case study: zero net energy and the changing shape of architecture

Finegold Alexander + Associates Inc.Nexus Green Roundtable February 16, 2011

Case Study: Trial Court, Lowell, Massachusetts

Governor’s ZNEB Task Force

Demonstration Project

Zero Net Energy and the Changing Shape of

Architecture


“A Zero Net Energy building is one

that is optimally efficient and,

over the course of a year,

generates energy onsite,

using clean renewable resources,

in a quantity equal to or greater than

the total amount of energy consumed onsite.”

• Governor’s ZNEB Energy Task Force Report 3/11/09

ZNE Definition


• Minimize Energy Use

ZNE Design Challenges



• Apply Renewables





• Integrate Architectural and Systems Designs

at Concept Phase





• Integrate Architectural and Systems Designs

at Concept Phase

• Life Cycle Cost Analysis – First Cost vs

Operating Cost



Philosophical Challenges

• Should building advertise it is ZNE?



• Should building advertise it is ZNE?• How to express program and energy on the

exterior?




exterior?• Is ZNE a moral imperative regardless of cost?




exterior?• Is ZNE a moral imperative regardless of cost?• Can energy strategies have psychological

impact?





impact?• What is a “Demonstration Project” ?





impact?• What is a “Demonstration Project” ?• Is the owner committed?





impact?• What is a “Demonstration Project” ?• Is the owner committed?• Will the users be educated?


ZNE Buildings USA


Hawaii Gateway Energy Center, USA

20053,600 SF

Ferraro Choi And Associates, Ltd.


Hawaii Gateway Energy Center, USAFerraro Choi And Associates,

Ltd.


Aldo Leopold Legacy Center, WI

200711,900 SF

The Kubala Washatko Architects, Inc.


A J Lewis Center for Environmental Studies, OH

200013,600 SF

William McDonough + Partners


National Renewable Energy Laboratory Research Support Facility, CO

2010/2011222,000 SF

RNL Design with Stantec


SUPERGREEN OUTSIDE USA


BREEAM, UKEnvironmental Assessment

Method for Buildings Around The

World

110,000 buildings certified

over 500, 000 registered for certification


Salisbury Law Courts, UK

200940,700 SF

Stride Treglown/ Fielden and Mawson


Salisbury Law Courts, UKStride Treglown/ Fielden and

Mawson


Leeds Metropolitan University, UK

2007110,600 SF

GWP Architecture Ltd


G park Blue Planet, UK

2008382,000 SF

Chetwoods Architects


Zero Net Emissions Development, Wallington, UK

200282 units + 27,000 SF of offices

The ZED Factory Ltd


Passivhaus Institut Darmstadt (PHI)

quality criteria for Passive Building:

Annual heating requirement ≤

15kWh/(m²a)

Primary energy consumption ≤

120kWh/(m²a)

Air tightness for building envelope n50 ≤ 0.6/h

PASSIVHAUS, Germany


PASSIVHAUS, Germany

Existing Buildings New Buildings Passive Building


20092010 Pasivhaus Award – 1st prize

Multi family house, SwitzerlandHalle 58 Architekten


20032,750 SF

Office Building, Boladen, Germanyoehler + faigle archkom


200280,000 SF

Energon Passive Office, Germanyoehler + faigle archkom


Energon Passive Office, Germanyoehler + faigle archkom


200486,111 SF

Primary SchoolFrankfurt, Germany

Architekten 4a


MINERGIE-P – Standard defines buildings with a very low energy consumption, (especially heating energy demand)

Corresponds to the international passive –house standard.

Some requirements:

10”-14” insulation,

R=min 25 for walls, roof , floors.

