ENERGY STAR Building Design Profile

HOK includes elements of sustainability in each of its projects because they bring financial and ecological value to clients and the community. HOK bases its design choices on limiting the use of resources, reducing the size of a project's carbon footprint, and creating an atmosphere that is inviting for occupants.

The Manatee Justice Center, located in southwest Florida, is subject to a substantial amount of heat and sunlight. HOK designed the building with high performance elements, such as a high-efficiency HVAC system, passive solar shading, and daylighting strategies. These design elements will help Manatee County reduce energy-related expenditures and use taxpayer money responsibly.

HOK used EPA's Target Finder tool to rate the estimated energy use of the Manatee Justice Center. The design achieved Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR with a rating of 79 (out of 100). The goal of improved energy efficiency closely matches the sustainability goals inherent in all the choices that HOK makes during the design process; choosing ENERGY STAR to address the energy efficiency of the Manatee Judicial Center was an important step in achieving superior energy performance.

Each design decision for this project was carefully and thoroughly considered, taking into account the immediate and long-term goals of the project and of the community. While more and more communities are considering aggressive trends and advances in sustainability, this project was determined by making a few carefully considered and fiscally-mindful decisions, resulting in a design that equally addresses the fiscal and ecological needs of the community.

Other energy efficiency features of the Manatee Justice Center include low-E glazing for the walls and skylights, high efficiency dual compressor water-cooled chillers, primary-secondary piping for chilled water to reduce pumping energy, and a variable air volume HVAC to reduce fan energy.

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