New benchmarks in occupant comfort and energy efficiency
Aileron Center for Entrepreneurial Education
Dayton, OH, USA
Project details
Client
Aileron
Architect
Lee H. Skolnick Architecture + Design Partnership
Duration
Completed in 2007
Services provided by Buro Happold
Building Services Engineering (MEP), Environmental consultancy, Structural engineering, Sustainability
The Aileron Center for Entrepreneurial Education embodies the client’s ethos: to educate and inspire. The LEED Gold structure, created from a steel frame with precast concrete and a lightweight curved roof, seamlessly integrates into the surrounding landscape.
Challenge
Creating an engaging and enriching environment to be both sustainable and energy efficient was a key client concern, and the principal challenge for Buro Happold.
Solution
The 70,000ft2 project, which is located on a 114-acre lot, was required to provide maximum occupancy comfort and productivity, while reducing energy consumption and cost. Buro Happold provided integrated engineering services, including structural and MEP engineering, as well as sustainability and LEED consulting. A stormwater management strategy was a primary consideration.
By converting nearby crop farmland to prairie grass and wetland, our team was able to reduce runoff and increase infiltration. Toilet facilities use captured rainwater, with all wastage treated on site and filtered back into the land. Potable water is sourced from a bedrock well with low flow plumbing features, further reducing consumption.
Another energy saving initiative focused on the HVAC system, which runs off a series of geothermal wells. Buro Happold utilized daylight dimming, occupancy sensors and solar panels as part of a larger building management system to control and monitor energy use. Overall, a 40% saving in annual energy cost is expected, with significant green energy utilization. Where possible, our team used recycled, local and low emitting materials to minimize environmental impact.
Value
A place where business leaders can escape day to day pressures and focus on strategic planning, the Aileron Center has set new standards in occupancy comfort, combined with energy efficiency. This benchmark project demonstrates ours commitment and excellence in the field of sustainable construction.