Sneak preview tours of the restored Blacksburg Motor Company green building

On Saturday, October 25, as a finale to Sustainability Week, the Town of Blacksburg will host green building tours of the historic Blacksburg Motor Company building, currently under restoration. The tours will take place from 11am-2pm, starting at the Municipal Building at the corner of Clay and Washington streets in Blacksburg.

The Blacksburg Motor Company restoration project is a gleaming example of how energy efficient and sustainable activities can be incorporated successfully and cost effectively into public and commercial projects. The building will be the first LEED certified Town facility and the first LEED certified building in the community. A geothermal heat pump system, partially supported by a grant through the Appalachian Regional Commission and Tennessee Valley Authority, will serve the building. The project will also demonstrate that historic preservation and green building practices are not incongruent. The work is in accordance with stringent standards for historic renovation fitting the building’s listing in the State and National Register of Historic places. This historically sensitive renovation is enabling the Town to generate significant revenue through the sale of historic tax credits to assist in financing the project.

When finished in January, 2009, the former Blacksburg Motor Company building will serve as an extension of the Blacksburg Municipal Complex and will house offices for the Planning and Building Department, Engineering and GIS Department, and allow for much needed meeting space within the Town organization.

The tour will highlight site selection, green building practices, historic renovation and historic tax credits, green construction practices, energy efficiency elements, conversion of the site from a brownfield to a downtown amenity, and the commitment of architect, owner, contractor, and community necessary for a successful green building project.

During this time, the public will also have the opportunity to view and bid on a silent auction for decorative rain barrels which have been painted by local artists and schools. The barrels will be on display at the Blacksburg Municipal Building from October 20-25, and the winning bid will be announced following the building tour.

For more information about the tours or green building practices used in the project contact Meredith Jones at 540-250-6613 or email jonesmt@comcast.net .