Girl Scouts
The Girl Scouts of Michigan Trails are enjoying a beautiful new lodge at Camp Anna Behrens in Greenville, Mich., thanks in part to the Sherwood family (the “S” in JSJ) and the JSJ Foundation. The Sherwoods donated $500,000 to create the lodge, while the foundation added a three-year pledge totaling $15,000 to support the project.
Progressive AE architects and Rockford Construction Company began the building process by listening to the girls’ dreams for the new center of their camp. It soon became clear that the Girl Scouts’ dedication to green goes much deeper than their symbolic uniform. Becoming a steward for a sustainable environment was one of their first goals and a driving force for the project. As a result, the Sherwood Lodge earned a coveted LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
The Girl Scouts even earned a LEED “innovation point” by using Sherwood Lodge as an example of sustainable living and educating others through a signage program and informational tours.
What makes the lodge so green? First, the dining hall was built with trees harvested directly from the campgrounds. Its natural heat fireplace and radiant floor slab team up for winter warmth. In the summer, windows open high above the hall to draw in cool air – no air conditioning needed. Low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints, stains, adhesives and caulks reduce indoor air contamination. Plenty of glass provides daylight and views to the outside while efficient heating, ventilating and electrical systems reduce the use of energy. Finally, 80% of all construction materials were diverted from a landfill.