The Building of a Dream
Starts for Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary
| After an intensive fund raising campaign and the help
of County Bank, Safe Haven was able to buy a 14 acre site just east
of Georgetown, DE. And now, the first phase of construction is underway
as land clearing begins!
Board Chairman Hal Dukes, Jr., states "This is so exciting for us. It's the beginning of a long held dream come true." Because the sanctuary will be located in a natural environment surrounded by wetlands, two organizations had to assess the impact the facility would have on the surrounding environment and check for artifacts on the land. That was followed by the bridging of a small wetlands area to provide access to the actual shelter site. The land has been prepared, the retentions pond has been dug, and the site itself is ready for construction activity, which will begin as fund raising allows. |
Safe Haven Green Design Concept |
Where we are as of February 20, 2008
SAFE HAVEN SITE IS PREPARED FOR CONSTRUCTION!
The State Soil Conservation Department issued our permit (the final one) on January 29, 2008. Construction started on February 20, 2008 with land clearing to allow the start of our 1,030-foot road that will be followed by a bridge over a small wetland area that gets us access to the actual shelter site. Land preparation work, foundation pouring, etc. will follow. Current photos will be posted soon so you can follow our progress. Check back in a few days for our first photos and frequently thereafter for updates.Where we were as of January 25, 2008
SAFE HAVEN GOES GREEN!
Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary of Sussex County is pleased to announce that we are strengthening our commitment to animals and the environment by building a “Green” sanctuary. We are proud to have hired David Quillin, a LEED-certified and award winning architect, to design a very unique and environmentally friendly building that will adhere to the National Building Council’s standards for LEED-certification, the national benchmark for eco-friendly buildings. "We are thrilled to have David's highly visionary and innovative plans for Safe Haven's sanctuary building,” states Safe Haven Director Anne Gryczon, “his very original design is elegant, yet simple, cost-effective, respects our shared environment, and, most of all, is completely animal-centered."
By building “Green,” Safe Haven will not only reduce our impact on the environment, but also significantly reduce our construction costs, operating costs and open up funding opportunities that were not previously available. By saving money on our sanctuary facility we will be able to direct more resources to Sussex County’s animals, including crucial no/low cost Spay/Neuter for the animals of our limited-income residents and feral cats.
Safe Haven’s No Kill sanctuary will be the first LEED building in Sussex County and the first “Green” shelter in the Mid-Atlantic region and second on the East Coast. Some of the elements incorporated in the design include geothermal heat, solar hot water, use of recycled materials, a climate controlling courtyard and a vegetative roof. Creating an eco-friendly sanctuary will not only allow Safe Haven to have a healthier environment for the animals under our care and save money on energy use so that we may spend more on the animals, but it will also lessen the impact on our planet to keep it a better place for everyone to enjoy.
According to Quillin, “green building is partly about consuming fewer resources, but it is also about working with the environment, rather than against it, to create a vibrant and comfortable space. People (and animals) feel better in buildings that connect them to their environment through natural light, natural ventilation, and natural materials. Treating animals with respect and treating the environment with respect stem from the same attitude.”
Green and Cost Saving Design Features for Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary:
- Solar Hot Water Heating.
- Geo-thermal HVAC systems.
- Green roof, soil absorbs rainwater and vegetation converts pollutants into biomass.
- Courtyard: moderates the weather – cooler in summer, warmer in winter.
- Long narrow buildings for increased ventilation, natural light penetration.
- East-West orientation: solar gain in winter, no gain in summer, less energy use.
- Concrete slab floors store solar gain and even out temperature cycles.
- Recycled metal exterior and roof.
- Recycled wheat straw insulation, super tight shell, and 5x tighter than most framing.
- Pervious, recycled concrete roadways, local material, allow rain to filter through.
- Downsized equipment due to tight insulated shell, about ½ of standard systems.
- Re-forest to Northeast and Northwest, block cold and storm winds.
- Maintain area South of building as meadowland, mow once per year, allows summer Southwest breezes.
Where we were as of September 27, 2007
After 9 months of pro bono work, we obtained approval from the Army Corps of Engineers for our Federal wetlands permit in December of 2006. This was followed by State approval of our entrance and exit plan in late June of 2007. Our Soil Conservation Plan that includes water runoff is actively being worked on, again pro bono. This plan must be in place before issuance of the permit that will allow us to start construction of the 1,030-foot access road and bridge. Access to the land will be followed by the start of construction for the dog and cat buildings. We are very fortunate to have found pro bono services of a Construction Project Manager who will guide us through our venture. The first step in actual construction is to build the road and bridge that will lead to the site of the animal care facility.
The road will stretch one-fifth of a mile and has a price tag of about $60,000, with the bridge costing somewhat more. Roughly $9,000 will be taken off the total cost of road and bridge construction thanks to the Melvin L. Joseph Construction Co. Inc., the company doing the work.
 Future Home of Safe Haven
|
Safe Haven is looking for other companies in building, fencing, landscaping, paving and similar industries who are willing to help build the sanctuary for a lower price.
The construction of the roadway will be scheduled just as soon as the Soil Conservation Permit has been issued. Once that pathway is established, development crews will be able to access the site to begin building.
In terms of the overall look and functionality of the facility, Safe Haven has done a lot of research and planning. Lois Fargo, also on the Board of Directors, has traveled up and down the East Coast and to western states looking at other no-kill facilities for ideas, advice and inspiration. Our final building drawings are finished.
The Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary will be modeled after the principles of Best Friends Animal Society in Utah. Other animal care facilities, such as the Norfolk SPCA in Virginia and the Animal Rescue League in Washington D.C., have also been studied. Important features Safe Haven hopes to include in the facility are a good air exchange system, which helps limit disease, and keeping things green with geothermal energy.
Member of the construction team with
Hal Dukes, Board Chairman.
|
Initially, Safe Haven hopes to have three separate buildings. The dogs and cats will be segregated into two of the buildings, both with roomy accommodations and indoor-outdoor flexibility. The third building will house a medical facility where animals can be spayed and neutered and can receive their necessary shots.
In addition to hosting an animal care facility, Safe Haven will also provide a peaceful place where the public can come to stroll the grounds, spend time with the animals, visit memorials, and reconnect with nature. Eventually, Safe Haven hopes to build a fourth structure that will serve as an administration and education facility, where the staff can conduct pet-care education programs to provide visitors with a continuously rewarding experience.
PO Box 430