Government
Mechanical & HVAC Design Goes Underfloor
GSA
Green Building Focus
The project was procured for DISA by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers using a performance-based RFP (request for proposal) in a design-build competition. Although the RFP did not emphasize a raised access floor (it requested only a 4-in.-high raised access floor as an add alternate for cable management purposes), the team made a critical decision early in the design process. The team decided to use an 18-in.-high raised access floor for the office building portions of this facility on the basis of the agency's stated need for total flexibility in making future changes to its telecommunications infrastructure.
GSA
Green Building Focus
The project was procured for DISA by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers using a performance-based RFP (request for proposal) in a design-build competition. Although the RFP did not emphasize a raised access floor (it requested only a 4-in.-high raised access floor as an add alternate for cable management purposes), the team made a critical decision early in the design process. The team decided to use an 18-in.-high raised access floor for the office building portions of this facility on the basis of the agency's stated need for total flexibility in making future changes to its telecommunications infrastructure.
Space-Age Sustainability
Buildings, April 2010
According to Tom Horan, vice president and site director for AECOM, the architect of record for the project, “The ground-source heat pumps are an extremely low-maintenance element of the design when compared to the chillers, boilers, and cooling towers they replace.” He also points out that the raised floor for distribution of power, data, and telecommunications will make the churn of personnel significantly less costly and disruptive. Adaptive daylighting will reduce energy costs and labor and material costs associated with lamp replacement. Solar thermal and photovoltaic systems will greatly reduce operating costs, too.
Buildings, April 2010
According to Tom Horan, vice president and site director for AECOM, the architect of record for the project, “The ground-source heat pumps are an extremely low-maintenance element of the design when compared to the chillers, boilers, and cooling towers they replace.” He also points out that the raised floor for distribution of power, data, and telecommunications will make the churn of personnel significantly less costly and disruptive. Adaptive daylighting will reduce energy costs and labor and material costs associated with lamp replacement. Solar thermal and photovoltaic systems will greatly reduce operating costs, too.
Government Case Study: Virginia State Capitol Building Renovation
Today's Facility Manager April 2010
Uniting old and new created some challenges. HVAC ductwork for horizontal distribution could not be placed overhead (removing ceilings would mar the building’s history). Ultimately, raised access flooring was used to sit atop the HVAC equipment, and existing floors were excavated 4' down to achieve this.
Today's Facility Manager April 2010
Uniting old and new created some challenges. HVAC ductwork for horizontal distribution could not be placed overhead (removing ceilings would mar the building’s history). Ultimately, raised access flooring was used to sit atop the HVAC equipment, and existing floors were excavated 4' down to achieve this.
California Department of Education
High Performance Buildings, Fall 2009
The California Department of Education Headquarters, built in 2002, raised the bar for sustainable building practices in California. It is the first state office building to incorporate an underfloor air-distribution system and is the state's first design-build office building. Sustainable practices used during construction are now part of the state's green building manual. The building has achieved and EPA Energy Star rating of 98 and scored above the benchmark in both air quality and person comfort in post occupancy surveys.
High Performance Buildings, Fall 2009
The California Department of Education Headquarters, built in 2002, raised the bar for sustainable building practices in California. It is the first state office building to incorporate an underfloor air-distribution system and is the state's first design-build office building. Sustainable practices used during construction are now part of the state's green building manual. The building has achieved and EPA Energy Star rating of 98 and scored above the benchmark in both air quality and person comfort in post occupancy surveys.
Government Case Study: Process Driven
Today's Facility Manager, February 2009
TFM Managing Editor Anne Vazquez talks to the director of building operations, Joseph R. Campfield, about the new IRS facility in Kansas City, MO. The GSA specified this type of system (UFAD) for both its flexibility and targeted airflow. Mr. Campfield has discovered the benefits of both these qualities. "Say I have a work group that needs to move its desks 3' feet in order to improve efficiencies," he says. "In a standard building, that might literally set 50 people right on top of the registers that were built for the area. With the UFAD system, we can lift up the floor tiles in that area and move the air diffuser below (which is actually a full VAV box) to where we need it in the floor. In a short period of time, we can reconfigure the registers to get the best air distribution for the new furniture configuration."
Today's Facility Manager, February 2009
TFM Managing Editor Anne Vazquez talks to the director of building operations, Joseph R. Campfield, about the new IRS facility in Kansas City, MO. The GSA specified this type of system (UFAD) for both its flexibility and targeted airflow. Mr. Campfield has discovered the benefits of both these qualities. "Say I have a work group that needs to move its desks 3' feet in order to improve efficiencies," he says. "In a standard building, that might literally set 50 people right on top of the registers that were built for the area. With the UFAD system, we can lift up the floor tiles in that area and move the air diffuser below (which is actually a full VAV box) to where we need it in the floor. In a short period of time, we can reconfigure the registers to get the best air distribution for the new furniture configuration."
What Works to Cut Data Center Energy Usage
"One of the big things is the raised floors," says Bruce McCauley, chief of construction management at Offutt. "The three-foot raised floor allows us to distribute the wiring and the air conditioning and heating under the floor. We do get some energy efficiency by not having ducts."
"One of the big things is the raised floors," says Bruce McCauley, chief of construction management at Offutt. "The three-foot raised floor allows us to distribute the wiring and the air conditioning and heating under the floor. We do get some energy efficiency by not having ducts."
2003 PBS Facilities Standards - General Services Administration
Federal Government: GSA Public Building Service
Edward Feiner, Office of the Chief Architect
“Access floors shall be incorporated into all new construction where office functions will take place.” “Access flooring shall be used in appropriate areas in courthouses, which include courtrooms, chambers, offices, conference rooms, etc.”
Federal Government: GSA Public Building Service
Edward Feiner, Office of the Chief Architect
“Access floors shall be incorporated into all new construction where office functions will take place.” “Access flooring shall be used in appropriate areas in courthouses, which include courtrooms, chambers, offices, conference rooms, etc.”
Money Matters
State Government: State of Pennsylvania
Buildings Magazine August 2002 - Jim Toothaker, Former Director State of Pennsylvania
“By comparing one of the state’s more traditional buildings with one he calls “a high-performance green building, predicated by it being located on a raised floor and using that as your heating and cool air distribution plenum” he has calculated a 90- percent reduction in costs associated with relocating an employee or reworking an office area."
State Government: State of Pennsylvania
Buildings Magazine August 2002 - Jim Toothaker, Former Director State of Pennsylvania
“By comparing one of the state’s more traditional buildings with one he calls “a high-performance green building, predicated by it being located on a raised floor and using that as your heating and cool air distribution plenum” he has calculated a 90- percent reduction in costs associated with relocating an employee or reworking an office area."
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