Green roof technology is both new technology and as old as architecture itself.  Early settlers to our area often build sod homes with a roof that blended into the landscape – grass and all.  They used the natural heating and cooling of mother nature as insulation against the harsh environment of the plains.  The thickness of the soil on the structure’s roof, one of the few building materials available, insulated from the cold of winter and kept the interior of the home cool in the summer. 

 Today’s green roofs come in a variety of options.  The Urban Plains Center is one variety of green roof.  The reflective surface of the light colored roof keeps the heat of the sun from being absorbed by the building.  Since the ice sheet requires colder temperatures, reflecting the sun puts less stress on the internal cooling system, which saves energy. 

 The green roof planned for the Starion Financial building is an earthen system that insulates the building.  In the summer, the soil and vegetation act like a barrier between the heat of the sun and the internal air-conditioning.  It keeps the heat out and the cool air in.  Then in winter, the thickness of the soil acts like an insulator to keep the heat in.

 Green roofs also play a role in natural water retention.  Normally, water that hits a roof will flow through the gutters, out onto the pavement, and then into our city streets, through the sewer system and into the river or other bodies of water.  This can leach contaminants into our rivers or drinking water.  With a green roof, some of the rain water or snow melt will be retained on the roof as natural irrigation for the living garden of the green roof system.  Some of that runoff can also be stored for future irrigation needs.  The moist soil and plant life on a green roof can reduce the energy usage of a building by up to 20%.

There are many television shows now that focus on eco-friendly living and sustainable design. The most common theme of those homes is choosing to build for the climate of the area. Using geothermal heating and cooling for us here in Fargo is an incredibly efficient way of reducing energy usage. Imagine the crisp -30° morning in January. Most home heating systems are cranking out energy to warm up that extremely frigid air to a livable temperature of 70°. That is a 100° change of air temperature. Now imagine your geothermal heating system. It is pulling heat out of the ground that is already a balmy 40°F. Your heating system only needs to heat another 30°. What a difference that will make to your heating costs.

Our climate is a match for some very popular building features like heated floors, and plenty of windows. When paired with geothermal heating, heated floors are a wonderful way to combat our winter weather. The ambient heat that comes through the flooring is a comfort to your toes as well as creating the illusion of warmer outside temperatures. Add lots of windows and the natural light helps to offset the winter blues sometimes attributed to our long winters.

Plenty of windows can help capture the sun’s natural radiant heat. Placing windows on the southern and western sides of your home capture the sun’s rays when they are strongest, helping to collect both heat and the healing power of the sun. Eastern windows are wonderful for morning views, but the north side of your home should create a barrier so the collected heat in your home doesn’t get wasted on the cool, windy side of your house. Solid walls and smaller windows on the north face are cost effective ways of keeping the cold out and the heat in.

Another very popular very green, cost-saving, and in demand building feature is the open floor plan. The greenest feature of this type of design for your home is creating a smaller environmental foot print. It’s not just keeping with fashion to create a home that allows you to cook, eat, and watch TV, all in one large open space. The formal dining room and formal living rooms are fashionably out dated and a waste of space. Creating walls around spaces you barely use is wasting resources that could be put to better use somewhere else. Just think of how often your family is together in the kitchen or living room. When we think of entertaining, we think of gathering in the kitchen and being able to take care of your guests needs while not missing out on great conversation. We think of taking care of our kids in the same way. After a long day of work, when there is still food to prepare, having your family there in the same area talking about their day and sharing their lives together is our ideal. And making sure your space is designed with this in mind is a large part of responsible and sustainable design.

Urban Plains is the first development in our area that is focused on creating modern residences for the 21st century taste. Design, sustainability, function, and longevity are all part of our plan to bring modern living to Fargo. Please let us know what you would like to see in your next modern home. Talk to us about what’s important to you from design, to building materials, to price. We want to hear it all. Call Matt Baasch at 701-356-9100 or email us at matt@upfargo.com.

This is your community; this is your Urban Plains.

