PROJECT TITLE
New county office building to address long-range space needs with a durable, sustainable, reduced maintenance and energy efficient response.
KEY PARTICIPANTS
Johnson County Board of County Commissioners
New Office Building Review Team(made up of County Department Directors and representatives from prospective new tenants/county agencies.
Design-Build Team picked following a competitive competition:
CDFM2 Architects, Kansas City , Missouri
360 Architects, Kansas City , Missouri
McCown-Gordon Construction, LLC, Kansas City , MO
BGR Mechanical, Electrical, Energy Engineers, Kansas City , Missouri
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BNIM Architects, Kansas City , MO
HDR Engineers, Kansas City , MO
County Manager Michael B. Press
Johnson County Facilities Department Staff
STATE THE PROBLEM
Various County offices were becoming cramped---growing in response to the County's population increase of 10,000 per year over the last decade.
Spurred by this and the anticipation of a continued and similar trend, a comprehensive evaluation of the County's space needs was initiated. Additionally it was found that a number of agencies were in rented space which lent credence to the concept of a new county owned building.
RESPONSE
The County Facilities Staff, with the help of a consulting engineer and architectural firms, developed a long-range strategic facilities master plan and sustainability guidelines. From this a new "green", sustainable, LEED Gold-rated office building, with a projected life-span of at least 75 years, was conceived to address the County government's space needs. LEED is a new standard, offering guidelines for structures that will be durable, sustainable, environmentally friendly/low impact and energy efficient.
The County issued a call for design/build team proposals and narrowed the field to three finalists. The County was desirous of eliciting comparable proposals and the most creative approach. Thus, a "stipulated sum" concept was imposed. This required each team to design against the same dollar amount and spur maximum creativity to meet LEED standards. Proposals were then judged on "best value" and not lowest cost. Additionally, to insure the best possible proposals, the County committed to pay the unsuccessful teams a stipend of $50,000 and took ownership of all submitted proposal concepts and ideas.
RESULTS
The successful Design/Build Team presented a plan for a 128,000 square foot office building with a water quality testing laboratory. It is to be an energy efficient building of lasting integrity and enduring value. The building will be responsive to the environment and needs of users with a number of amenities and spaces for after-hours functions.
Key contributors to the 60% energy use levels of comparable buildings include:
- Raised/underfloor air distribution system
- Advanced mechanical system and controls
- Use of natural light and energy efficient systems and controls
UNDERFLOOR SYSTEM:
- Allows for infinite flexibility in configuring interior space.
- Allows technology wiring, communications infrastructure and power to be easily moved, relocated and installed.
- Allows the building to easily adapt to new technology without costly retrofits.
- Provides underfloor, low-pressure plenum ventilation at higher temperature, thereby reducing the capital and operating costs of the HVAC equipment. Overall it is more efficient than typical ceiling delivery forced air systems.
- Allows for individual control of airflow at each workstation or office.
- Designed to minimize under-floor runs, thus reducing initial and operating costs.
MECHANICAL SYSTEM AND CONTROLS
- The building will have state-of-the-art design yielding a 40% reduction in energy use.
- Equipment will be designed for ease of maintenance and accessibility.
- Air-handlers will have econimizer by-pass controls allowing the building to be cooled at off peak times; thus, minimizing peak electrical demand.
- The plumbing system will minimize the use of domestic water for plumbing fixtures and eliminate it completely for irrigation. Total water use will be reduced 30% when compared to "standard" office buildings.
LIGHTING
The use of natural light will be maximized throughout the structure. Features include:
- Extensive use of low-E glass along the south face.
- Light shelves to throw natural light to penetrate farther into the building.
- Indirect high efficiency florescent lights for 90% of the interior spaces.
- Use of clerestories for additional natural light penetration.
- East-west building orientation and narrow footprint to allow for daylight to penetrate the majority of spaces.
- Fixtures in open office a4reas will be provided with dimming ballasts and continuous dimming systems that will adjust to the amount of natural light entering the building.
SUMMARY
While more expensive in its initial construction, the building, as a public space, will be more durable and economical in the long life of a public building.
The building has been designed to minimize not only the impact on its surroundings, but also on the finances of the County. The building will use 40% less energy than comparable ones. In addition maintenance costs will be reduced. Interior and exterior finishes have been chosen, not only for their aesthetic contribution, but also, and more importantly, for their durability, longevity and life cycle cost to maintain.
It will be a building of lasting integrity and enduring value benefiting both the occupants, citizens who visit for service and taxpayers.