Switzerland


HOLINGER SOLAR OFFICES, BUBENDORF, CH

20046,700 SF50% Thermal solar energy50% Electrical water heater

Solar OfficesBubendorf, CH

F. Fregnan, FHBB, Muttenz


200772,473 SF 80% Gas20% Solar Thermal

SporthalleRuti, CH

Architekturbüro Beat Ernst


2007153,000 SF 100% GSHP

Lager Umnutzung StoreAlbis, CH

Stücheli Architekten AG


ZNE FUTURE BUILDINGS


Energy Tower by SOM, China

20112.3 million SF Wind turbines in mechanical floors


Burj Al- Taqa, UAEEckhard + Gerber Architekten


Vision


Case Study of Courthouse


Supreme Court


Fall River Justice Center

LEED Gold Pending


100%

ASHRAE Building

73%

Fall River Justice Center

• Daylight in Courtrooms

• Natural Ventilation

• Total Energy Wheels

• CO2 Control of Fresh Air

• Variable Speed Drives

• Premium Efficiency Motors

• Systems Commissioning

Fall River Justice CenterEnergy Reduction Strategies


Lowell Trial Court

Zero Net Energy Building


Dignity

Community

Security

Universal Access

Sustainability

Lowell Trial CourtGuiding Principles of Design


Lowell Trial Court250 000 SF Program

• 5 Court Divisions

• 16 Jury Courtrooms

- Judicial & Jury Deliberation Suites

- Jury Assembly

• Clerk & Probation Transaction Offices

• Detainee Holding

• Library, Grand Jury, District Attorney

• Building and Court Support


• Benchmark Research

• Alternative Energy Solutions

• Preferred Energy Solution

– Energy Reduction Strategies

– Renewable Energy Strategies

Zero Net Energy Project Approach


Organizing PrinciplesCourtrooms Set

100’

60’

Circulation Zones

Public

Private

Secure


Various Courtrooms Configurations

2 courtrooms per floor





Proposed Configuration



• Respond to urban context & site

• Civic presence

• Maximize Natural Daylight

• Fulfill Program

Design Objectives


Energy Cycle


Lowell Trial CourtEnergy Reduction

• Natural Ventilation

• Enhanced Façade Performance

• Chilled Beams

• Displacement Ventilation

• Natural and Artificial Lighting

• Ground Source Heat Pumps


Energy Consumption with Proposed Systems Compared to Base100%

100% 52%

0%

73%

ASHRAE Based Building Fall River Trial Court

Lowell Trial Court

Energy Reduction

11,057 x10^6

BTU/Year

7,980 x10^6 BTU/Year

5,720 x10^6 BTU/Year


Renewable Options Considered

• Solar Wall

• Photovoltaics

• Solar Thermal

• Wind Power

• Biofuel Boiler

• Biofuel CHP

• Hydropower


• Solar Wall 4 % $208,000

• Photovoltaics 6-17 % $2-

$3.6m

• Solar Thermal 6 % $1.3 m

• Biofuel CHP 52-64 %

$500,000

• Biofuel Boilers 34-39 % $120,000

• Hydropower * 100 % no data

Potential Savings Cost

Renewable Options Considered


Options Considered


Lifecycle Costs


Renewable Energy


Preferred Options


Proposed Option 2E

36 % Renewables Zero Net Energy


Lowell Trial Court Case Study

Original Goal : LEED Silver

Revised Goal : LEED Platinum

Toward: Zero Net Energy


Basic Building Configurations & Siting

Less efficient 10% More efficient

No impact


30º Rotation


• 12 of 16 courtrooms with direct natural light

Energy Reduction



• 2 of 3 double height public spaces -

community gardens

Energy Reduction




community gardens

• Lightwell in collegial suite - more integral

Energy Reduction




community gardens



Energy Reduction




community gardens



• Chilled Beams

• Displacement Ventilation

• Ground Source Heat Pumps

Energy Reduction


Massing


Program


Daylight


Air Circulation


Energy Strategies


Community Court


The Learning Curve

ZNE

PLATINUM

GOLD

LEED SILVER

MASS LEED+

CODE MIN. ‘98 2000 ‘02 ‘04 ‘06 ‘08 ‘10 ‘12 ’1

4‘16

Today


“You build with stone, wood, cement;

You make houses, places:

That’s construction.(..)

Then suddenly you catch my heart,

I’m happy and I say: that’s beautiful.

That’s architecture.”

Le Corbusier

Le Poeme de l’angle droit, 1955


Sherman “Pat” Morss, Jr., AIA, LEED APAssociate Principal

[email protected]

Tony Hsiao, AIA, LEED APPrincipal, Director of Design

[email protected]

Asia Dubiel, LEED APProject Designer

[email protected]

Finegold Alexander + Associates77 N Washington Street

Boston MA 02114

(617) 227-9272

www.faainc.com

Presenters

case study: zero net energy and the changing shape of architecture

Real Estate

energy strategies

net energy building

energy tower

zne buildings usa

thermal solar energy

zne future buildings

sf office building

hawaii gateway energy