Taconic Regional Offices Green
Building Success
LEED Building Renovation and Construction
Presented by:
Susan L. Weaver, P.E., LEED AP – Barton & Loguidice, P.C.
Patrick Kozakiewicz, R.A., LEED AP – NYSOPRHP
The U.S. Green Building Council New York Upstate Chapter is a
Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects Continuing
Education Systems (AIA/CES). Credit(s) earned on completion of this
program will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of
Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available
upon request.
This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional
education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or
construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of
construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or
dealing in any material or product.
Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be
addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.
Before
After
Before
After
Learning Objectives
Taconic Regional Offices - Green Building Success /- NYSGBC36 / 2011
Description:
Explore LEED design challenges,
lessons learned, and energy
performance, as well as occupant
satisfaction for the building renovation
of a former 1930s school transformed
into the Taconic Regional Offices.
Learning Units: 1
Credit Designations: LU|HSW|SD
Learning Objectives
Learning Objective 1:
Integration of LEED design elements
Learning Objective 2:
Describe some of the issues and
lessons learned during design and
construction phase.
Learning Objective 3:
Investigate the actual energy
performance of HVAC and electrical
systems.
Learning Objective 4:
Determine the affect of LEED design
elements on occupant satisfaction
with working environment.
Green Building Success
Original Plan – LEED Silver
 Issues During Design/Construction “Lessons
Learned”
 Energy Performance
 Occupant Satisfaction

Original Plan
Target LEED Silver
 Original LEED checklist



Developed during design charrette
Initial expectations
SS (no heat island; light pollution red; alternate public
transportation)
 E&A (14% energy performance; no enhanced
refrigerant management or green power)
 IEQ (no increased vent; indoor pollution control;
controllability-lights/HVAC; thermal comfort design)
 IDP (LEED Accredited Professional only)

Sustainable Sites (SS)

Alternative transportation
 Close
to public transportation access
 Created bicycle storage and changing room
 Added outlet for electric vehicle and parking for
fuel-efficient vehicles
 Reduced parking capacity by creating reinforced
turf for overflow parking
Sustainable Sites (SS)

Site development
 Maximize

open spaces
Stormwater design
 Quantity
control - created stormwater retention
ponds and used permeable pavers
 Quality control –
Pervious Pavement
Interlocking pavers shown
Water Efficiency

Targeted all 5 points
 Water
efficient landscaping
 Reduce
by 50%
 No irrigation – used native plants
 Innovative
 Tertiary
 Water
wastewater technologies
treatment on site (septic system)
use reduction
 20%
- low flow plumbing fixtures
 30% - waterless urinals
Energy and Atmosphere (EA)

Optimize energy performance
 Targeted
14% better performance than typical
model (all electric heat pumps)
 Vertical
geothermal heat pump system
 DCV for auditorium make-up air unit
 Air-to-air energy recovery on make-up air units
 Geothermal water-to-water heat pump to supply
heating/cooling coils on make-up air units
 Added insulation along perimeter walls and spray-on
insulation in attic (R-15 batt and R-45 blown-in)
 Replaced windows (U-value of 0.3 versus .86 existing)
Energy and Atmosphere (EA)
Enhancing commissioning
 On-site renewable energy

 Geothermal
system (did not use this as it does not
meet the intent of the credit)
 Added photovoltaic system on auditorium roof

Measurement and verification
Photovoltaic System
Panels on auditorium roof
Materials and Resources (MR)

Construction waste management
 Divert
50% from disposal
Recycled content
 Rapidly renewable materials
 Certified wood

Indoor Environmental Quality (IAQ)
Outdoor air delivery monitoring
 Construction IAQ management plan


During construction/before occupancy
Low-emitting materials
 Daylight and views – 75% of spaces
 Controllability of lighting/HVAC



Task lighting and small heat pumps
Thermal comfort-design/verification

Room temperatures/occupant surveys
Typical Office Space
Interior walls with windows for daylighting
Innovation and Design Process (ID)
LEED Accredited Professional
 Later added on four additional credits

