Somewhere between the present and the future, the foundation and "edge of what we know," architects were tasked with bringing a vision of "perpetual sustainability" to life in the Frontier Project, Rancho Cucamonga Water District's new demonstration building and sustainability initiative.

HMC Architects, a regional firm specialized in public-sector projects, designed the 14,000 square-foot complex using simple, green principles with room to incorporate new technologies as they evolve. Built to a LEED-Platinum standard, the project is intended as a lasting a community resource - to show consumers, residents and developers that sustainability can be simple, attractive and cost-effective. Supporters also hope it will act as a kind of catalyst for the green movement by connecting people to products, services and suppliers.

"It adds a great deal of momentum to start pushing public awareness," RCWD director and the Foundation's president Robert DeLoach told the Business Press. "It's very inviting, very efficient, which is a big plus in today's economy."

Seeing consumer inclinations toward sustainable lifestyle choices among homebuyers, as well as equivalent trends in the world of commercial development, DeLoach hopes to take things to the next level. "I believe we will start seeing new awareness, people are starting to make those choices - and I think what the Frontier Project does is really pushes that envelope."

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The new sustainable building system consists of a U.S. Patent pending structural frame and wall system that is quick and less expensive.

He acknowledges that the project will likely have a greater impact among the District's resident homeowners, at least in the beginning, but says the idea was not to separate residential from commercial consumers, and expects to target both.

Brokering sustainability

Influencing and educating people at the point of consumption might prove effective as demand for green - services, construction and products - is expected to drive the market toward more sustainable practices when the economy recovers. Developers who build green tend to bank on the fact that people are willing to pay a significant premium for certified buildings and products.

And, according to HMC principal architect Pasqual Gutierrez, developer responsiveness to sustainability "appears to be a viable marketing collateral." As the consumer market develops, Gutierrez sees sustainable features becoming a "measurement of quality and a positive index toward consumer consciousness," thus providing reason for developers to continue championing the cause.

If new consumers are reticent to take the first step, or if more experienced ones are wary of "greenwashing," the Frontier Project's unique convergence of non-profit promotion, education and networking might help bridge some gaps.

Glenna Wiseman, VP of marketing for HelioPower (The HelioGroup) and a chair of the US Green Building Council's Inland Empire Chapter, stresses the importance of education and marketing in developing the green product market. "You'll see more and more companies opting for true education programs, because the environmental consumer (business or homeowner) will get increasingly savvy."

Gutierrez points out that definitions and interpretations of sustainability will vary according to consumer understanding and comfort levels - and the Frontier Project can assist by giving them a chance to "discriminate between relevant applications and commercial marketing trends."

As the region transitions toward more sustainable practices, people will naturally be curious about their options, says DeLoach. "So what can you do to get someone to ask themselves, 'I wonder if I can do that in my house? And who can I go to, and where can I get the products or materials?' "

As a non-profit, the Frontier Project Foundation has the ability to act as a go-between for consumers and developers, suppliers and contractors, introducing products or services and providing an up-to-date demonstration for home- or business owners.

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The materials used for Frontier Project, shown at a recent gala to celebrate the upcoming grand opening, include bamboo floors and styrofoam framework for concrete molds.

"The Frontier Project will probably not motivate a developer to rush out and change their architectural scheme," admits DeLoach, "but what it will do is change the development community's mind and the end product user's mind, as well as the company installing product."

The foundation's non-profit status also allows its leadership to go after funding that would otherwise be unavailable to a public entity, helping it to stay on the cutting edge of green technology systems and products.

Advanced simplicity

But the evergreen principles of design on which the building is based are intended as a demonstration in their own right - of the simplicity and durability of sustainable building.

"The idea of the building was not to become a product showcase," says Tom Donahue of Turner Construction, general contractor on the Frontier Project. "So the sustainable things they've done are going to be timeless, but there is an opportunity for things to be interchanged."

Permanent functions include the passive ventilation system, the North-facing glass walls to capture sunlight and reduce heat-gain, and the insulated South- and West-facing walls that protect the building from the harshest exposure. "That's as basic as you get, it goes back thousands of years, that principle," says Donahue of the passive ventilation system. Meanwhile, smaller components like appliances in the demo-kitchen, or irrigation systems, will be changed out as models are upgraded or become more efficient.

"The building is really a piece of art, and it does many things," says Donahue. In addition to a strategic orientation for light and temperature control, the shape is unique, he says, and the materials used - bamboo floors, concrete, styrofoam-framework for concrete molds, wood from forests that are certified as renewable - all contribute to a very thorough strategy.

