Capital Circle Office Center Department of Revenue Campus Case Study Overview Location: Tallahassee, Florida Building type(s): State government office buildings: Two five-story and one two-story building Type: New construction: Ground breaking June 2008 Size of interior space: 474,000 square feet in three buildings Completed: June 2010 Rating: LEED Gold-Certified, November 2010 State of Florida and Department of Revenue Background The State of Florida made a commitment in the 1990s to build green buildings for state offices in the future. Many of the green building performance measures identified and recognized as LEED standards have long been an integral part of the building construction managed by the Florida Department of Management Services (DMS). The goals focus on energy conservation, reduced maintenance, low replacement costs and improving indoor air quality. The State made a commitment that the Revenue campus would become a LEED designed model for state office buildings. The campus became LEED Gold-Certified in November 2010. Construction of the Revenue campus began in June 2008. The campus features two fivestory buildings and one two-story call center totaling approximately 474,000 square feet and costing $96 million. The campus was designed to reduce costs to the State, conserve energy, respect the environment and support a productive employee work atmosphere. It is projected to save nearly $1 million annually in rent and energy costs. The Department of Revenue moved in two phases. The Phase I move of 944 employees took place in April 2010. The Phase II move of 1,287 employees occurred from August through October 2010. What is LEED? LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. This certification means the buildings significantly reduce electricity and water consumption. LEED standards also address a building s relationship to its environment. No less than 40 percent of the existing landscape and open space must be preserved.
Building Commissioning for the Revenue Campus Performance Engineering Group (PEG) is performing a LEED Enhanced Commissioning Process on the three new Department of Revenue (DOR) buildings. PEG is also performing recommissioning on the existing Capital Circle Office Center (CCOC) Central Energy Plant (CEP) as well as commissioning upgrades to the CEP; the upgrades include a new chiller, cooling tower, and improved automated controls. The CEP supplies chilled water to the DOR buildings for air conditioning. The intent of commissioning is to verify energy-consuming systems are installed, then tested and ultimately performing according to the State of Florida s (DMS) performance expectations. Those expectations are defined in DMS program documents which are interpreted and applied by the project design team. PEG then reviewed the design, authored test or commissioning specifications, audited the installation, and is conducting a series of tests on the following systems: Building Automation System (entirety) CEP (Central Energy Plant) new and existing system recommissioning Domestic hot water systems Electrical SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) HVAC & R systems (air conditioning) Lighting and daylighting controls Renewable energy systems (if installed) To ensure the installed systems continue to perform as commissioned, PEG participates in knowledge transfer from contractors and design professionals to DMS. That process includes verification of vendor training and assembly of vendor operations and maintenance manuals, ensuring both are completed in accordance with the project specifications. In addition, PEG is authoring a systems manual that is specific to this project. That manual will outline how each of the commissioned systems operates; it will provide schematic detail on those systems and state key performance characteristics or metrics as needed to allow DMS to fully realize the potential of these high performance facilities. PEG then conducts a formal warranty review to audit operating systems. The purpose of this review is to audit the operating systems against the commissioned performance metrics then work with the project team to resolve any lingering or emerging issues. LEED elements of the new campus are: Canopies Covered areas near the building entrances and parking provide employees and visitors with an area protected from the elements. The canopies reflect light and also provide shading which helps to reduce the heat island (thermal gradient differences between developed and undeveloped areas) to minimize impact on microclimate and human and wildlife habitat.
Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan An Indoor Air Quality Management Plan was established prior to construction and remained in place until building occupancy to minimize indoor air pollution. Products containing low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were specified and used in the construction of the buildings. Ductwork and raised floor plenum spaces were protected from the collection of dust and debris during construction by utilizing MERV 8 HVAC filters, wearing protective foot covering and sealing unfinished work on a daily basis. Construction Waste Management By partnering with a local recycling and waste management company, the construction manager was able to divert more than 62.18% of the construction waste from a landfill. The diverted waste was collected on the jobsite in commingled containers, then sorted and recycled by the waste management company. Landscaping Landscaping throughout the site was designed to minimize the amount of water needed for irrigation purposes by choosing plants that are either native to Tallahassee or exotic species specifically acclimated to use minimal amounts of water in our climate. Reuse water throughout the site and drip irrigation in planting beds around the buildings was utilized to allow for maximum water conservation. Rain gardens in the parking lot medians were designed to provide a variation of planting materials in the parking areas as well as to take advantage of stormwater runoff that would otherwise be directed into stormwater ponds to percolate into the soil. LEV Parking and Carpools Providing transportation amenities such as preferred parking for Low Emitting Vehicles (LEV) for employees helps reduce pollution and land development impacts from automobile use. Operations of vehicles significantly contribute to global change and air quality problems through the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other pollutants generated from combustion engines and fuel evaporation. LEVs offer the possibility of reducing air pollutants from vehicular travel as well as the environmental effects of producing gasoline. Carpools encourage shared transportation reducing pollution and land development impacts from less automobile use. Light Pollution Site lighting was designed to provide safety and comfort and to minimize light across property lines, reduce sky glow and allow night sky access, improve night time visibility through glare reduction, and reduce development impacts on nocturnal environments.
