Project Goals
The mission of the Energy Center is to enhance the visibility of clean energy research in southwest Virginia and to establish the region as a leader in clean coal and natural gas, carbon capture and storage, and renewable energy resources. The center has multiple bays and office spaces for rent and there are common break-rooms and conference rooms to serve the occupants.
Services
Provides over 15,000 sq ft of flexible laboratory and meeting space constructed with sustainable systems. 2RW provided MEP planning and engineering services, including:
- High-efficiency electrical and plumbing systems featuring exterior and interior LED lighting and low-flow plumbing fixtures.
- Geothermal heating and cooling system consisting of three 800-foot wells. Two wells extract water from the earth and circulate it through the building for heating and cooling; the third returns the water to the ground.
- Solar power generation from 288 solar panels that supply the electrical needs of the building. Excess electricity is sold back to the grid.
- Rainwater harvesting via two large cisterns which collect run-off from the roof. Two swales on the property collect run-off from the parking lot which then passes through multiple layers of sand, gravel, and silt screen before reentering the earth.
LEED fundamental commissioning was performed to ensure all systems were running to meet ASHRAE 90.1 requirements.
Results
The Energy Center was one of the first buildings in the region to create its own energy.
Awards
2014 – Merit Award American Institute of Architects
