A First Look Into Sustainability

Our first stop was at the Bedford Public Library in Bedford, TX. Maria Redburn had been a librarian for the  Bedford Public Library since 2006 and has now become the Manager of the Library. She became the Program Manager for a task that would prove beneficial to all residents of Bedford, Texas; That is, build a Green and Energy Efficient Library.

This wonderful library has many unique features. The building itself is not a new building. It had been used in prior years for other purposes and bought by the city to restore it and reuse it as the public library of Bedford.
The main issue Maria wanted to address was energy efficiency. It all started with a grant from the Department of Energy and in time the Library got an energy reflective white roof which reduces the heat that travels through the building. The reflective white roof increases solar production and the efficiency of the air conditioning system within the building. On top of the reflective white roof came a photovoltaic system or solar panels which was made possible with the help of Oncor, one of the largest electric transmission and distribution service provider. They were installed all along the roof at the precise angles to expose them to the sun for the longest period of time and produce the most energy possible. This allows the library's energy demands to be served by the solar panels first. If more energy is needed than what the solar panels are producing, then the city's energy utility grid provides the extra power. All walls are well insulated and the removed pebble residue that came from the existing roof was recycled and utilized as erosion control at the nearby parks of Bedford.

The library also contains motion light sensors in all bathrooms and in the back work/occupancy areas so the lights turn on and off automatically. The picture shown on your left is from the Teens section of the library. The room is filled with LED energy efficient lights that run on 16 amps of energy which equal the amount of energy run on a hair-dryer. (Pretty Impressive!) In addition, to LED ballasted light fixtures, the staff's work areas were designed to not enclose the employee in a cubicle but rather promote a social interaction with a very low middle wall and ergonomic-friendly work-area.

Another well defined moment for Maria came when the sorting equipment was installed which consisted of 40 feet of conveyor. This allows customers to drop off books or DVDs through a drive-through drop off or inside the building. After the drop-off the conveyor scans the book or DVD which then sorts it into a certain bucket. This has eliminated the work redundancy for the librarians and allowed for quick and proper shelving at the end of each day. This amazing piece of equipment has a price tag of about half a million dollars but with such an investment it will pay itself off in 6 to 7 years.

  In addition, the checkout stations have been a marvelous and exciting option for many of the residents. With over 4 stations spread throughout the Library and 5 computers on each station, the satisfaction in checkout time and privacy of each customer has never been better. In a matter of seconds, you could've paid your 2 day fine with the ability of swiping your card for the late fee and checking out your next 2 books for your own leisure and the kid's DVDs for their entertainment. Even though all equipment was not a cheap option, customer satisfaction has increasingly gone up due to the new checkout system. Less time has been wasted by librarians when customers are wanting to checkout or when returning numerous items. Both the conveyor and the checkout stations have helped the staff by focusing more on the in-depth questions from the customer. The equipment has also allowed for better management in FTEs (Full Time Equivalents.)

Maria had one last surprise for us before departing the Bedford Library. She began to make her way to the back of the library were she showed us an enormous piece of green space outside the library. This is where the installation of 150 geothermal wells were placed at 250 feet into the earth. This geothermal heat pump system uses the earth's core temperature to heat and cool the building and it is usually protected by placing a parking lot or a large green area on top. This system brings the building's inside temperature in the comfortable 70s and allowing Maria to minimally adjust the heating/cooling system inside to the desired temperature.

This trip to the library has never been more exciting for me! Not only did we get a tour of the library, we got a look at what this library means to Maria, the staff and the residents of Bedford. Maria was able to double  the size of her library to about 40,500 square feet and only incurred an increase between $400 to $700 a month in energy costs. This is an amazing energy savings with such sustainability improvements that have made this library 50% more efficient. The staff is more socially engaged with each other and its customers due to many of the improvements.

I had no idea so much could go into the topic of sustainability. I am definitely more aware of issues and improvements that one can make to their business or home and have such cost-savings without the wastes we produce everyday. My feelings on this experience are beyond what I expected. I've never felt so happy for someone like Maria after all the obstacles to get the library to where it is at today. I never thought that all the investment would pay off well in the end. Not only is having a green and energy efficient mind set good, it is the right thing to do in my opinion. Even though many of the equipment mentioned can be expensive, it does not stop you from beginning a journey of having sustainable business or even a home. Everything can be done one step at a time and slowly. Before you know it, your building or your home will reach 50% efficiency with all the sustainability projects you have implemented. Maybe one day, reaching more than 50% efficiency or Net Zero will not be too far behind.

The Bedford Library is a happier place to work in and for others like me, it is a happier place to learn.