Interior lighting is automatically turned off during non-business hours. Exterior lighting was located and designed to minimize light over neighboring properties and light escape which would contribute to night sky pollution. Optimize Energy Performance (HVAC) Installing the latest technology mechanical systems allows the buildings to become highly energy efficient. The under floor air distribution system provides every person with personal control of his or her comfort. Variable Air Volume (VAV) zoning allows the system to be turned off in unused sections of the building. The technology of the system allows the reuse of wasted energy within the HVAC systems. CO2 sensors allow the system to supply less ventilation when spaces are unoccupied. Fan wall technology was used in each air handler to optimize the energy needed to move air. All of these strategies combine for an estimated 34.1% energy savings by cost and 35.6% energy savings by use, compared to similar office buildings. Optimize Energy Performance (Lighting Power) Not only were highly efficient lights selected, there are also controls that maximize the life and reduce the use of these lights. Every major office is equipped with motion sensors that cause the lights to come on only when the room is occupied. All perimeter zones use daylight harvesting. This allows the lights to turn off when there is enough ambient daylight coming into the space. Building automation schedules cycle the lights off when the building is not occupied. These strategies will produce an estimated 28% energy reduction in interior lighting and an estimated 68% energy reduction for exterior lighting. Recycled Content Materials (Resource Conservation) Components containing high quantities of recycled content were used in the construction of the buildings. These components include, but are not limited to: structural steel, metal framing, building insulation, gypsum wallboard, ceiling tiles, carpet tiles, window frames and glazing. Using these components contributed to the prevention of waste from entering landfills and minimized the amount of virgin materials harvested from the earth. Regionally Extracted, Processed and Manufactured Materials There was a focus on procuring building components that have been extracted, processed and manufactured within 500 miles of the buildings location. These components include, but are not limited to: structural steel, gypsum wallboard, ridged foam insulation board and carpet tiles. Final percentage of regional materials used is 20.06%. Regional building materials are more cost-effective due to reduced transportation costs and reduced environmental impacts of excessive transportation.
Showers, Lockers, Bike Racks The environmental effects of automobile use include vehicle emissions that contribute to smog and air pollution as well as environmental impacts from oil extraction and petroleum refining. Providing transportation amenities such as secure bike racks, showers and changing facilities for employees helps to reduce pollution and land development impacts from automobile use. Bicycling as an alternative to personal vehicle operation offers a number of environmental benefits. Bicycle commuting produces zero emissions and has zero demand for petroleum-based fuels. Bicycle commuting also relieves traffic congestion, reduces noise pollution and requires far less infrastructure for roadways and parking lots. Stormwater Design The stormwater management system (rain gardens and stormwater ponds) was designed to capture runoff from all impervious surfaces during storm events greater than the 25-year/24-hour standard required by USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council). The ponds are deep enough that during a typical storm event stormwater runoff is captured and held on-site to naturally percolate into the soil. The use of impervious space was optimized to allow as much water as possible to fall onto pervious areas and percolate into the soil, minimizing the amount of runoff to be captured by the stormwater pond system. The use of rain gardens in the parking lot medians further helps control potential stormwater pollution as well as naturally watering the landscape in these areas. Water Use Reduction The buildings use multiple techniques to reduce water usage including ultra-lowflow water fixtures and flushing toilets. Sensor controlled 1.6-gallon flush toilets, 1/8-gallon flush urinals and sensor controlled low-flow faucets in the restrooms, helped attain an estimated 45.1% water reduction compared to similar office buildings. With these strategies we conserve an estimated 1.9 million gallons of water per year. Owner and Occupancy Owned by the State of Florida. Occupied by more than 2,230 Department of Revenue employees. Resources U.S. Green Building Council: http://www.usgbc.org/ LEED Building Certification: http://www.usgbc.org/displaypage.aspx?cmspageid=64
According to the U.S. Green Building Council: LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures. Sustainable building strategies should be considered early in the development cycle. An integrated project team will include the major stakeholders of the project such as the developer/owner, architect, engineer, landscape architect, contractor, and asset and property management staff. Implementing an integrated, systems-oriented approach to green project design, development and operations can yield synergies and improve the overall performance of a building. Initial LEED assessment will bring the project team together to evaluate and articulate the project's goals and the certification level sought. There are both environmental and financial benefits to earning LEED certification. LEED-certified buildings are designed to: Lower operating costs and increase asset value. Reduce waste sent to landfills. Conserve energy and water. Be healthier and safer for occupants. Reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Qualify for tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives in hundreds of cities. Demonstrate an owner's commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Florida Department of Management Services Capitol Complex and Capital Circle Office Complex: http://dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/real_estate_development_management/fac ilities_management/building_information/capitol_complex_information State of Florida Energy Initiatives http://dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/real_estate_development_management/fac ilities_management/energy_initiatives