Jul 9 2010
When it came time to move office space, the leadership at McGuire Engineers took the opportunity to create the ultimate "eco" office.
The just-completed office space, which is under review to receive LEED Platinum certification, was designed by McGuire Engineers to showcase a wide variety of ideas the average office can implement to lessen its carbon footprint and create a healthier, more productive environment for employees.
"Our office looks like an average workspace, but every aspect has been designed for energy efficiency as well as employee health and comfort – from the lighting to the carpet," said Bill Stangeland, president and principal of McGuire Engineers. "We have a real office and a real budget. We created a space for clients to walk through and think, 'I could do that.'"
To design the office, McGuire carefully selected efficient light fixtures, sustainable, re-used and recycled materials, and controls to monitor and adjust energy usage.
"Because we are trying new technologies, materials and techniques, we can be confident when we recommend to clients ways to make their offices and buildings more energy efficient," added David Brooks, vice president and principal of McGuire Engineers. "We're 'experts' because we're using these solutions every day."
The space includes features such as:
- Energy-efficient lighting. The fixtures are ultra energy-efficient, but their efficiency is multiplied because of their placement and control. To maximize light in the office, McGuire designed the workspace to take as much advantage of natural light as possible from the multitude of windows. On cloudy days or evenings, employees use individual task lights which require less wattage than overhead lights. Other lights are placed near white walls to create a "mirror" effect which multiplies the brightness the lighting provides. All lighting is controlled in zones and on timers or motions sensors to shut off when no one is in the space. McGuire's offices use 0.78 watts per square foot, which exceeds ASHRAE's standards by 28 percent. Chicago energy code requires businesses not to exceed 1.0 watts per square foot.
- Reused, recycled, local and sustainable materials. McGuire used as much as it could from the old office space, including the old ceiling tiles and all the filing cabinets, which were re-painted in low-VOC paint by a local vendor. All lighting and furniture was sourced locally or regionally. The carpet tiles are 100 percent recycled, and low VOC-paint covers the walls. Key focal areas, like the lobby entrance and the conference-room credenza are made from Plyboo®, a sustainable plywood made from bamboo.
- Energy monitoring and controls. To keep energy usage on track, McGuire installed several systems. A high-efficiency alternative refrigerant cools the IT closet, which is monitored by a supplemental thermostat. A new system measures water usage; this is a first in the building. Previously, the building owners were unable to measure water usage and charged tenants based on their installed capacity regardless of how much water they used, but McGuire's new system is serving as a test model. Next to be implemented: WiFi thermostats that can be adjusted from a computer.
- Air quality improvements. Making the office comfortable for employees was a key goal of the McGuire team. Ventilation that exceeds standards, low- and no-VOC materials, and plenty of potted plants – at least one per person – improve air quality. Instead of creating executive offices along the perimeter of the office that typically monopolize window space, the main employee workspaces are in full view of the windows, letting in an abundance of natural light.
- Reduced paper use. For an engineering firm, going completely paperless is next to impossible. But to greatly reduce the amount of paper used, the office installed large-screen TVs to view the oversized blueprints the firm produces. In addition, all printers have the capacity to print double-sided. Of course, all discarded paper goes into the recycle bin.
Source: http://www.mepcinc.com/