HIGH PERFORMANCE CASE STUDIES: 300-level

SESSION 6

DATE // START TIME // ROOM NUMBER:

Wednesday, September 29, 2010 – 11:00 am – Metro 4B

ABSTRACT:

This presentation brings together experts in envelopes, electrical and mechanical engineering, and sustainable design to explore various integrated solutions focusing on hospitals, which operate around the clock and have very specific HVAC and electrical requirements.

MODERATOR:

Klaas Rodenburg, Sustainable Design Coordinator, Stantec

SPEAKERS:

Ray Pradinuk, Senior Architect, Leader of Healthcare Research and Innovation, Stantec
Paul Marmion, Senior Principal, Buildings Engineering, Stantec, and ASHRAE Advanced IAQ Project Committee
Monica Olmos, Senior Lighting Designer, Stantec
Steven Cantor, Senior Landscape Architect, Stantec
Joseph Donovan, Senior Principal Architect, Stantec

DESCRIPTION:

Modern hospitals consume more than 2.5 times the energy as an office building of comparable size.. Every year hospitals around the world spend a large amount money on energy for lighting (25%) and HVAC (45%), 24 hours a day, 7 days of the week. This makes healthcare facilities the perfect proving ground for energy efficiency concepts. To significantly improve the energy performance of a hospital requires the efforts of multiple experts working together towards a common goal.

This presentation brings together experts in envelopes, electrical and mechanical engineering and sustainable design to explore various integrated solutions focusing on hospitals, which operate around the clock and have very specific HVAC and electrical requirements. When it comes to improving a building’s performance there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Instead it is the creative integration of many individual elements ranging from the conventional to the leading edge materials and concepts that push the envelope to the next level. The solutions discussed at this presentation will focus on an integrated approach that recognizes that the envelope must work in concert with the needs of the occupants and other systems.

This session will follow the format of a mini-charrette in which the moderator will engage the audience to join in the discussion.. At the end of the session attendees will have some new, practical ideas and concepts that will be posted on a blog where the discussions can continue.

> REGISTER FOR THIS SESSION

HIGH PERFORMANCE CASE STUDIES: 300-level

SESSION 40

DATE // START TIME // ROOM NUMBER:

Thursday, September 30, 2010 – 2:00 pm – Metro 4B

ABSTRACT:

To date, LEED for Homes has achieved very little penetration in the New York City and other urban markets. This panel will discuss the challenges and opportunities of completing LEED for home projects in an urban environment.

MODERATOR:

Maureen Mahle, Program Manager, Steven Winter Associates, Inc.

SPEAKERS:

Alison Novak, Senior Project Manager, The Hudson Companies
Gina Buffone, Former Senior Project Manager, Habitat for Humanity, New York City
Lauren Noonan, Project Manager, New York University

DESCRIPTION:

Panelists will present their experiences in promoting awareness among their stakeholders and achieving LEED-H for both market rate and affordable housing units. This session will discuss both the overarching issues that have arisen from this recently established rating system as well as some detailed lessons learned.

Projects to be discussed include:

• Third+ Bond: Nine 4-story buildings, 5 units each. Market-rate condominiums. New construction.
• Knickerbocker – 50 units, 4 stories. Gut rehab.
• Atlantic Ave apartments, Three 4-story buildings, 11 units each. Affordable housing.
• Washington Mews, faculty housing, New York University

> REGISTER FOR THIS SESSION

HIGH PERFORMANCE CASE STUDIES: 300-level

SESSION 5

DATE // START TIME // ROOM NUMBER:

Wednesday, September 29, 2010 – 11:00am – Metro 4A

ABSTRACT:

Design, construction, and verification methods used by innovators in New York City’s affordable housing community to evolve the high performance envelope.

MODERATOR:

Luke Falk, Associate Project Manager, Multifamily Performance Program, NYSERDA

SPEAKERS:

Les Bluestone, Blue Sea Development Company
William Stein, Principal, Dattner Architects
Maureen Mahle, Steven Winter Associates
Chris Benedict, Architect

DESCRIPTION:

The connection between affordable housing and energy efficiency is simple to understand: long-term affordability through low operating costs is just as important as manageable first costs. High performance envelopes have been at the forefront of energy efficiency in single family homes for decades, but urban residential construction projects have lagged behind. This session presents the design, construction, and verification methods used by innovators in New York City’s affordable housing community to evolve the high performance envelope.

