SIZE: 28,833 SF
TYPE: Commercial office
SERVICES PROVIDED:
Zero Net Energy Analysis
Natural Ventilation Analysis
Daylight Analysis
Title 24 Compliance Documentation
CERTIFICATIONS TARGETING:
Net Positive Energy (ILFI)
LEED Platinum
WELL v2 Gold
PROJECT TEAM:
DPR Construction (Client)
SmithGroup JJR (Client)
Lawson Mechanical Contractors (Mechanical & Plumbing Engineer)
EIG Electrical Systems (Electrical Engineer)
Integral Group (Labyrinth Design Consultant)
stok (ZNE Consultant)
Note: This project was completed by Brummitt Energy Associates, which as of November 16, 2019 is now stok. Learn more.
Strategy & Services: Holding true to its commitment to building great things, DPR Construction set out to create a living lab as its new Sacramento office, demonstrating what’s possible for sustainable design in the region. Addressing embodied carbon head on, the adaptive reuse project introduces cross-laminated timber (CLT) to Sacramento as the first mass timber building in the city. To minimize operational carbon, DPR engaged our team early in design to evaluate Zero Net Energy (ZNE) strategies for their aggressive Net Positive Energy (NPE) and all-electric targets.
Project Details: From an energy perspective, our team performed a rigorous ZNE analysis encompassing HVAC system alternates, natural ventilation benefit, lighting targets, HVAC and lighting controls, envelope configuration, and photovoltaic system design. Based on recommendations from our ZNE analysis, the project:
• Uses specialized MEP systems to reduce energy usage by 45% below baseline
• Has operable windows and Solatubes that provide access to the city’s Delta Breeze and daylighting without glare or thermal comfort disruption
• Supplements its mechanical system with a unique thermal labyrinth that passively heats and cools outside air via seasonal thermal mass energy storage
• Produces 105% of on-site energy demands via an on-site 265,178 kWh/year photovoltaic system (projected)
• Enhances regional resiliency with a 9.8 kWh battery backup system that can serve as a community hub during natural disasters and prolonged power outages
The office also incorporates biophilic design strategies through natural forms and materials used, including the sleek exposed wood interior. Beyond its aesthetic benefits, CLT lowered the project’s embodied carbon footprint by an estimated 170 metric tons and allowed for a greatly reduced installation time in the field: with digital prefabrication, 6,000 SF of structure was erected in six days. As a modern office, the space also offers flexible workspaces, including open office design, hoteling, a mix of meeting rooms and open collaborative areas, lounge spaces for community connection, and more.
“Despite our in-house expertise of MEP systems and strong design-build engineering partners, we knew that we needed a knowledgeable third party to analyze our aggressive goals and prevent an unconscious bias in our design development. We chose stok for their practical application of energy modeling and responsiveness to unique challenges. Through the process we’re glad to have stok as a partner onboard that helped us navigate transforming an old 1940s building into a net positive living lab.”
–Marshall Andrews, Project Manager, DPR Construction
Outcome: One of the most sustainable buildings in Sacramento, DPR’s office is the city’s first CLT structure and the state’s first shear wall application of CLT. Designed to be all-electric and achieve Net Positive Energy, LEED Platinum, and WELL certification, the office will support environmental, occupant, and community well-being while setting a new standard for sustainable construction.
Masterfully incorporating mass timber into multiple facets of the project’s goals, DPR’s Sacramento office received the 2020 Wood Design Award for Regional Excellence from U.S. WoodWoorks. DPR Sacramento’s 48 employees moved into their values-aligned office in Fall 2019.