Highland Beach Town Hall

Highland Beach, Maryland

This project was designed and built for the Town of Highland Beach, Maryland, a historically African American waterfront community located next to Annapolis. Built to serve the needs of community residents for meeting and gathering space, the new 2,200 sf building replaced a smaller existing building, of which the historic front facade and a portion of the foundation were retained. Completed in 2006, this project achieved USGBC LEED Platinum-level certification in 2007.

The Highland Beach Town Hall is designed to be a “Net Zero Energy” facility – under normal use, it can generate all of the energy it consumes, and may produce excess energy that will feed back into the electric grid, thereby turning the electric meter backwards. This is accomplished through an integrated combination of high-efficiency ground source heating and cooling, four-zone HVAC for individual control of temperature in each room, on-grid, roof mounted photovoltaic panels designed to produce 100% of energy demand, real-time monitoring of energy production and use, bio-based super insulation in ceiling, walls, and crawl space, a pellet stove consuming renewable, biobased fuel, an energy efficient tankless hot water heater, Energy Star rated lighting, ceiling fans and appliances, an ultra-high-efficiency refrigerator, operable windows for natural ventilation, occupancy sensors in all main rooms and a two-year purchase of green power produced from 100% America wind-generated electricity.

In addition, this project incorporates sustainable rainwater management. Two-thirds of the roof (not including the area reserved for the photovoltaic panels) is vegetated with low-growing sedum that can absorb up to 99% of a 1-inch rainfall. On- and off-site rain gardens with native species also mitigate stormwater runoff to neighboring properties, Oyster Creek, Black Walnut Creek, and the Chesapeake Bay. Rain barrels capture and store runoff, which is used to water rain garden trees and shrubs, while porous paving reduces stormwater runoff still further.

Reference:
William Sanders III, Mayor
Town of Highland Beach
P. O. Box 4206
3243 Walnut Drive
Highland Beach, MD 21403-4206 (410) 268-2956