Engineering Inc. - November/December 2010 - (Page 23)

MULTI-PROJECT FEATURE Research Facility Targets Net-Zero Usage The National Renewable Energy Laboratory Research Support Facility in Colorado is among the nation’s largest ultra-efficient buildings. PROJECT: National Renewable Energy Laboratory Research Support Facility, Golden, Colo. FIRM: Platinum and zero-energy buildings,” explains John Andary, managing principal of the firm’s San Francisco office. NREL’s goal was to attain LEED Platinum certification, C Stantec, Inc., San Francisco ompleted in August 2010, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Research Support Facility (RSF) is LEED Platinum-certified and has emerged as an industry model for net-zero energy usage. As part of a design-build team that included several firms, Stantec, Inc., was responsible for designing the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems for the project and served as its sustainable design consultant, providing ideas for low-energy consumption, modeling and analysis. “Stantec has a history of working on LEED but the design team went beyond certification. NREL’s RSF is expected to be among the nation’s largest ultraefficient buildings and includes numerous high-performance design features, passive energy strategies and renewable energy technologies. In addition to daylighting and natural ventilation, a labyrinth of massive concrete structures stores thermal energy and provides additional capacity for passive heating. A fully contained hot/cold aisle data center enables effective lowenergy evaporative cooling and captures and reroutes unused heat for more efficient distribution throughout the building. A fast-tracked design-build schedule forced Stantec to overlap its energy design with actual construction. “We ensured the smooth union of design and construction through continuous communication with the contractors developing the pricing and by designing systems out of typical sequence,” John Andary says Andary. This meant that contractors installed equipment while the design was refined. The RSF provides employees with an open space that encourages interaction and collaboration. Employees can open windows when conditions permit; low-profile, modular workstations allow abundant natural light; and highefficiency computers, laptops, monitors and all-in-one print/ fax/scan devices contribute to lower energy usage. And Stantec took on another challenge: striking a balance between the project’s cost model and its innovative, highperformance energy features. Explains Andary, “By essentially taking a lead role on the project, we could better ensure the alignment and integration of the building’s architecture with the engineering design to meet NREL’s energy performance goals.” ENGINEERING INC. NOvEMbER / DECEMbER 2010 23

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - November/December 2010

Engineering Inc. - November/December 2010
Contents
From ACEC to You
News and Notes
Market Watch
Legislative Action
Power Play
2010 Fall Conference Highlights
Ins and Outs
Re-energized
Business Insights
Young Professionals of the Year
Members in the News

Engineering Inc. - November/December 2010