In part two of this five-part video series, Paula Vaughan, Co-Director Sustainability for Perkins+Will, showcases some of the sustainable features of the new Perkins+Will office in Atlanta. This office, located at 1315 Peachtree Street, recently received LEED Platinum status with a score of 95. It is the current record holder for a LEED Platinum project in North America under the 2009 version of LEED for New Construction. To see the exterior of 1315 Peachtree Street, please view this video.
Energy costs are high and growing higher, with estimates that energy costs account for up to 30% of the operating budget for an average company.
When Perkins+Will moved into our new offices one of our goals was to reduce that cost and utilize systems that were also better for the environment.
On our rooftop, we have twin microturbines that produce electricity by burning natural gas. The heat generated from that is then passed through an adsorption chiller, manufactures by Power Partners in Athens, GA, which produces hot or cold water. This water is then piped through a series of capillary mats above the suspended ceiling panels in each of the studio spaces. Then heat or cold radiates down from the ceiling, saving energy, reducing noise and producing a cleaner indoor environment. And because there are no refrigerants involved, there are no CFCs and no ozone depletion.
In addition we have a photovoltaic array on the roof of the building. Made by Suniva, a Georgia company, on a sunny day these panels generate enough electricity to power most of the lighting in the building.
In addition to cutting our energy costs, we have cut the fan and background noise that you generally get from typical HVAC systems.
That combination, together with the lighting efficiency, and along with some of the other strategies, is resulting in a predicted energy cost savings of about 58% over a conventional office building in Atlanta. In addition, we have reduced CO2 emissions, the largest greenhouse gas, by 68%, meeting the 2030 Challenge for reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
