credit 4.1
Here is some useful information that I obtained on this credit from the USGBC website, "Green Building A to Z", the AABC Commissioning Group Website and some more insight into the credit.
The idea is to test all the energy-using and life-safety systems in actual building operation and to work out the errors or faults before actual occupancy. Comissioning can save a building anywhere from ten to fifteen percent of energy costs. Based on this savings, the cost to commission pays for itself within five years. The general cost range is from $.40 to $1.00 per square foot. For the Commerce Building, the rate can range from $60,000 to $150,000. The fundamental consideration for this process is the selection of the commissioning agent. It is necessary that the commissioning agent be clear on the project’s goals in addition to the systems and performance requirements before the beginning of testing.
The typical structure for commissioning is to draft a plan that specifies the commissioning requirements into the project’s specifications. Secondly, subcontractors should be involved with the process — to address testing and resolution of errors.
Further enhanced commissioning may take place depending on the scope of the project. Activities associated with this type of commissioning are reporting to the building owner, the examination of design documents, and examination of building efficiency levels after a year of being operational. In the case of the Commissioning authority for the W Hotel Riviere, there will be a third party designated for these responsibilities.
The Commissioning Plan should highlight six essential items according to the United States Green Building Council Those requirements are as listed:
(1) Engage a Commissioning Authority
(2) Review design intent and basis of design documentation
(3) Include Commissioning Requirements in the Construction Documents
(4) Develop an d utilize a commissioning plan
(5) Verify installation, functional performance, training, and documentation
(6) Complete a commissioning report
The above information came from the listed website: http://www.engr.wisc.edu/epd/faculty/altwies_joy/CxforLEED.pdf
The AABC Commissioning Group will be the commissioning authority for this project. They set forth a set of guidelines, which are listed on their website and will appear on the next several pages. With this the OPR(Owner Project Requirements) and BOD (Basis of Design) will be written down for documentation purposes.
http://www.commissioning.org/resourcecenter/docume.aspx
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