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We have created this website to showcase the NZEB design projects of IDeAs, we hope you are inspired to start saving the world, one building at a time.
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895 Emerson - Schmidt Family Foundation Offices
This 4,000sf building is a former auto body shop is located in an urban setting near shops, transit and housing. The goal of the design is to take the existing building and retrofit it to go beyond a net zero building to a positive energy building. Expected to achieve LEED Platinum, the building will also be carbon neutral and is designed to teach and encourage individuals and designers alike to build better buildings. The mission of 895 Emerson will be to minimize environmental impact and create a replicable model of sustainability.
Design Features
The 30kW system is designed to offset 100 percent of the building’s energy usage and then supply enough additional energy to charge 10 electric vehicles. The first step in creating a Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) is reducing the energy usage from a typical building to a highly efficient building. By improving building insulation, fenestration, reducing plug loads and installing an efficient HVAC system the overall building electric load can be reduced dramatically. The building technologies are designed in a way to improve building performance and improve cost savings as well.
One of the most ‘green’ choices in material selection is material reuse; energy and Co2 is saved by choosing to reuse elements of the building structure and existing materials. 100 percent of the buildings existing walls, floors and roofing will be reused and 75 percent of construction waste will be diverted from the landfill. With the remainder of the material selection, the philosophy of Cradle-to-Cradle was the driving factor in material selection.
The floor plan is designed to accommodate flexible work areas and offices to be shared between the Schmidt Family Foundation and other groups sharing the space. Along with an open floor plan the interior courtyard area has been designed as a people friendly space for events and gatherings. The existing structure was surrounded by an impermeable black asphalt parking lot. The new courtyard was created with a light colored, permeable material and shaded with native deciduous Sycamore trees. The principals of xeriscaping were used and Native California plants, which require little or no irrigation, were chosen to complete the landscaping and compliment the courtyard.
One of the biggest issues in the 21st century is water conservation and use. This building will help to reduce its water usage by using water efficient fixtures and collecting rain water on site. The runoff will be collected in an underground cistern and be cleaned on site for building use and irrigation.
A building ‘dashboard’ will be available to the building occupants and the public to serve as an educational tool and feedback mechanism. Viewers of the ‘dashboard’ will be able to see real time and historical data on: cistern levels, rainfall amounts, electric usage and electricity production. This invaluable information can help teach about climate change and the importance of resources, economics and community working together.
Design Team:
- Architect: Hart Howerton
- Mechanical: Rumsey Engineers
- Electrical: IDeAs