COURTHOUSE, DENVER JUSTICE CENTER, Denver, CO

In May 2005, voters approved construction of the $99 million, 335,000 square foot courthouse project that will be the centerpiece of the city's downtown Justice Center complex, located between West Colfax and West 14th Avenues in downtown Denver. The same year, Mayor John Hickenlooper announced Greenprint Denver, a policy mandating the incorporation of sustainability throughout all aspects of City government. As a result, the Denver Justice Center is the first project to pursue LEED certification for the City and County of Denver with a requirement of Certified, yet is expected to achieve a LEED for New Construction Gold rating.

Ambient Energy services for the project included energy modeling, green materials consulting, renewable energy analysis and LEED consulting.

This energy efficient building includes a green roof, locally harvested and recycled materials, water-saving fixtures, optimized energy performance, FSC certified wood products, and low-VOC materials. Technology incorporated within the courthouse includes natural ventilation, daylight sensors and efficient lighting design. The Courthouse also has a number of features contributing to the energy efficient building envelope including an R-30 minimum roof, 1.5 inches of continuous EPS insulation in walls, and low-e glazing. The Courthouse takes advantage of daylight harvesting, providing high quality light into spaces and reducing energy consumption from electric lighting. Occupancy sensors will be used to ensure light fixtures turn off when not in use. District steam and chilled water are incorporated into the variable air volume HVAC system, and fan-powered VAV boxes with ECM motors provide air distribution to local zones. Variable volume loop pumps are also utilized to control the distribution of hot and chilled water to coils. A demand controlled ventilation strategy reduces the ventilation load on the HVAC system when courtrooms are not heavily occupied.

Due to the incorporation of energy efficient and sustainable features, the Courthouse is expected to achieve a LEED for New Construction Gold rating.

With the combination of energy efficient and sustainable design strategies utilized, the Denver Justice Center Courthouse is expected to:

• Reduce potable water usage for landscaping by 50%
• Reduce 40% potable water usage for plumbing fixtures
• Save 28.8% on energy bills
• Divert more than 50% of construction waste from the landfill
• Use more than 10% recycled material of the total material cost
• Use more than 10% regional material of the total material cost

ALFRED A. ARRAJ U.S. COURTHOUSE, Denver, CO

The Alfred A. Arraj U.S. Courthouse is a 320,000 square foot, $85 million project comprised of a 10-story tower with 14 courtrooms and a 2-story pavilion. Ambient Energy facilitated the LEED-EB program to help Arraj U.S. Courthouse earn the LEED rating it so obviously deserved.

Ambient Energy completed the LEED-EB documentation, submittals, quarterly reporting and ENERGY STAR benchmarking. In order to achieve the LEED-EB rating, Ambient Energy wrote operations and maintenance policies for the GSA and helped them incorporate sustainable processes and practices. For several years following project completion, Ambient Energy performed quarterly reporting to insure compliance with stated guidelines. Ambient Energy also conducted the ENERGY STAR calculations and prepared the final submission. Additionally, Ambient Energy performed a water audit, thermal comfort survey, and daylighting and views calculations.

The building features exterior and interior materials that are durable, renewable, local, and recycled materials such as cork, steel, stone, wood. Photovoltaics, daylighting, and underfloor displacement ventilation systems contribute to a 40% projected energy use reduction compared to a conventional courthouse. The roof's 60 kWh photovoltaic system provides up to 2% of the building’s electrical supply. A building monitoring system analyzes outside temperatures to optimize heating and cooling loads, while the evaporative cooling system reduces the need for an electric powered chiller. Natural light is available throughout 75% of the building. In order to maximize the use of daylighting, a lighting control system was designed utilizing electronic dimming ballasts, occupancy sensors and ambient lighting.

Awards

• Colorado Renewable Energy Society Awards, 2000, Institutional Building Category
• 2001 GSA Environmental Awards, Model Facility Demonstrations, Non-Hazardous Category

Ratings

• Green Building Challenge 2005; Achievement Level: Building Score 2.0
• USGBC LEED-EB v2.0 Silver

BYRON G. ROGERS U.S. COURTHOUSE, Denver, CO

The U.S. Green Building Council selected the Byron G. Rogers U.S. Courthouse to participate as one of only 50 pilot projects for LEED for Existing Buildings. This project is the first GSA-owned LEED Gold rated building and the first GSA LEED-EB rated building.

Ambient Energy was selected to perform sustainable design, LEED-EB and energy consulting for this $45.8 million, 260,000 square foot remodel and renovation. Ambient Energy'stasks included a DOE2 energy analysis of mechanical, electrical, and architectural systems, utility bill calibration, LEED facilitation and reporting, a sustainable design charrette, initial ENERGYSTAR benchmarking, and execution of quarterly reporting and policies.

Sustainable attributes seen in the Courthouse include:

• Reuse of existing materials including wood, marble, and stainless steel, saving both money and resources
• Over 50% sustainably harvested and recycled products
• Water-efficient fixtures and low-water, native landscaping (the courthouse is currently using 47% less water than prior to the renovation)
• A reflective, white coating on the roof to reduce the building's cooling load and heat-island effect
• 30% savings on energy costs
• 50% of building site is open space with native vegetation
• 50% of building occupants utilize the public transportation program provided by the GSA
• 3% of building occupants walk and 5% carpool to the project site
• Purchase of 100% wind generated power
• Improved daylight in indoor spaces (the new vestibule includes the use of skylights, new windows were added on the southeast facade, and corridors with interior glazing all help bring natural daylight deeper into the building interior)

Awards

• Denver Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, 2006, Honor Award
• 2007 GSA Environmental Awards, Modernization Citation

Ratings

• USGBC LEED-EB v1.0 Pilot Gold
• ENERGY STAR

DETENTION CENTER, DENVER JUSTICE CENTER, Denver, CO

Ambient Energy is the sustainable design and energy consultant for this new 454,640 square foot, $110 million project. The Detention Center facility is pursuing a LEED for New Construction Silver rating and construction will be completed in the summer of 2010. The primary challenge to reaching the City and County of Denver's LEED goal is the project's large energy requirements. Technologies used to help improve energy efficiency include a heat recovery form steam condensate for laundry water preheat and high R-value walls and roof. Ambient Energy's tasks include green materials consulting, sustainable design advisement, a sustainable design charrette, LEED facilitation, LEED-Online coordination and review, construction administration, energy modeling for EAc1 submittal and life-cycle costing.

Upon completion, the Detention Center will achieve:

• 80% of construction waste diverted from landfills
• 14.5% reduction in energy bills
• 70% landscaping potable water use reduction