2006 Federal Energy Saver Showcase Award Winners
95th Air Base Wing
Consolidated Support Facility
United States Air Force
Edwards Air Force Base, California
661-277-8276
In May 2004 Edwards Air Force base completed its energy efficient and environmentally sensitive Consolidated Support Facility. The sustainable 49,000 square-foot facility incorporates a unique cooling system that meets daily demands through generation of thermal energy in ice banks overnight. The building design features curved roofs that open up interior workspace, large eaves to shade windows, and an abundance of natural daylight in combination with energy efficient lighting to reduce electricity and cooling requirements. Siting and construction minimize disruption to environmental surroundings, incorporating native landscaping, water efficient irrigation, and recycled materials both in and around the building. This award-winning, innovative facility will obtain Silver Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED™) Certification facility by the U.S. Green Building Council, and is 37.5 percent more energy efficient than a standard building.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Science and Technology Facility
U.S. Department of Energy
Golden, Colorado
303-384-7509
NREL's new Science and Technology Facility is a 71,000 square foot laboratory with a two-story design that reduces the building footprint and incorporates a more efficient HVAC system. The sustainable facility incorporates at least 20 percent of local or regional building materials. A storm water collection system, xeriscaping, and low-flow water fixtures reduce water consumption. The building design takes advantage of orientation, window placement, glazing specifications, and shading devices coupled with electric lighting and controls to incorporate 100 percent daylighting for ambient light in office areas and 50 percent in laboratories. A highly reflective roof, low-flow fume hoods, and efficient ventilation systems further help the building to achieve its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) Gold rating. Using 38 percent less energy than conventional construction, the laboratory is estimated to save approximately $80,000 annually.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
The Molecular Foundry
U.S. Department of Energy
Berkeley, California
510-486-6480
The Molecular Foundry is a state-of-the art six-story, 95,000 square foot, Department of Energy Nanoscale Science Research Center, dedicated to supporting research in nanoscience. This fl agship project applied an integrated whole-building approach to energy and water efficiency, along with a host of other sustainable practices in siting, construction, operation, and maintenance. This included aggressive goals set from project inception, such as selection of team members and contractor based on expertise and prior experience. The facility has among the lowest electricity intensity of 56 projects currently included in the Labs21 benchmarking database. The project was designed and executed to be eligible for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) Silver rating, with no net increase in construction cost compared to typical practice. Moreover, 92 percent of the site's electricity is provided by purchased renewable power based on wind and geothermal sources.
Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge
Headquarters and Visitor Contact Station
U.S. Department of the Interior
Fish and Wildlife Service
Swanton, Vermont
802-868-4781
In FY 2005 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service completed its sustainable, environmentally sensitive Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters and Visitor Contact Station. Environmental impacts were minimized throughout construction by avoiding waste, conserving water, preventing pollution, and incorporating recycled and low-emitting materials. The building's southeast orientation, large glazed windows, overhangs, and stone mass walls take advantage of natural daylighting and passive solar heating and cooling. Additional energy-conserving features include a superinsulated building envelope, geothermal HVAC system, 15-kilowatt photovoltaic array, 10-kilowatt wind turbine, and energy effi cient lighting with occupancy sensors. The renewable energy systems are estimated to save more than 21 megawatt-hours per year, producing enough power to operate 100 percent of the building's total electrical requirements.