The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) have selected the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) Federal Center South Building 1202 in Seattle, as the recipient of the Top Ten Plus award. The Top Ten Plus, now its third year, recognizes one past AIA COTE Top Ten Project Award recipient which has quantifiable metrics that demonstrate the true impact the sustainable design has achieved.
The Federal Center South Building 1202, designed by ZGF Architects LLP and built by Sellen Construction, was selected in 2013 as a recipient of the AIA/COTE Top Ten Project Award program. More information on the design elements and images are available here.
The redevelopment project was part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and was delivered on time and within the original $72 million budget. The new building transformed a previously toxic brownfield into a new standard for a high-performance, cost-effective, and sustainable workplace environment for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Far from typical in government projects, the design and construction of the facility was completed in just 31 months as part of a rapid project delivery model.
Following a one-year measurement and verification period, it was established that the building’s energy performance is meeting the goal of more than 30% better than ASHRAE 90.1—the benchmark for commercial building energy codes in the U.S.
After the first year, the facility’s metered energy performance has met every design target, including the contractually required energy performance and the AIA 2030 Commitment. At of the end of last year, the Federal Center South building was using 61% less energy than the national average for similar buildings and 46% less water than a current plumbing code defined baseline.
“This project demonstrates the success of performance-oriented contracting and the value of both energy modeling and post-occupancy monitoring,” said Todd Stine, AIA, partner at ZGF Architects LLP. “The energy modeling done in the design phase showed a $55,000 energy cost savings each year associated with the high-performance systems integrated into the building. The post-occupancy evaluation looked at energy and workplace performance and has been crucial in determining how to best optimize all facets of how the building was intended to function.”
The COTE Top Ten Plus jury commented, “We admired ZGF Architects for their persistence over time to improve both their understanding of the planned performance of the building and its actual performance; they were genuinely curious about how the building was working out. There are signs of science and research in the relationship between daylighting and employee performance, along with evidence that the building has caused an enhanced environmental culture amongst its occupants.”
“The AIA COTE+ recognition is an honor and a testament to the teamwork between GSA, ZGF, and Sellen Construction to build a facility that not only exceeds GSA’s sustainability goals but delivers bottom line results that will save taxpayers money for years to come,” said GSA Regional Administrator George Northcroft.
To further enhance the building’s sustainable performance, the team developed, tested and evaluated enhancements to the base design during the design and construction of the project so that the GSA could incorporate upgrades into the project as funding became available. Through this process, the team was able to add rainwater harvesting, a geothermal system, enhanced lighting controls, an energy dashboard and improved glass in the main skylight.
This project was designed to meet GSA’s requirement for a building with a 50-year minimum lifespan, and mechanical equipment that lasts a minimum of 20 years. The campus site can also accommodate the 30-yearexpansion and redevelopment requirements for a number of federal agencies.
Related Stories
| Mar 26, 2012
Jones Lang LaSalle completes construction of $536M Parkview Regional Medical Center
Hospital ushers in new era of local access to advanced medical treatments in Northeast Indiana.
| Mar 26, 2012
Los Angeles County to host free green building training
Opportunity for residential and commercial building professionals to gain insight on state and county green building standards and regulations.
| Mar 20, 2012
Stanford’s Knight Management Center Awarded LEED Platinum
The 360,000-sf facility underscores what is taught in many of the school’s electives such as Environmental Entrepreneurship and Environmental Science for Managers and Policy Makers, as well as in core classes covering sustainability across the functions of business.
| Mar 20, 2012
New office designs at San Diego’s Sunroad Corporate Center
Traditional office space being transformed into a modern work environment, complete with private offices, high-tech conference rooms, a break room, and an art gallery, as well as standard facilities and amenities.
| Mar 19, 2012
HKS Selected for Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie
Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachiewill incorporate advanced technology including telemedicine, digital imaging, remote patient monitoring, electronic medical records and computer patient records.
| Mar 16, 2012
Work on Oxnard, Calif. shopping center resumes after a three-year hiatus
Stalled since 2009, developers of the Collection at RiverPark decided to restart construction on the outdoor mall.
| Mar 16, 2012
Stego embarks on HPD Pilot Program
Vapor barrier manufacturer strives to provide better green choices to designers and builders.
| Mar 12, 2012
Improving the performance of existing commercial buildings: the chemistry of sustainable construction
Retrofitting our existing commercial buildings is one of the key steps to overcoming the economic and environmental challenges we face.
| Mar 6, 2012
Gensler and Skender complete new corporate headquarters for JMC Steel in Chicago
Construction was completed by Skender in just 12 weeks.
| Mar 6, 2012
Joliet Junior College achieves LEED Gold
With construction managed by Gilbane Building Company, Joliet Junior College’s Facility Services Building combines high-performance technologies with sustainable materials to meet aggressive energy efficiency goals.
