IES carried out Sustainability Consulting, Energy Modeling and Commissioning for this two phase project consisting of two seven story office buildings, both in the region of 198,000 GSF.
Key Facts
- LEED Gold Certified first phase Core and Shell base building
- LEED Platinum Certified second phase Commercial Interior project
Project Summary:
- IES facilitated the entire LEED process for both buildings.
- The first phase Core and Shell base building achieved LEED Gold and the second, a Commercial Interior project, achieved LEED Platinum.
- The project was unique as IES consultants were able to substitute most of the energy credits by completion and the commission of a whole building model. This method showed significant savings - even when compared against the traditional LEED credit route - and has only recently been accepted as a valid route to LEED compliance.
- IES consultants wrote plans for Measurement and Verification and, using the existing VE building model, opportunity exists for post-construction services such as operational data monitoring and analysis. This will ensure the design is performing as intended and allows for continued improvement of the buildings’ performance.
- Attaining the LEED Platinum certification posed the greatest challenge (due to an approx. 20% jump in performance requirements between Gold and Platinum).
- Points for consideration included: overlapping credits, correct certification plan, nuances of requirements, cost of certification both in terms of soft costs for team members balanced against efforts and timing.
- Sustainable aspects of the project included the lighting design, overall energy use reduction, and water efficiency.
- Significant reduction of lighting power relative to ASHRAE baseline values was realized through strategic lighting placement and extensive use of LED fixtures.
- Reduced lighting‐related consumption, optimised layout planning, efficient HVAC equipment and demand control ventilation, and Energy Star equipment and appliances enabled an overall reduction in demand and significant energy consumption savings relative to a baseline.
- Water efficient plumbing fixtures and potable water use reduction measures resulted in average savings of over 40% project water savings compared to a baseline, saving over one million gallons of potable water per year.