Bio-retention is a process that involves the naturally occurring micro-organisms in surface water to improve the water quality. While this process is seemingly cutting edge new technology, the treatment of surface water through bio-filtration has been used in Europe since the early 1900s. The runoff water from the fields surrounding the pond will gather and undergo this natural process. The water will then be suitable for recreational activities.

Eventually, the pond at Urban Plains will serve as a public park area for paddle boats and swimming. While the process is natural and it benefits the environment, are there any other reasons to utilize this type of system? Are there reasons for creating this body of water, other than for recreational purposes?

The bio-filtration system is more aesthetically pleasing than other types of filtration systems. The system is engineered so that it will blend with the streetscape and landscape. It is also easily incorporated into Green developments. These systems also contribute to the control of storm water volume. Particularly in this area there are problems with flooding during the spring thawing cycles. The run off created by snowmelt can now be retained on the property and channeled into the pond, filtered and utilized for recreation at later stages. This alleviates a percentage of the runoff that flows into the river and could potentially decrease the effects of flooding.

Also, the system is green. It is eco-friendly, cost effective and efficient. Urban Plains is a prime location for a system like this. The design fits in well with a green development and Urban Plains is proud to utilize this technology. While the system has many benefits for the environment, it is also cost effective and efficient. With the system currently in place, Urban Plains is excited about where the project can go from here.

The Urban Plains development is familiar with terms like geothermal heating and sustainability, however there are even more items within the designs that contribute to its green state. The Urban Plains Center is utilizing natural light sources to minimize the amount of energy used during the day. The Center has also installed recycled seating and counter spaces throughout the building which supports the intent to ‘Go Green’. Water conservation is one of the most important aspects that ICON has incorporated into the architectural design. The Urban Plains Center is the first project in North Dakota to utilize waterless urinals. This element on its own will save two million gallons of water per year.

Another element that Urban Plains already has in place is that of the pond. Located within Brandt Park in the center of the development, the pond takes in 2/3 of the water that accumulates on the three hundred acre property. The water is recycled by being naturally filtered and aerated before being collected in the pond. This recycling process occurs twice a month and ensures that the water in the pond is approved for recreation.

The water runoff from the pond and the acreage around it can also be controlled. The rate at which it is ultimately deposited into the river can be slowed to nothing. This option is helpful during times of flooding when the river crests are high and dikes are being exhausted.

When terms like ‘Going Green’ and geothermal heating are concerned, potential buyers tend to shy away thinking that it will be costly. Kuntz says otherwise. He explains that while the initial cost to build may be pricey, the advantages of having a sustainable building are well worth it. A building that costs sixty thousand dollars to build would require around ten thousand dollars a year to heat with natural gas. Take that same building and equip it with geothermal heating technology and it will pay for itself within four years. After the initial four years the building will be heated and cooled essentially for free. Because of the technology available to designers and builders it is now possible to upkeep a building for minimal costs. Now is the time to ‘Go Green’: it is easy, it is responsible and it is thought provoking. Challenge your designers and engineers and Go Green with us at Urban Plains.

To say that Ulteig Engineers President Elect, Eric Michel, is happy to be a part of Urban Plains would be an understatement. Enthusiastic and excited are more accurate when displaying his true feelings about moving Ulteig to UPFargo. “The master plan of Urban Plains is very appealing and the potential build is amazing,” explained Eric.

Since Ulteig is an engineering, surveying and planning company that focuses on energy, water, and our built environment, it was a natural fit for them to be located in a development with a similar focus. Their new building gives them the ability to have long term, low-rate energy costs due to ground source heat pumps and a plethora of natural sunlight that shines through a large bank of windows on the east side. The decision to add traffic circles in the development’s master plan was a detail that peaked Michel’s interest in UPFargo as well. “I have seen this feature in Denver and in other areas of the U.S.; it’s nice to see Fargo utilizing up-to-date traffic designs.”

