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Science and Technology Facility

The 71,000 sq ft Science and Technology Facility (S&TF), was certified as Platinum in FY 2007 by the U.S. Green Buildings Council under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building program. It's the first federal LEED® Platinum building.

Energy Use

The S&TF is a showcase for energy efficiency. The S&TF was designed to provide a 41% reduction in energy cost compared to a standard laboratory building. Its energy-saving features include:

  • Public transportation is located within one-half mile of the S&TF.

  • The roof is ENERGY STAR® compliant (high reflectivity, low emissivity).

  • The building design exceeds ASHRAE 90.1 1999 requirements for energy efficiency.

  • Orientation along an east-west axis so that windows on the north and south facades provides natural lighting

  • At least 27% of the total building materials were manufactured within a 500-mile radius.

  • Energy is recovered from exhaust air to temperature-condition fresh air.

  • Displacement ventilation is used for the offices.

  • High-efficiency pumps, fans, and transformers are used.

  • A shared high-efficiency chiller saves energy for both the S&TF and the adjoining Solar Energy Research Facility.

Environmentally Friendly Practices

  • There are no CFC-based refrigerants used in the heating, refrigerating, and air-conditioning.

  • About 80% (by weight) of the construction, demolition, and land-clearing waste was recycled or salvaged.

  • At least 25% of the total building materials were composed of 20% PCW recycled content.

  • Retention and use of a portion of the excavation soils to restore a previously disturbed area of the site.

Water Conservation

The use of storm water retention ponds is an "as constructed" feature of the S&TF that contributed to the LEED® Platinum-level rating. Storm water collects on the butterfly roof over the office and then flows over the spout at the east end of the building into a series of ponds that is used to irrigate the landscape.

The ponds have sand filters to collect sediment and pipes, which allow the water to flow from pond to pond down the site. By detaining the water in this way, the water is cleaned before it leaves the site. The water flow rate is also slowed to the level it was prior to building being constructed.

In addition to using a storm water detention system for irrigation water, the building contains low-water-consuming fixtures, such as ultra-low-flow (0.5 gallon per flush) urinals.