Sustainable strategies used within this building are as follows: Mechanical  | Air-side economizer, capable of 22,000 CFM to 25,000 CFM, dependent on allocation of the unit, with minimum outdoor air of 4,400 CFM Unit refrigerant charge shall comply to the LEED Criteria for refrigerant impact of less than 100 ton of capacity

 

Electrical  | All spaces, per occupancy, abide ASHRAE 90.1 and LEED requirements for lighting power

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Green Roof  | A green roof was installed on both the office space and garage space. A description of this system is below.

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The green roof for the main office building has three main areas; areas with companion pavers for individuals to sit with outdoor furniture, areas with vegetation in a 4” media, and areas with vegetation and an 8” media. A green roof profile is located in Image 14, showing the breakdown of the layers on top of the roof assembly. As the surface growth media (S. G. Media) increases in thickness, the foundation growth media (F. G. Media) increases also, generally being approximately 1/3 the thickness of the surface growing media.

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If the area of the roof contains concrete pavers, it follows a different roof structure above the roof assembly for the building. Image 15 illustrated the changes between having green vegetation and having concrete pavers. The main difference would be the high strength geotextile that holds up the setting bed for the pavers.

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The reason that a green roof is a sustainable choice is because the benefits are providing to both the building environment and the outdoor environment. The green roof collects the water, reducing water run-off of the building. There is a reduction in the heat island effect, which reduces greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere. Surrounding atmosphere will have improved air quality from the vegetation emitting oxygen and absorbing CO2 molecules.

 

On the energy side, the green roof will maintain a more manageable temperature when it comes to heating and cooling the space. The vegetation will remain cooler than the summer air and warmer than the winter air, offsetting both the heating and cooling load within the space, at least for the floors with green roof above them. Not only does the vegetation absorb the water to maintain temperatures, the vegetation absorbs sounds that may be protruding from surrounding areas. This reducing the need for higher ceiling impact isolation class (IIC) levels.

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Primary Engineering Systems

 

1.1 Structural

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Supporting the two 270-ton cooling towers outside of the building is a 5” slab on grade, with 6X6 W2.1XW2.1 welded wire frame on an 8” granular base, with shrinkage joints at 15’-0” on center. This slab type continues into the central core of the building. Each wing of the building, East and West, are set on 4” slab on grade with #5/CY fiber reinforcement on 4” granular base provide shrinkage joints every 15’-0”. In locations that have high density fill areas, 5” slab on grade with welded wire frame is used.

 

Around the stairs are steel framing. Steel beams of W24X103 are connected to the stair framing by W12X14 beams. Load is transferred to the column of W14X211, and dispersed by the column footings. All column footings are cast-in-place concrete with their footings ranging from 4’0” square to 8’-0” by 10’-0”. Most of the interior beams are W21X44 in a 40’-0” by 30’-0” typical bay, with W16X26 beams being on the north perimeter in a 30’-0” by 30’-0” bay. Beam reactions for the interior beams are 35 Kips, while perimeter beams are 25 Kips. These beams support a 6-¼” lightweight concrete slab on 3” X 20 GA galvanized composite deck. This is consistent throughout all the floors. Roof construction of 26K9 beams in the 40’-0” by 30’-0” bay are connected to 22K4 Vulcraft beams in the 30’-0” by 30’-0” bay, which support a 1-½” X 20 GA galvanized metal roof deck. This supports the roof load and roof terrace assemblies throughout the building.

 

1.2 Construction

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The Whiting-Turner company was both the general contractor and construction manager in this design-bid-build project. Pharm Corp. of 150,000 SF costs a total of $93,000,000, costing $620/SF. The construction schedule is May 25, 2015 – Oct. 03, 2017, totaling 29 months.

This building was phased into three stages: 1) Core and Shell, 2) Interior Fit-out, and 3) Attached parking garage. They are all completed by Whiting-Turner, but designed by different architects. The main building is constructed on a flat slab, while the parking garage is excavated out of the sloping ground. Excavating the ground for the parking garage made the top floor of the parking garage level with the ground floor of the main building. This allows circulation between the parking garage and the office building.

