HGA Architects and Engineers has won three First Place ASHRAE Region VI Technology Awards. Sponsored by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Region VI, the annual awards program recognizes engineering innovations that support occupant comfort, indoor air quality, and energy conservation.
School of Education Building, University of Wisconsin-Madison
(Existing Education Building Category)
The School of Education Building renovation includes a new academic wing and light-filled Commons overlooking Lake Mendota. The building’s post-and-beam structure and low floor-to-floor heights led to an innovative use of a chilled-beam air-conditioning system that allowed ductwork to be reduced by almost two-thirds. The active chilled-beam system, in combination with improvements to the building envelope, achieved approximately 35 percent energy savings compared to building code. The project is the first state-owned Energy Star rated building, in addition to being the first project in the UW system to achieve LEED® Platinum.
Science Teaching and Student Services Building, University of Minnesota
(New Education Building Category)
Located on the Mississippi River bluff, the Science Teaching and Student Services Building features Active Learning Classrooms that foster interactive student-centered learning. The facility’s mechanical systems utilize integrated building solutions to maximize energy efficiency and indoor air quality. Raised access floor systems provide both flexibility and displacement ventilation. The coordinated building shape enhances buoyancy-driven ventilation and energy-efficient treatment of the curvilinear south and west glass facades. The project also incorporates natural day lighting, total energy recovery technologies, personal temperature controls, and high-efficiency lighting systems integrated with the University’s district energy central steam plant and central chilled water plant.
Valley Performing Arts Center, California State University-Northridge
(New Public Assembly Category)
Featuring a world-class 1,700-seat performance hall, 300-seat flexible theater and new home for the award-winning KCSN radio station, the Valley Performing Arts Center serves as a cultural hub for California State University-Northridge, the San Fernando Valley, and the Los Angeles area. The high-performance mechanical system taps into the campus district heating and cooling plants, which use chilled water thermal storage and fuel cell waste heat recovery to provide conditioning to the campus while minimizing overall energy use and expenditure. A displacement ventilation system with demand controlled ventilation sequences provides comfortable conditions in the auditorium while achieving a measured noise level of RC-20, even at full-delivery volume.