Affordable housing developer Les Bluestone committed to building sustainable and energy efficient homes when he co-founded Blue Sea Development Company in 1999, and has completed a number of successful projects since then. . Les will describe how the process of continual improvement led to the 2010 LEED
Platinum rating for the Gen. Colin Powell Apartments in the Bronx, The building will provide a 43% reduction in energy costs,an unprecedented feat for a New York City affordable housing project.

Affordable housing designer William Stein directs Dattner Architects’ residential practice. His work in affordable housing includes landmark projects like Via Verde in the South Bronx, Habitat for Humanity’s Atlantic Avenue apartments, and Courtland Corners. Bill will draw from these examples to present evolved building envelope design strategies that minimize the thermal bridging so common in urban construction, while effectively managing moisture and limiting air movement.

Sustainable housing consultant Maureen Mahle works with a variety of affordable housing clients in Steven Winter Associates, Inc.’s capacity as a LEED for Homes Provider. She will describe how energy analysis, insulation and air sealing inspections, performance testing, and other diagnostics have helped project teams evaluate and improve envelope performance. The particular challenges presented by steel and masonry construction will be addressed, and test results from landmark New York City affordable housing projects will be presented.

The session will be moderated by Luke Falk of the New York Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), an agency that has led the nation in the development of ENERGY STAR performance standards for multifamily housing. 48,000 units of New York City’s affordable housing are currently pursuing certification and the incentives through the Multifamily Performance Program. Luke will introduce the topic of Evolution of the Envelope by commenting on the high performance envelope measures used by projects seeking 20% or greater energy cost savings.

> REGISTER FOR THIS SESSION

HIGH PERFORMANCE CASE STUDIES: 300-level

SESSION 25

DATE // START TIME // ROOM NUMBER:

Thursday, September 30, 2010 – 9 am – Metro 2C

ABSTRACT:

A discussion of how energy-efficient systems were selected and integrated into two suburban office buildings designed to achieve LEED Platinum Certification. The SAP Americas project team will focus on the building’s high-performance triple-glazed curtain wall enclosure; the Biogen-Idec project team will discuss the building’s integration of a quarry water cooling system and solar array.

SPEAKERS:

Biogen-Idec Project Team:

Robert Evans, Principal, Evans Heintges Architects
Marie Nolan, Project Manager, The Green Engineer, LLP
Kevin Sheehan, Project Manager – Development, Boston Properties

Sap Americas Project Team:

Isidro Gonzalez, Architectural Design Department Manager, Aluminum Division, Schuco USA
Dan Nall, Director of Sustainability, WSP Flack + Kurtz
Gustavo Rodriquez, Senior Designer, FXFOWLE Architects

DESCRIPTION:

How can two suburban office buildings exceed many sustainable thresholds for energy, siting, water and air quality while still meet the needs and demands of the competitive commercial office market? This panel will present the integrated processes and building systems for two state-of-the-art office headquarters, one located outside of Boston and the other near Philadelphia.

Set on a picturesque site with extraordinary water features, wooded jogging trails and open spaces, Weston Corporate Center is a Class A office building in Weston, Massachusetts that serves as the corporate headquarters of Biogen Idec Inc. Originally committed to a LEED Silver Rating, the project team led by Boston Properties and Evans Heintges went above and beyond to eclipse the Platinum threshold with their construction submission, while avoiding any significant added costs. Beyond the standard LEED criteria, several unique features of the project include an onsite wastewater treatment plant, a state-of-the-art quarry cooling system, and Massachusetts’ largest privately owned ground-mounted solar array that exports 80,000 kwh to the grid annually.

A building’s skin represents a fundamental component of energy efficient design, occupant comfort and biophilia. The desire for a greater connection to the natural environment has resulted in high percentages of clear glazing in buildings, creating a challenge for designers and manufacturers in meeting energy codes and ambitious energy reduction goals set forth in LEED and other metrics. In the design of the SAP Americas headquarters expansion in Newtown Square, PA, the design team confronted and worked to resolve several opposing objectives – How does one design a building enclosure with continuous glazing that maximizes daylight and views, while remaining energy efficient and pursuing LEED Platinum Certification? In this portion of the session, members of the design team – FXFOWLE, WSP Flack+Kurtz, and Schuco USA will discuss the critical role of an integrated team in helping to attain the performance goals for the SAP Americas curtain wall and the overall building. Unlike a traditional enclosure design methodology, the architect, mechanical engineer and curtain wall manufacturer collaborated closely in a design assist process to achieve both aesthetic and performance requirements.

