NASA Sustainability Base (original) (raw)

William McDonough + Partners

Moffett Field, California

Despite legend, the orange drink Tang is not among NASA innovations that benefit life on earth. But the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has pioneered such technologies as high-efficiency solar cells to support life in space. So when its Ames Research Center received a grant to build a new facility, NASA seized the opportunity to showcase its state-of-the-art sustainability achievements.

“We wanted to build the greenest building in the federal government and create a unique demonstration of NASA technology in the built environment,” says Steve Zornetzer, NASA Ames's associate director.

The Center, located in the San Francisco Bay area, found a firm with like principles in William McDonough + Partners. The architects designed two curving bars with a connecting lobby. A narrow floor plate maximizes daylight and natural ventilation. As the client wanted flexible space that could be easily reconfigured over its lifespan, the design team put the structure on the outside, so no internal columns disrupt the floor plan. The two-story steel exoskeleton did not cost more than a typical structural system and doubles as a support for shading devices. Highlights of the LEED Platinum'certified building include a geothermal chilled-beam cooling system, fuel cells, forward-osmosis graywater recycling, and intelligent building-control software. The result: an extremely efficient building that “learns” over time to reduce energy consumption. (It has dropped from 2 to 1.5 watts per square foot since it opened, with a goal of 1.1 watts—typical building usage being 3 to 4 watts, according to the client.)

“The biggest innovation is the integration of all the technologies and passive strategies to get the most value,” says project architect Alastair Reilly. “You don't need rocket science to build a green building, but, in this case, we were actually able to use rocket science.”

Architect: William McDonough + Partners — William McDonough, principal; Alastair Reilly, Michelle Amt, design architects

Architect of record/engineers/landscape architect: AECOM

Consultants: Siteworks Studio (landscape); Loisos + Ubbelohde (lighting/daylighting/energy); MBDC (materials assessment); TBD Consulting (cost estimating)

General Contractor: Swinerton Builders

Client: NASA Ames Research Center

Size: 50,000 square feet

Total project Cost: $27.8 million

Completion date: December 2012

| People Formal name of building: Sustainability Base Location: NASA Ames Research Campus, Moffett Field, California Completion Date: December 2012 Gross square footage: 50,000 Total project cost: 27.3M∗∗Totalconstructioncost:∗∗27.3M Total construction cost: 27.3M∗∗Totalconstructioncost:∗∗24.8M (Note: Cost of the Bloom Energy fuel cell and the roof PVs were not part of the construction budget.) Client: NASA Ames Research Center Owner: NASA Architect's firm name, address, phone, and fax number: William McDonough + Partners 700 East Jefferson Street Charlottesville, VA 22902 434-979-1111 (phone) 434-979-1112 (fax) Personnel in architect's firm who should receive special credit: William McDonough, FAIA, Int. FRIBA Alastair Reilly, Design Architect, William McDonough + Partners Michelle Amt, Design Architect, William McDonough + Partners Architect of record, if applicable: AECOM, 150 Chestnut Street, San Francisco, CA 94111 Interior designer: AECOM, 150 Chestnut Street, San Francisco, CA 94111 Engineers (structural, civil, mechanical, etc.): Civil Engineer: AECOM, 999 Town and Country Road, Orange, CA 92868 Structural Engineer: AECOM, 515 S. Flower Street, 9th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071 Mechanical Engineer: AECOM, Mail Stop 213-8, Bldg. N213, Rm. 213, P.O Box 1, Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001 Electrical Engineer: AECOM, 800 LaSalle Avenue, Suite 250, Minneapolis, MN 55402 Plumbing: AECOM, Mail Stop 213-8, Bldg. N213, Rm. 213, P.O Box 1, Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001 Consultant(s): Landscape: Pete O'Shea, Siteworks Studio, 826c Hinton Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22902 Landscape Architect of Record: AECOM Lighting / Daylighting / Energy: George Loisos, Principal, Susan Ubbelohde, Principal, Loisos + Ubbelohde, 1917 Clement Ave Building 10A, Alameda, CA 94501 Materials Assessment: MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry), Howie Fendley, Sr. Environmental Chemist, MBDC, 1001 Market Street, Suite 200, Charlottesville, VA 22902 Cost Estimating: Geoff Canham, TBD Consulting, 111 Pine Street, San Francisco, CA 94111 General contractor: Jack Carter, Senior Project Manager, Swinerton Builders 260 Townsend Street, San Francisco, CA 94107 Photographer(s): Cesar Rubio Photography, 415-550-6369 | | Products Structural system List type, e.g. concrete or steel frame, wood, etc.: Steel Frame Manufacturer of any structural components unique to this project: Olson Steel, Fresno, CA Exterior cladding Metal Panels: Centria Metal/glass curtain wall: Kawneer 1600 Wall System with exterior sunshades Roofing Other: Sarnafil PVC Windows Metal frame: Kawneer Glazing Glass: PPG Solarban 70XL Skylights: Sunoptic Doors Entrances: Kawneer Metal doors: Rocky Mountain Metals, Inc. Wood doors: Marshfield Hardware Locksets: Best Hardware Closers: Norton Exit devices: Von Duprin Interior finishes Acoustical ceilings: Armstrong Suspension grid: Armstrong Cabinetwork and custom woodwork: Associated Fixture Manufacturing Paints and stains: Kelly-Moore Paints Plastic laminate: ARPA Laminate Solid surfacing: Ice Stone Floor and wall tile: Restroom Walls: American Olean Restroom Floor: ASI Flooring Resilient flooring: Forbo Marmoleum Carpet Tile: J+J Invision Raised flooring: Tate Special interior finishes unique to this project: Recycled White Oak Flooring Furnishings Office furniture: Haworth Chairs: Haworth “very seminar” task chair, Herman Miller Mirra task chair Tables: Haworth Training room mobile table, Haworth Round Mobile task table Other furniture (use additional sheet if necessary): Teknion Credenza Lighting Interior ambient lighting: Kawneer InLighten Light Shelf Downlights: Finelite Exterior: ERCO Dimming System or other lighting controls: Lutron Conveyance Elevators/Escalators: Shindler Plumbing (include water fountains and water-saving fixtures as applicable) Zurn Energy Energy management or building automation system: Siemens Photovoltaic system: SunPower E19 Other unique products that contribute to sustainability: Interior Shades: MechoSystems Mecho/5 with EcoVeil Chillers: WaterFurnace NXW 360 reversible chiller Fuel Cell: Bloom Energy Solid-oxide fuel cell, ES 5700 | | 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