Consulting-Specifying Engineer - December 2007 - (Page 30) SideHead 1 ➀ Unique features ➁ ➂ ➃ Open floor exhibit space Underfloor air distribution for heating, cooling, and ventilation Earth-coupled heat exchanger using Puget Sound seawater ➀ Mixed-mode operation to take advantage of natural ventilation Motorized louvered clerestory User-operated lower level windows Raised access floor distribution for electrical power and data ➁ the accelerated decay of the all-timer piling system threatened the aquarium. The decay is largely due to Bankia, or marine worms, that eat wooden structures; it had destroyed much of the pilings. It was not practical to repair the rotted timber deck, and officials at aquarium officials decided to renovate exhibit space and take advantage of required construction. Flack + Kurtz, Seattle, needed a successful logistics plan for the renovation. Phasing had to be coordinated with the pier renovation and ongoing aquarium events, as the aquarium remained open during renovation. Studies showed that it would be less expensive to complete the renovation if the facility remained open. The challenge: Flack + Kurtz had to renovate the building while it was occupied. The project began Aug. 9, 2004, and opened to the public on June 22, 2007. The $60 million renovation included a removal and reinstallation of existing services to its pier: water, sewer, gas, and fire services. The renovation also included moving the electrical and mechanical equipment rooms to a more central location. This marked the aquarium’s first major renovation in 30 years. “We felt privileged to have participated in such an outstanding renovation project that gives so much back to not only the local Natural ventilation, including operable windows and remote operating mechanisms Natural daylighting ➂ Energy conservation in insulation, high-efficiency lighting, lighting controls, and energy management systems Recycled materials used in carpeting, concrete and stairways FSC-certified wood used for sustainable forest practices ➃ Water-conserving plumbing fixtures “This behind-the-scenes integration and cooling strategy will save valuable energy,” Montpellier said. Entering the aquarium, The Ackerley Foundation Puget Sound Great Hall is a light-filled space that is distinguished by its grand staircase. All of the wood in the wooden beams and trusses of the grand staircase was salvaged from the demolished portion of Pier 59. After speaking with exhibit designers and due to the aquarium exhibit size, Flack + Kurtz knew there had to be a more efficient way of pumping water into the exhibits. “The exhibit designer planned to pump a lot of water from the sound and do some filtering from their end,” Montpellier said. “But once the water goes into the tank, there is an overflow from the tank that goes back into the sound. We looked at that outfall and asked if we could use that water for our heat rejection. From our standpoint the heat rejection that we are contributing to it is less than half a degree. So it’s basically a very efficient way of cooling the space.” UFAD For the main exhibit space, engineers chose an underfloor air distribution (UFAD) system for heating, cooling, and ventilation. In this system, the central air handling unit supplies conditioned air to the community, but also to the many visitors who come to the Seattle area,” Montpellier said. With 18,000 sq. ft of exhibit space, the Seattle Aquarium highlights a jaw-dropping 120,000 gal “Window on Washington Waters” fish tank, which has a 13-ft thick x 17 ft tall x 39 ft wide viewing window. The tank is filled with fish and invertebrates, representing a slice of life from Seattle’s Puget Sound. The new foundation replaced 12,000 sq. ft of exterior timber aprons with a concrete lateral frame structure. To maintain the historical landmark’s integrity, the design’s façade was removed by a crane and transported for restoration to another off-site location. After nine months, it was reinstalled as a nonstructural façade in its original location. HVAC installations Flack + Kurtz recognized early in the design process that a synergy between the 20,000 sq. ft aquarium’s filtration system and the exhibit space’s HVAC system could be a valuable reclamation of resources. Engineers installed titanium shell and tube heat exchangers into the air conditioning system. This allows the system to reject its heat into the circulating aquarium filtration water. 30 Consulting-Specifying Engineer • DECEMBER 2007
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