> REGISTER FOR THIS SESSION

HIGH PERFORMANCE CASE STUDIES: 300-level

SESSION 16

DATE // START TIME // ROOM NUMBER:

Wednesday, September 29, 2010 – 4 pm – Metro 2A

ABSTRACT:

Two mid-century structures in Chicago and Washington DC are transformed into  high-performance buildings, effectively repositioning them for today’s market.

MODERATOR:

Susan Szenasy, Editor, Metropolis Magazine

SPEAKERS:

Stephen Apking, Interior Design Partner, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Kevin Cahill, Associate Director, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Rod Garrett, Director, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Peter Lambis, Vice President, Project and Development Services, Jones Lang LaSalle

DESCRIPTION:

Retrofitting urban buildings has the most influential environmental impact since it greatly reduces the volume of waste materials sent to landfills as well as materials and labor associated with new construction. It also transforms mid-century existing building stock with lower energy efficiency standards into high-performing buildings, benefiting the occupants and owners. Most importantly, it repositions buildings for today’s market. The panelists will explore two projects: the Inland Steel Building in Chicago and 1801 K Street in Washington, DC.

The Inland Steel study is driven by an “inside-out” perspective; modifications to the flexible nature of the interior environment were key drivers in the local market. At 1801 K Street, it was an “outside-in” approach; the curb appeal and exterior design of this twentieth century building was of significant importance.

Inland Steel Building

The Inland Steel Building, constructed 1956-1957 in Chicago, exemplified the new organizational business methods of a strong postwar economy, with each building component separately articulated for its particular function. In the same spirit of innovation, the building is being comprehensively renovated and reconceived. This retrofit, was designed as the first triple LEED platinum certification for renovation, Core and Shell, and Commercial Interiors.

1801 K Street

In late 2005, Somerset Partners acquired 1801 K Street, a property located along the prominent K Street corridor in Washington, DC. The building was constructed in 1968 for use as medical offices. Reflecting the original program use,  the façade consisted of long and narrow glazing units spaced five feet apart, and was in need of an upgrade. A new façade was installed over the old, while 75 percent of the tenants remained in place. This approach not only diverted a significant amount of construction material from landfills, but also greatly improved the building’s energy performance. The quality of the indoor environment was also enhanced through increased daylight and less air infiltration.

Each case study highlights the ability to transform a mid-century structure into a high-performance building and does do so in a way that repositions the building’s market value by responding to local real estate demands. Both have different approaches to the same end objective.

> REGISTER FOR THIS SESSION

HIGH PERFORMANCE CASE STUDIES: 300-level

SESSION 36

DATE // START TIME // ROOM NUMBER:

Thursday, September 30, 2010 – 2:00pm – Metro 2A

ABSTRACT:

Design challenges and solutions presented by two of Colorado’s most energy efficient schools, both in challenging climates.

MODERATOR:

Conor Merrigan, High Performance Building Program, Colorado Governor’s Energy Office

SPEAKERS:

Pete Jefferson, Vice President and Principal, M.E. GROUP / design+green
Paul Hutton, Founder, Hutton Architecture Studio

DESCRIPTION:

This session will focus on the design dilemmas presented by two of Colorado’s highest- performing schools, both located in challenging climates. The specific technical considerations to be explored include a choice between geothermal and geoexchange, natural versus mechanical ventilation (in a school district that regularly has wind days), wall assembly and envelope design, and differing daylighting strategies. Both schools are located in a high plains environment with cold temperatures and significant wind loads, and both are designed to reach energy targets in the low 20s in terms of KBTU/SF/yr before adding renewables, (which doesn’t include geoexchange)

Centennial is Colorado’s highest-performing school and Sangre de Christo is projected to be near that level. Both schools are in rural districts and both are required to meet LEED Gold or CO-CHPS as a requirement of their funding sources. Both have significantly exceeded those targets and are continually pushing further.