Admittedly, the Frontier Project is an exceptional model of green technologies. Rick Fochtman, president of the US Green Building Council's Inland Empire chapter and a builder by trade, notes that without the same budgetary constraints as many government and private projects, the project can afford to pursue a "very aggressive green strategy," and incorporate more technology than might otherwise be attainable.

And, while the dominant standard and a growing reality in the Inland Empire, LEED certification may not be an immediate goal for many businesses or developers climbing out of the recession. "It's not the only method of taking projects green," says Fochtman, citing the massive government funding and incentive opportunities on the way for businesses and homeowners to retrofit, weatherize and install solar energy capabilities.

"It adds to your bottom line"

In the meantime, says Fochtman, "More businesses are becoming aware of green, and when you talk about green you're talking about efficiency. People become aware of the implications and the cost of way they do business, and see efficiency as a way to greatly improve their profits in the future economy."

Throughout the Inland Empire, individual businesses have taken the initiative to green their operations - exemplifying the kind of practices that the Frontier Project seeks to promote.

According to Shayne Seever, VP of administration at Sierra Aluminum, based in Riverside, his company's decision to opt for sustainable systems stemmed from a belief in "doing the right thing," - but also proved to be more cost effective over the long-term.

"We use tools like lifecycle analysis to make decisions when we are investing in new processes or replacing existing ones," writes Sever in an email correspondence with the Business Press. "Oftentimes the sustainable choice is the one that costs you the least if you go far enough into quantifying all of your costs."

Sierra's important changes include two major lighting upgrades (replacing 450-watt metal halide bulbs with 320-watt pulse start halides, and recently, 4-bulb T-8 fluorescent fixtures that use 128 watts). Over time, the reduction of 322 watts per fixture is significant: 193,200 watts for the plant's 600 fixtures (or about the amount of continuous usage of 100-200 houses). "The wonderful thing about this project," writes Sever, "is we were able to do this without actually reducing the light levels in the plant."

After a comprehensive audit of their compressed air systems, Sierra also found they could achieve the same output with much less electricity - so they installed bigger compressed air storage tanks, computer-controlled pressure regulation, and Variable Frequency Drive trimming compressors, according to Sever. The company also has one photovoltaic system up, and "will be evaluating additional investments in this technology in the future."

Seever stresses the fact that Sierra has suffered in the downturn, and that the kind of retrofits they implemented might be out of reach for many businesses who are struggling to stay afloat.

"Our industry is suffering tremendously from the economic downturn," he writes. "Many of our competitors are struggling to stay out of bankruptcy and simply do not have the ability to invest in these types of systems. While I wouldn't even think of saying our business is good, we are still able to continue to invest in projects that will allow us to use less energy."

But the bottom line? Still strong, according to Seever. The kinds of systems Sierra implemented will require more cash up front, but looking at the full lifecycle cost, the company found it more than paid for itself. "The incremental cost of the green technology generally saves you substantially more money than the upfront cost," writes Seever. "In general, it adds to your bottom line."

Regional goals

The Frontier Project is one knot in an increasingly dense web of local community and government initiatives working to overcome economic and geographic challenges the region faces in becoming more sustainable.

Traditionally, the Inland Empire is marked by high population growth and the kind of suburban sprawl that defies most principles of sustainable living. But its great advantage, says Craig Keys, Executive Director of the Green Valley Initiative, is that "its communities have learned to think regionally and to act collaboratively in response to these challenges." Given its collective efforts to tap funds and policy initiatives to promote the region as a leader in green technology and development, Keys says the area is poised to benefit from a growing global marketplace for green technologies.

Moreover, says Keys, GVI's 40-plus participating jurisdictions can "pool talent and resources on a regional level" and address regional problems like "air quality, unemployment, and resource conservation," problems which require coordinated efforts from various sectors of the regional community.

With it's impressive mandate and budgetary flexibility, the Frontier Project is one of several emerging outposts that advocates hope will push the region to the forefront of California's national environmental leadership. "If you look at Orange County and Los Angeles, they are largely built out. San Bernardino has a lot of land... it has the opportunity to set a standard not found elsewhere," says DeLoach.

For DeLouch, this is where it starts and ends. California's role in renewable energy use and conservation must be read against our lack of commitment to the impending crises of tomorrow - like water shortage. Pointing to a recent state water bond that he "can guarantee will probably fall short," DeLoach knows from experience that any structural change will require a shift in consumer behavior.