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October 5, 2006 Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences Opens Oakland, CA - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rumsey Engineers today announced the completion of the Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences on the Incline Village campus of Sierra Nevada College. The building opened on August 21 and will have its official grand opening on October 14. Rumsey Engineers was the mechanical engineer on the design team, which also included Lundahl and Associates in Reno, Nevada, architects; Integrated Design Associates in San Jose, California, electrical design; and David Nelson & Associates in Littleton, Colorado, lighting design. The building has achieved energy savings of 50-60% over ASHRAE 90.1, 70-80% water savings over traditional systems, and is on track to achieve a LEED Platinum rating from the USGBC.
The three story, 45,000 square foot facility houses classrooms and laboratories for students and research facilities for many institutions who share a commitment to the environment and environmental science. The project was developed as a partnership between University of California, Davis and Sierra Nevada College (SNC), to be a leading environmental science and education center. It houses the University of California, Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, and provides facilities for the University of Nevada, Reno, Carnegie Mellon University, RAND Corporation and other research partners. The programs developed by the collaboration of these institutions will serve as models for public/private partnerships focused on researching and solving our pressing environmental problems.
The building includes an unusual variety of innovative mechanical designs, including: induction diffusers, or chilled beams; low-flow displacement ventilation; radiant floor heating; overhead radiant heating and cooling panels; capstone turbine with cogeneration for space heating; 30kW of building integrated photovoltaics; lab exhaust heat recovery; nighttime chilled water production with a cooling tower; 50,000 gallons of chilled water storage; direct evaporative cooling in air handlers; and a demonstration solar hot water heater. Plumbing design features include waterless urinals; low-flow toilets; and a unique snowmelt and rainwater catchment system that captures water for use in toilet flushing and trap primers.
According to Peter Rumsey, president of Rumsey Engineers, "One of the outstanding characteristics of this building is the number of different systems it uses, and they way they interact to achieve excellent energy efficiency while delivering optimal comfort and safety for students, researchers, and other users. We're particularly happy that the laboratory is the first in the U.S. to use chilled beams, as this technology presents excellent energy saving potential for labs in the U.S."
About Rumsey Engineers
Contact:
Clifton Lemon 510 663 2070 x 217 clemon@rumseyengineers.com
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