Perhaps the most important thing the designers
did to minimize costs was to incorporate passive
solar techniques. The facility has a north-south
orientation, with most of the glass on the south,
entrance side of the building and virtually none
on the east and west sides.
champion. It was Hutton, he said, who persuaded
school administrators of the value of attaining the
highest sustainable building certification, even as
the facility departed in appearance and approach
from the college’s traditional brick buildings and
tailored lawns.
yet it’s a simple building, according to Hedge.
“Jerry said he wanted to make sure it was nothing extravagant, that everything was very functional,” he recalled.
Indeed, every aspect of the building serves
a purpose. The lobby, for instance, can be configured to demonstrate an advanced vehicle,
accommodate industrial machinery or host a
conference. Administrative offices are located
behind the lobby, with classrooms in the west
end. Space outside the classrooms serves as a
break area where students can discuss concepts.
The roof includes an insulating vegetated roof
on the north side. On the south-facing side,
BuIldIn G In TEGra TEd SuSTaInaBl E FEa Tur ES 1. nOr TH-SOu TH OrIEn Ta TIOn 2. Gr EEn r OOF 3. daylIGH T HarVESTInG 4. Gr Ound-SOur CE HEa T PumPS 5. SOlar THErmal unI T 6. BuIldInG In TEGra TEd PHO TOVOl TaICS 7. na TIVE OHIO PraIr IE Plan TS 8. BIOSwal E 9. HIGH alBEd O rOOF 10. al TErna TIVE TranSPOr Ta TIOn
designers included an area where students can
disassemble and reassemble the PV system,
along with space for a future PV system above
the garage for vehicles.
Designing such functionality into every component required nine months of upfront collaboration with engineering partners Heapy Engineering, based in Dayton, and Shelley Metz Baumann
Hawk, in Columbus. DesignGroup uses building
information modeling, or BIM, to generate and
manage data throughout the building lifecycle.
BIM was an asset as the design partners worked to
pack renewable and sustainable features into the
building — for instance, to avoid placing systems
where they would block daylighting. That planning was important for achieving LEED Platinum
within the college’s modest budget.
The solution is a modern, minimalist aesthetic to match the pragmatic goals of the advanced
energy program. Steel and concrete are used
throughout, with exposed cross braces and open
ceilings. Polished concrete floors offer durability and low maintenance. Corrugated metal siding on the exterior contributes to the industrial
appearance. These choices were sustainable and
cost-effective.
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sustainable highlights
l 21.2-kilowatt (k W) photovoltaic array
l 2.4-k W wind generator
l Solar water-heating system
l Geothermal ground-source heat pumps
l 4,800-square-foot green roof planted
with native vegetation
l Operable windows for natural
ventilation
l Significant use of construction materials
with recycled and regionally manufac-
tured content
l Bioswales and wetland retention ponds
l Site planted with native Ohio prairie
plants
l Compressed natural gas refueling
station and electric vehicle charging
stations
