86 SIDELINES SEPTEMBER 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Continued on page 88
e
Architecture
An architectural rendering of a barn that utilizes open vaulted
spaces to promote ventilation and increase natural lighting.
Photo courtesy of J Martinolich Architect
Going
Green
With
Green
Barns
By Katie Navarra
W
e’re surrounded by energy-saving devices at home
and at work. From appliances to vehicles to energy-
efficient light bulbs and gadgets designed to limit
waste or reduce the volume of water or electricity consumed,
we’re regularly reminded of the importance of going green.
But when we head to the barn do we take “green practices”
with us?
Compared to homes and commercial buildings, “Equine facilities
are inherently green friendly,” said Joe Martinolich, owner of J
Martinolich Architects in Kentucky. “Barns are low energy users
as compared to a house or commercial building because they’re
not usually air conditioned or heated.”
Often green practices go hand in hand with good horsemanship.
Regardless of the barn structure, a healthy, clean barn creates a
more pleasant environment and compliments efforts to reduce our
carbon footprint. Joe gave
Sidelines
some advice as to how to
ensure your barn maintains that pleasant environment and utilizes
as little energy as possible.
Let There Be Light
Well-lit barns provide a safe, comfortable working environment.
Light is needed to illuminate stalls, tack areas, work areas and
aisle ways to make the spaces easier to work in and safer to pass
through.
“I always think about how it’d be to work in an area,” he said.
“If I had to clean a stall, how easy would it be? If there’s a dark
corner and I can’t see what I’m doing, the stall won’t get as clean
as it needs to be.”
However, increasing the brightness in a barn doesn’t
necessarily require additional lighting fixtures. “I encourage people
to use daylights as much as possible,” he said. Cupolas, dormers,
windows and external stall doors provide an abundance of natural
lighting. Artificial lighting is still necessary for evening hours or
dark days, but the strategic use of natural lighting reduces a barn’s
overall energy consumption.
The type of light fixture also impacts the energy use in a barn.
Traditionally, incandescent light bulbs were the bulb of choice
in aisles, stalls and tack rooms because they were inexpensive.
While cheaper to purchase, incandescent bulbs burn out more
quickly, use more energy and produce heat.
Alternative light fixtures are rapidly replacing incandescent
bulbs to conserve energy and as a replacement for the
incandescent bulb, which will soon be obsolete. “Compact
fluorescent lights and LED lights cost more, but are more energy
efficient and, when properly selected and paired with the proper
ballast, are less expensive to operate,” he explained.
Occasionally, barn owners or managers ask Joe about the
benefits of photovoltaics, the method of generating electrical
power by converting solar energy into electricity. “Photovoltaics
