Cucamonga Valley Water District’s Frontier Project Demonstrates Green Building Best Practices

The <a href="http://www.cvwdwater.com/" target="_blank">Cucamonga Valley Water District </a>established the non-profit Frontier Foundation in 2005 as a way to help Southern California deal with environmental challenges. Their mission is to show residents, builders and companies that sustainable design can be economical, efficient, and inviting. In order to demonstrate these ideals, the foundation built the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/the-frontier-project-showcases-sustainable-technologies/" target="_blank">Frontier Project</a> building in Rancho Cucamonga. Designed by HMC Architects, the 14,000 sq ft building shows off a slew of sustainable technologies and strategies like a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/categor/green-roof">green roof</a>, photovoltaics, green interiors, a native garden, energy efficient HVAC, daylighting, passive solar design and much more. The Frontier Project also received its <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/leed-platinum">LEED Platinum certification</a> in May of 2010.

Constructed out of <a href="http://www.forms.org/" target="_blank">Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs)</a>, the large multi-purpose building features full-height glazing on the north side of the u-shaped building to pull daylight into the interior.

On the south side, a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/shade-screen">sun screen</a> made from reclaimed wood deliverd from a nearby vineyard, protects the interior from overheating.

A passive cooling system draws cooler air in through the bottom and expels hot air up and out through chimneys in the roof.

An eco-friendly kitchen demonstration area.

The roof features three separate technologies to help regulate interior temperatures.

First, a large photovoltaic array soaks up the sun's energy, converts it into electricity for use within the building, and also acts as a shading device.

Second, a green roof serves as insulation, reduces heat island effect and soaks up rainwater.

Finally, the remainder of the roof is coated with a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/07/21/having-white-roofs-would-save-the-u-s-735-million-per-year/">cool roof surface</a> that reflects the sun’s light away.

Landscaping around the building features pervious pavers, native and drought tolerant plants, as well as rainwater collection.

The building showcases sustainable technologies and building strategies for the area residents and building contractors. Tours are available during the week to learn about the building.

The building also features a conference room for up to 80 people to attend workshops, classes, and seminars. An office workspace for up to 15 employees demonstrates the "office of the future" in a bright, open workspace.

The Frontier Project was awarded with a LEED Platinum Certification in May 2010.

The project received a Citation Award from the AIA Inland California Chapter, an award from the LA Business Council and Leadership Award from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Inland Empire Chapter for Education and Advocacy, Sustainable Design Practices.