The Allen Institute for Brain Science project team tasked Glumac’s energy staff with establishing energy efficiency measures that would make the new 270,000 sf office building comfortable, conducive to research, and cost-effective for the institution’s quickly growing pool of staff.

Glumac modeled a state-of-the-art heat recovery system, where heat from the building’s data center gets repurposed, to reduce heating loads in the rest of the building. The energy team also analyzed the building envelope system, to help maintain the architect’s vision for extensive glass, without hindering code compliance. Other efficiency measures include high-efficiency fans; a high-efficiency uninterruptible power supply with a roughly 95 percent efficiency rate; and a water-side economizer provides low-cost cooling during the winter and shoulder seasons.

Despite the complexities of the systems, the energy  team sailed through the permitting process. With strong organization and documentation, the team resolved all permitting comments over the phone and with a short memo—a rarity for a project of any scale. The efficiency measures created more than $150,000 in utility rebates through Seattle City Light, and the simple pay-back for the high-performance systems is less than three years.

The project is projected to achieve LEED Gold status.

Size: 270,000 square feet
Project Cost: $200 million
Completion: 2015
Architect: Perkins + Will
Owner: Vulcan Real Estate
General Contractor: GLY Construction

Images Courtesy of Lara Swimmer