When a geothermal source was identified for Sangre, the design team immediately saw an opportunity to leverage efficiencies to reach extremely high levels of energy savings; why they didn’t is a compelling investigation of resource use, design challenges, and cost benefit analysis. The unique climatic conditions at each school drove differing approaches from the new conventional wisdom on envelope design in each case, and the strategies for increasing daylight and minimizing electric light varied based on a host of design and owner preference factors.

These schools are demonstrative of Colorado’s commitment to high performance design, made possible through innovative legislation (the Building Excellent Schools Today [BEST] program) and programs emanating from the Governor’s Energy Office (the High Performance Building program). As Colorado continues to get ever closer to net-positive commercial buildings, schools are one of the primary building types to do so.

> REGISTER FOR THIS SESSION

HIGH PERFORMANCE CASE STUDIES: 300-level

SESSION 1

DATE // START TIME // ROOM NUMBER:

Wednesday, September 29, 2010 – 11:00am – Altman Gallery

ABSTRACT:

Panelists discuss the planned transformation of the National Geographic Society’s existing headquarters in Washington, DC to a carbon-neutral facility.

SPEAKERS:

Bill Browning, Partner, Terrapin Bright Green
Hans Wegner, Vice President Production Services, National Geographic
Chris Pyke, Director of Research, USGBC

DESCRIPTION:

What technological, structural and behavioral changes are needed to transition from carbon-based to carbon-neutral within an existing built environment? Is it possible to do so within the budgetary constraints faced by most facilities managers?

The National Geographic Society (NGS) sought to answer these questions when they decided to work towards converting their Washington, DC headquarters into a carbon-neutral facility. The NGS headquarters features three interconnected buildings ranging in age from 20 years to over 100 years old. Given NGS’s longstanding commitment to environmental issues, the NGS team had already addressed many “low hanging fruit,” including participating in the Energy Star program and achieving the LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) certification. The next goal was to understand the greenhouse gas “footprint” of the headquarters complex and to model and quantify specific opportunities for reducing emissions on a fundamental level.

By studying energy use patterns from utility bills, tracking data obtained from meters installed on various pieces of equipment, and working with NGS building engineers and executives, it became clear that carbon neutrality was potentially achievable. In addition, with efficient upgrades according to scheduled replacement cycles, it could also be done in a manner that would decrease long-term operating costs over the next 25 years.

This session will address how such a transformation is possible. With roughly five million commercial buildings in the United States alone, a sustainable future cannot be achieved purely through new, green construction; existing building stock must be made more sustainable. In changing how we think about existing structures, we can both drastically reduce a building’s negative impacts on natural environments while achieving positive gains in occupant health and productivity and reducing  operational costs.

> REGISTER FOR THIS SESSION

HIGH PERFORMANCE CASE STUDIES: 300-level

SESSION 32

DATE // START TIME // ROOM NUMBER:

Thursday, September 30, 2010 – 11:00am – Metro 2C

ABSTRACT:

Limited scope and an older infrastructure present significant challenges to a successful sustainable build-out. Learn how these challenges were met, while also satisfying corporate sustainability requirements, through recent LEED CI projects, including the Democracy Now! Studios, Morgan Stanley’s New York offices and RCN Corporation properties.

MODERATOR:

Patricia Lee, Senior Project Manager, CodeGreen Solutions

SPEAKERS:

Dennis Darcy, Principal, Brooklyn Interiors
Karen Lalli, Director of Corporate Real Estate, RCN Corporation
Karen Ranucci, Project Manager, Democracy Now!
Gay Schaye, Vice President, Morgan Stanley

DESCRIPTION:

Speakers will present the perspectives and experiences of individuals that had to coordinate an integrated team of service providers, the needs of occupants, and tight timelines to deliver a healthy, pleasant, and sustainable working environment.

Additionally, insight will be provided on how inhabitants have received these spaces and what differences or improvements have been observed post-occupancy.

