Federal Center South Building 1202
SENV 7006
The project’s $72 million budget is on par with buildings of similar amenities, yet the real savings will be long-term because utilities costs will be low. It is set to consume one-third the energy as a comparably sized building. Studies indicate that the operating and employee costs of a building over a 25-year cycle are 90 percent of the costs, compared with the initial construction, which are about 10 percent.
To further enhance the building’s sustainable performance, the team developed, tested and evaluated betterments to the base design during the design and construction of the project so that the owner could incorporate betterments into the project as funding became available. Through this process the project team was able to add rainwater harvesting, a geothermal system, enhanced lighting controls, an energy dashboard, and improved glass in the main skylight.
The design/ build team had 0.5 percent of the original contract value at risk pending verification of the building’s energy performance after one-year of occupancy, which it has achieved. This risk and reward is shared between the contractor, architect, and the major subcontractors and design consultants who have primary responsibility for the building’s energy performance.
Post-Occupancy Evaluation
Energy Evaluation
Cost Evaluation
After the first year, the building’s metered energy performance met every design target, including the contractually required energy performance and the AIA 2030 Challenge. However, this wasn’t achieved on day one, though the building contained all the design elements that enabled the targeted performance. Through a detailed M&V process and investigation into tenant operation, the collective team was able to bring the building into spec. It is anticipated that future energy performance will be even better.
Post-occupancy monitoring has included energy and people performance, and has involved an integrated team including the owner, architect, engineers and the contractor. Although the team engaged in a four-month tenant education effort prior to, and during move-in, there was more transitional angst from tenants than expected. After move-in, tenants pushed to have energy-hogging devices such as personal heaters, microwaves and toasters at their personal work-stations.
In retrospect, the competition process, while successful, necessarily created divisions between the design-build team, the project manager (GSA) and the building tenants (USACE). A more integrated process would bring the building tenant into design and performance discussions earlier, to better inform the design process and achieve buy-in on strategies and operating assumptions.
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