Ulteig is honored to be a part of going green not only with their clients and in their industry, but also in the Urban Plains Development. Society believes that they should just be able to flip a switch – Ulteig is dedicated to finding the ways to keep it that way with the use of alternative energy. “We want to be able to leave something as we move forward rather than to use up everything that’s on the planet so there is nothing left,” Michel stated. Through out the nation, and in our community, people have become more conscious of sustainable building and energy efficiency. Ulteig is accomplishing their goal of leading the way by using recyclable marketing products. Instead of handing out gift baskets, they hand out reusable grocery bags and compact florescent light bulbs. “How we act is how we will see the next generations react.”

Ulteig employs up to 450 people. Their Fargo location has 140 employees and 50 people are now located at their corporate office and wind energy group in Urban Plains. “I see Urban Plains as a huge opportunity for businesses,” explains Michel. “Businesses can come out, establish new relationships and be a part of this green and growing development.”

Allegiance Software specializes in fundraising and traffic software for public and Christian broadcasting along with non-profit organizations. Their customer base consists of 160 clients reaching 45 states. Their state-of-the-art training facility allows them the ability to train clients and employees on new software while 24/7 customer support offers around the clock assistance with technical, operational, and fundraising support. Their new home, designed by Paul Sorum of Sorum Design Build, embraces the environment that Allegiance is known for providing to both customers and employees. Wide open spaces deliver an ambiance of creativity and a comfortable, home-like working atmosphere. This stunning new home is relaxing and inviting, however, it’s the green building technology that sets this contemporary structure apart from its previous home.

“Going green is the responsible thing to do,” explained Director of Marketing Sue Guttormson. “We have many clients that are environmentally conscious and we wanted to follow in their footsteps.”

Allegiance Software was built with structural insulated wall and roofing panels that consist of wood on each side and Styrofoam filling in the middle. These energy efficient panels are surrounded with maintenance free cement siding that will be painted in three different colors for aesthetic appeal. A total of 66 wells were drilled on the land 150 feet deep to bring in water to the building with 13 heat pumps positioned throughout the structure as a part of the geothermal heating and cooling system. The economically sensible decision of using green building technology will prove to save money in the long run, allowing Allegiance Software the ability to increase revenue while decreasing expenses.

Upon entering the facility one will quickly discover that the green theme is not limited to the structural details but also extends into the décor. A beautifully designed custom reception desk draws guests in with a marble countertop reminiscent of tree leaves, branches, and roots displaying shades of green and brown. The flooring on the first level is made of dark brown stained concrete that serves as an easy to clean surface and also eliminates static electricity, a vital detail for a software company whose “tool box” is filled with various computers, services, and electrical equipment.

Three different kinds of wood are displayed throughout the building. Hickory garnishes the cabinets, doors, and woodwork; Northern Norway Birch adorns the wall of private offices while Knotty Pine is used for posts and beams that stand erected in the spacious building.

There’s no doubt that Urban Plains was the most logical place for this distinctive building, created for a forward thinking company. UP Fargo offers Allegiance Software the opportunity to be strategically placed in a highly visible area that is a fast growing part of the Fargo Moorhead region. “We see this move as an investment for our employees,” explained Mark Jensen. “This facility was built with the intentions of doubling the size of our staff within five to seven years. At Urban Plains, we know that we will have access to many walking paths surrounded by trees and shrubs along with ponds where we can use paddle boats, canoes or kayaks. For 31 plus years in business, we have always worked hard and played hard and we want to continue that adage for many more years. Urban Plains was a natural location as well as investment for our new facility.”

Whether you’re looking to build residential or commercial property, the Urban Plains city within a city concept has something to offer everyone.  The innovative features of the development help to create a real community feel.  We have everything to offer from recreation to innovation.  Brant Park’s 25 acres includes a filtered lake, the UP Center offers entertainment, the shops and restaurants offer convenience and the businesses choosing to make the Urban Plains home are at the top of their game and leaders in their industry.

To learn what no current specials could mean for your new build, contact Matt Baasch at 701-356-9100 or email matt@upfargo.com.