Topics to be discussed include:

• How to coordinate an integrated design and consultant team
• Challenges of addressing older infrastructure
• Maximizing energy efficiency of a build-out
• Corporate sustainability goals and how they are addressed in the sustainable build-out of a space,
• Addressing sustainable practices and behavior of occupants
• Successes and experiences post-occupancy

> REGISTER FOR THIS SESSION

HIGH PERFORMANCE CASE STUDIES: 300-level

SESSION 33

DATE // START TIME // ROOM NUMBER:

Thursday, September 30, 2010 – 11:00am – Metro 4A

ABSTRACT:

This mixed-income case study of the Tapestry Building in New York City illustrates how high-performance building envelope design and energy efficiency contribute to improved quality of life in the built environment.

MODERATOR:

William Jose Higgins, Director of Green and Sustainable BuildingsTeam, EME Group

SPEAKERS:

Paul Freitag, Managing Director, Development, Jonathan Rose Companies
David Newman, Sustainability Specialist, EME Group
Herbert Mandel, Managing Partner, MHG Architects
Daniel Abatemarco, Acoustics Specialist, AKF Consulting Engineers

DESCRIPTION:

The Tapestry Building is a new 12-story, 185-unit mixed-income green residential development near the foot of the Triborough Bridge. The 50/30/20 residential development is made up of market rate, middle income and low-income apartments. The project, designed to Enterprise Green Communities criteria, is on target to earn a LEED-NC v2.2 Gold Rating and is participating in the NYSERDA Multifamily Performance Program.

Reducing energy usage alone does not fuel the pursuit of a high-performance building envelope. An additional impetus is sound control of the busy inner city noises as desired by the project developers and New York City Zoning Regulations, which require a Sound Control Coefficient (STC) rating of the building façade. Energy efficiency and sound control are both increased by moving from an air-cooled, hydronic PTAC system to water source heat pumps, a mix of double- and triple-glazed high-performance windows, and higher-insulated and tighter exterior walls.

The water source heat pumps reduce the number of exterior wall penetrations in comparison to a typical PTAC system that would penetrate the wall at each air-cooled unit; this assists in saving energy through a more continuous exterior wall and a more efficient HVAC system, and also reduces sound transference.

Double- and triple-glazed high-performance windows reduce the heat and sound transference while allowing for natural light, mitigating the conflict between the desire for abundant natural light and the need for sound control and energy efficiency

> REGISTER FOR THIS SESSION

HIGH PERFORMANCE CASE STUDIES: 300-level

SESSION 4

DATE // START TIME // ROOM NUMBER:

Wednesday, September 29, 2010 – 11:00am – Metro 2C

ABSTRACT:

Two case studies explore proven models for cost-effective green affordable housing, while investigating uncommon approaches to design and community engagement.

MODERATOR:

Lenard Hart, Executive Director, Sustainable Housing Foundation

SPEAKERS:

John Godden, President, Clearsphere
Tom Laronde, Founder, The Four Winds Group

DESCRIPTION:

Low-income affordable housing is not often market-driven. The cost of a certification label is unlikely to be recovered by consumer’s willingness to pay more for a superior product. Governments can be convinced to pay for labeling, but often at the cost of another form of upgrade. Affordable housing is instead often driven by community need. By bringing the community into the design and building process, the Sustainable Housing Foundation has successfully assisted low-income, affordable housing projects in achieving significant energy savings, improved quality of construction, indoor air quality, and sound attenuation while creating jobs within communities.

Relationships Build Communities: The Saugeen First Nations Sustainable Housing Case Study

The need for improved housing for First Nation’s people is a stark reality. The need to reduce energy consumption while increasing the durability and comfort in the home was a particular challenge for the Saugeen First Nation project team. Through a focus on renewable energy options, the Saugeen Green Housing Project sets a new standard affordable green housing.

Relationships are the building blocks of any project, and Four Winds recognizes that “relationships build communities.”  Through this project, the community was willing to push the envelope in terms of approval processes and to consider new ideas by looking at established “best practices” in other parts of the world.  As the project evolved, many partners were introduced in order to accomplish the project’s goals.

Approaching Net Zero in Habitat Homes: Habitat for Humanity Case Study

Habitat for Humanity has a unique building model that assists low-income families in affording a home of their own.  Any energy savings that Habitat can build into their homes improves the chances for families’ ongoing ability to afford their homes, as these savings are passed on to owners. While Habitat has struggled with cost when building greener homes, this case study explores the role of early community engagement in the success of two green and affordable projects.

> REGISTER FOR THIS SESSION