Engineering Inc. - November/December 2008 - (Page 27)

mULtI-PRojECt FEAtURE College Goes for LEED Gold Beaudin Ganze Consulting Engineers designed this administrative and classroom building, part of Sierra College in Truckee, Calif. The building boasts several green features, including an evaporative cooling system and smart controls for moderating temperature and light. PRojECt: Sierra College, truckee Campus, truckee, Calif. FIRm: O beaudin Ganze Consulting Engineers, Inc., Lake tahoe, Calif. fficials at Sierra College in Truckee, Calif., established LEED certification as one of their main goals in the design of a new 30,000-square-foot administrative and classroom building. California is a national leader in green building mandates and incentives, and LEED programs play a large part in helping building owners authenticate sustainability efforts in the design of their facilities. Beaudin Ganze Consulting Engineers, Inc. (BGCE) was tabbed to design the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, lighting, fire alarm, telecommunications and energy management systems, as well as to oversee the LEED process for the new building. The firm also worked on a longer-term site infrastructure plan for future building phases. “To enhance the building’s energy performance, BGCE worked closely with the architect to develop an efficient building envelope using energy modeling software,” says Mark Schlosser, a BGCE senior associate. BGCE also worked closely with the building commissioning agent to ensure that building systems would efficiently operate within the designed parameters. “BGCE designed a building that would fulfill the college’s goals of serving students’ educational needs, reducing energy use and attaining LEED certification,” Schlosser says. Key sustainable features of the project include efficient plumbing fixtures, allowing the building to use 40 percent less water; a combination of evaporative cooling and outside air to reduce air conditioning energy use by up to 80 percent; smart controls to regulate temperature and lighting according to the amount of sunlight and occupancy; 50 percent to 100 percent thicker insulation than the national average in piping and ductwork for more efficient heating and cooling; variable frequency drives for reduced energy consumption by large fans and pumps; and ultra-highefficiency heating boilers. A major challenge of the project was fitting the large, Mark Schlosser efficient equipment into the small mechanical spaces designed by the architect to reduce construction costs. BGCE specified customized equipment to fit into the spaces and ensured the project’s success through extensive design, construction and installation coordination with other design team members and with the construction contractors. The new building includes offices, art rooms, computer and science labs, student gathering areas, EMT training rooms and a library. “Sustainability features have allowed us to submit seven out of 10 Optimize Energy Performance points, which could result in LEED Gold certification,” Schlosser says. ENGINEERING INC. NovEmbER / dECEmbER 2008 27

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Engineering Inc. - September/October 2008 Contents From ACEC to You News & Notes Market Watch Legislative Action Engineering Goes Back to School Winning the Talent War Mastering A Hard-Luck Economy Education Makes the Grade in Green Construction 2008 Young Professionals of the Year 2008 Fall Conference Highlights Technology Members in the News One On One

Engineering Inc. - November/December 2008

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