New Energy Innovation Center demonstrates smart energy and green building
Turning an existing 1960 supermarket building into a LEED Platinum building is no easy task. But that’s exactly what San Diego-based ARCHITECTS hanna gabriel wells did with the new Energy Innovation Center in San Diego that was completed in January 2012. Owned by San Diego Gas & Electric, the proj-
ect consisted of stripping 50 years worth of random improvements and hazardous materials from the existing supermarket and returning the front façade back to its original profi le and transparency.
Economic Stimulation The energy company strategically chose the location
for its new Energy Innovation Center. The choice was made during a time that the economic down- turn was leaving plenty of vacant shopping center tenant space, so the decision was made to locate within a residential community and retail environ- ment that was in desperate need of revitalization. By locating within a local community, the center
is able to demonstrate the possibilities for renew- ing a near-forgotten building by bringing it back to life as a regional hub for emerging energy technol- ogy and sustainability. Additionally, the repurposed 25,000-square-foot supermarket introduces into the community its customer energy programs and provides new eco career opportunities by educat- ing trade workers, professionals, homeowners and the public at large. As a training and demonstration facility, the center informs the public and the build- ing industry of the various energy saving incentive programs the utility company offers, as well as showcasing the newest in sustainable materials, products and strategies.
A New Façade Remnants of the building’s previous facelifts, a
heavy existing pediment and colonnade were removed to expose the original roofl ine and the building’s glass façade was replaced. On the east side of the building, a notch was made to create a new courtyard. Photovoltaic panels from San Diego-based Envision Solar International Inc. were added to the roof, and wood fences and walls were installed to capture a new exterior yard area. “The existing building was built in 1959 as a
supermarket,” explains Matthew B. Wells, AIA, principal at ARCHITECTS hanna gabriel wells, San Diego. “Over the years, its use changed several times and it accumulated a series of additions that covered up the original modern shallow-pitch roof
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profi le and front façade. The fi rst thing we did was to strip off all of these superfl uous constructions to expose the original bones of the structure. Since the building was set deep into the site behind a sea of parking, the owner wanted a façade that would attract attention from passersby.” Wells adds that the applied façade was added
to the building’s original structure, making it easy to remove. “Once the building was stripped, we reinserted the front glass façade, but gave it a 21st century profi le and high-performance glazing system with aluminum shading devices and low- iron fritted glass.” To frame the new façade, Alcoa Architectural
Products, Eastman, Ga., supplied 1,600 square feet of Reynobond aluminum composite material (ACM) roof, wall and soffi t panels with a fl uo- ropolymer fi nish. The new, folded aluminum and high-perfor-
mance low-iron glass curtainwall from Arcadia Inc., Vernon, Calif., integrates 450 square feet of custom aluminum plate triangular sunshades to protect the interior from overheating. To form the triangular sunshades, Sunset Glazing, La Mesa, Calif., custom-bent and formed 3/8-inch-thick aluminum plates with a fl uoropolymer fi nish. “The triangular sunshades were shaped
in response to the zigzag or folded curtainwall system,” Wells says. “The aluminum plate shades hug the profi le of the curtainwall to provide the optimum shading shape. The irregular arrange- ment of the shades was a design decision intended to create a syncopated composition for the somewhat regular façade.” Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries supplied its
Starphire low-iron glazing with Solarban 70XL coating for the curtainwall system, which was fabricated and installed by Sunset Glazing, San Diego. The high- performance, low-iron glass allows in light while refl ecting heat. The glass’ ceramic frit increases the shading coeffi cient while reducing the glare. To further demonstrate how the building
was constructed, structural steel framing was left exposed and ceilings fl oat within interior spaces exposing the building’s systems. “Since the entire structure was stripped to the bones, we had the op- portunity to re-skin it as we felt appropriate,” Wells explains. “This center functions as a construction industry training center, so we felt it important to ex- press how the building was assembled by not cover- ing up certain portions of the structure, mechanical systems, utilities, etc. In this way, the entire building becomes a demonstration piece.”
A Sustainable Showcase The project features a solar photovoltaic (PV)
grove, rooftop PV system, new courtyard and water saving strategies, such as rain harvesting, xeriscape and stormwater management. The roof, which is covered in heat-refl ective materials, has a rainwater collection system that stores water that is used in the irrigation system. Wells explains that the solar grove evolved from
simple carports providing a PV-support structure and shading for the paving—which diminishes the heat island effect—to the fi nal exotic sun-tracing tree structures currently in place. Additionally, a second PV array is mounted on the roof of the build- ing. “Both systems provide a combined output of about 134 kW of DC power, which is inverted to AC before it is directed into the power grid,” he adds. The solar panels offset the building’s energy use by 34 percent, while a separate solar-thermal panel system also heats the domestic water. To demonstrate power generation, the site
utilizes a grove of solar trees from Envision Solar. It also has permeable paving surfaces and bio-reme- diation landscape islands for stormwater manage- ment, and a demonstration garden to compare traditional landscapes with alternative drought- tolerant planting options. Operable windows located at the top and
bottom of the curtainwall draw cool air in at the bottom and exhaust warm air out at the top, naturally ventilating the lobby. Ceiling fans move air around to cool in the space in the summer and mix the heated air in the winter. Additionally, the space receives controlled daylight from the south-facing façade, where daylight sensors control LED light- ing. Interactive kiosks monitor building systems, power generation and energy uses. “This has been a very successful project for
San Diego Gas & Electric with the center being used almost daily for seminars and conferences,” Wells notes. “Staff-led building tours have been very popular and are offered to organized groups by appointment. The EIC has partnered with several local organizations including the San Diego Green Building Council (USGBC) and the San Diego Chap- ter of the American Institute of Architects where they have used the center’s facilities for LEED training sessions and lectures.” Since its dedication in January 2012, the cen-
ter has received awards and recognition from the San Diego Architectural Foundation and AIA-San Diego's Committee on the Environment (COTE) for excellence in design and sustainability.
December 2013 METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS 35
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