Green Building Success
Original Plan – LEED Silver
 Issues During Design/Construction “Lessons
Learned”
 Energy Performance
 Occupant Satisfaction

Design Issues

Mitigation of standing water on site
 Created
stormwater retention ponds
 Created reinforced turf overflow parking
 Earned
 Stream
Innovative Credit – maximize open space
restoration – daylighting retention ponds to
stream
 Earned
Protect/Restore Habitat Credit
 Earned Innovative Credit – stream restoration
Stream
Design Issues

Building vacant for 8 years
 Roof
leaks into auditorium required more extensive
renovations
 Structural
repairs and replacements
 New roof (added photovoltaics)
 New floor (used cork floor)
 Damaged/leaking
 New

windows
energy efficient windows throughout
SHPO was kept involved and informed throughout project
Design Issues

Historical nature of building (SHPO)
 Kept
ceilings exposed
 Heat
pumps located in attic or basement
 Coordination of trades (ductwork, sprinklers, lights,
conduit all exposed)
 LED to spray-on insulation to ceiling of attic instead of
floor to condition space for HPS
 New
windows
 SHPO

agreed to window replacement
Found energy efficient windows with historic look
Existing Hallway
Upper floor hallway area
Lessons Learned

Standing water on site
 Extended
schedule for site work
 Extensive dewatering required
 Used temporary retention ponds
 Lessons
 Don’t
learned
underestimate water issues on a flat site
 Geothermal well drilling creates water
 Anticipate required temporary measures
Geothermal Well Drilling
Example of site disturbance
Lessons Learned

LEED and historical nature of building
 Window
replacements
 Exposed ceilings
 Integrated design
 Lessons
learned
 Communication

with interested parties essential
Coordination of trades

Exposed conduit, ductwork, sprinklers, lights
Research and discuss design alternatives to fit LEED
 Changes during design easier with continued communication
between trades

Green Building Success
Original Plan – LEED Silver
 Issues During Design/Construction “Lessons
Learned”
 Energy Performance
 Occupant Satisfaction

Energy Performance

Building performance targeted for 14% then
21% improvement
 Achieved
54% performance improvement
 Modeled
comparing geothermal with all electric heat
pump system (per guidelines)
 Earned Innovative Design Credit
 Photovoltaic
 Currently
system produces
producing ~25 kWh per day
Mechanical Room
Geothermal pumps
Energy Performance

Annual building performance compared to
similar buildings*
 90
kBTU/SF per year for typical building
 33 kBTU/SF per year for Taconic building
 Summer
 0.63
 Winter
 0.87
average performance
kWh/SF
average performance
kWh/SF
*Source: US Department of Energy – Building Energy Use Intensities Comparison
Green Building Success
Original Plan – LEED Silver
 Issues During Design/Construction “Lessons
Learned”
 Energy Performance
 Occupant Satisfaction

Occupant Satisfaction

Thermal comfort-verification
 Thermal
 Rating







 If
comfort survey
overall satisfaction
Very satisfied
Satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Neutral
Somewhat dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
dissatisfied - asked to indicate what contributes to
dissatisfaction
Occupant Satisfaction
 Thermal
comfort survey results
 84%
of occupants rated space as neutral to very
satisfied
 16% of occupants rated space as dissatisfied

Reasons for dissatisfaction - most in same area



Air blowing on occupant
Too cold – most complaints
Too hot
Conclusions
Building transformed due to integrated design
and cooperation
 Lessons learned

 Investigate
existing conditions
 Work with other agencies closely
 Site disturbance for geothermal installation
 Coordination of trades
Conclusions
Energy performance can be achieved
effectively with integrated design
 Occupant satisfaction evident using LEED
design practices

Taconic Regional Offices
Main entrance
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Thank You for Your Time!
This concludes The American Institute of Architects
Continuing Education System Program