13 Dec 2007
Northern Arizona University’s Applied Research and Design (ARD) facility has been awarded Platinum Certification by the US Green Building Council.
The three-story, 60,000-square-foot building scored 60 points (eight points above Platinum requirements).
The building forms a long arc oriented to the south to capture the winter sun in a glass-enclosed three-story gallery that serves as a thermal buffer space for the offices behind. The concrete structural frame stores heat in the winter and cools in the summer to reduce energy required for heating and air-conditioning.
Arup provided structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire engineering, façade, acoustics and lighting design.
Other sustainable features include photovoltaic panels, low-pressure under-floor air distribution system, triple-glazed windows on the building’s north side minimize unwanted energy loss and gain, and automated shade controls regulate solar gain.