 

1.3 Electrical

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A utility-owned pad-mount transformer located directly outside the building with a 2500A secondary service at 480Y/277, 3-phase, 4-wire provides power throughout the building, along with 24 panelboards connected to all electrical demands. Both the transformer and panelboards are connected directly into a main switchboard (MSB).

 

A generator provides standby power and distributes it to all electric closets. A 30 kVA step-down transformer and corresponding 100A, 208/120V panelboard are located on the 1st and 3rd floors. All of the fans, pumps and electrical equipment are fed from combination motor starters located in electric closets or mechanical rooms. The kitchen has 4 panelboards for all of the equipment within.

 

1.4 Lighting

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Utilization of natural light due to the large curtain wall systems throughout the building façade is the main source of lighting for the open-concept office space. Controlling of natural light entering the space is done by angling the East-facing class inward, while leaning the West-facing glass outward. This strategy allows light and heat to enter in the morning, while rejecting direct light in the evenings. Vacancy or occupancy sensors are used within office, conference and workroom, storage rooms, and lavatories to conserve lighting energy.

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State-of-the-art daylight responsive dimming controls are used within the atrium and dining areas. Atrium areas use LED downlight to illuminate the space, while the dining area uses both LED wallwasher lights and LED downlights. Lighting on the roof for terrace areas provides emergency lighting on all railing areas for safety precautions.

 

1.5 Mechanical

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The cooling demand for Pharm Corp. is served by two 270-ton closed circuit, evaporative cooling towers, creating condensate water for water-cooled DX air-handling units. Condensate pumps are used, rated at 810 GPM, with variable frequency drives to adjust the mass flow rate of condensate entering the AHU. For the heating side, interior spaces are heated by electric reheat coils located in the variable air volume (VAV) units. Perimeter spaces utilize both electric reheat coils along with electric perimeter baseboard, located below curtain wall glass systems. A smoke exhaust system is used within the atrium to remove 180,000 CFM in case of a fire, supplemented by 120,000 CFM of make-up air. This negative pressure area constricts fire smoke to be removed without being exposed to office areas.

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As for the air-side equipment, two mechanical rooms per floor each house one air-handling unit. One mechanical room serves both the West side and central core, while the other unit serves the East side. Offsetting the cooling and heating demand within the building, an air-side economizer with enthalpy based control is utilized when ambient temperatures permit. Carbon dioxide monitors are implemented in conference rooms to increase outdoor air ventilation as needed. Serving internal conference rooms are individual rooftop units, accommodated with an air-side economizer with the removed air from the space.  

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Additional Engineering and Support Systems

 

2.1 Fire Protection

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All means of fire protection are in compliance with NFPA and IBC, with fire alarms and smoke detectors throughout each floor. A class 1 standpipe system is used within the building, which is a 4” standpipe riser located within each mechanical shaft. Sprinklers on the floor are provided water from these standpipes. Fire dampers are located in any full-height wall penetrations of 2-hour fire-rated wall and in transfer ducts moving air from the plenum to the return air fans.

 

2.2 Transportation

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There are three elevators and four stairwells within the building. Two elevators are for general use, while one is a freight elevator for the dining and kitchen on the 3rd floor. A grand 4-story, glass railing staircase is within the main atrium of the building. This is the central point within the building. Located adjacent to the main office building is a parking garage. Transportation to the building for the employees can park within this parking garage, and enter the first floor of the atrium from the fourth floor of the parking garage.

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2.3 Telecommunications

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A passive infrastructure cabling system was designed to provide a pathway for telephony, Ethernet and other communication systems used day to day within the facilities. The new building communications are to also be connected to the existing building on site, owned by Pharm Corp. The connection of services is by underground duct banks each consisting of two 5” schedule 40 PVC encased on a concrete envelope. These duct banks terminate in the main distribution frame (MDF) room of each building.