Facility Design Project of the Month

Each month, FE&S spotlights a project worth talking about, with in-depth coverage from concept through completion including a kitchen equipment floor plan.

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Center for Community at the University of Colorado at Boulder Sustainable Features

Compared to similarly sized buildings, the C4C will be 20 percent to 25 percent more energy and water efficient, according to Beckstrom. A large amount of recycled material was used in the construction of the building, including steel, fly-ash, plastic and glass. The building is on track to receive LEED gold certification at minimum.

A filtered water system for culinary and customer beverages is saving 57 filters that would have to be changed three times a year, adding labor costs to the budget, Friese says. "The system is self-flushing, and we can save the cartridge," he says.

A Selection of the Many Foodservice Features:

  • Demand-controlled, variable-speed kitchen exhaust fans
  • Gray water used in dishwash pre-rinse
  • Ultraviolet-light ecology units used to remove grease from exhaust ductwork systems
  • Pulper used to capture food product waste for off-site composting
  • Excess grease waste captured for recycling (as part of a campus bio-fuel program)

Electrical System Features:

  • Approximately 25 percent of the connected lighting load in dining areas is currently LED lighting. An additional 15 percent of the lighting load can be converted to LED lamps in the future when LED replacement lights become more affordable.
  • Occupancy-sensor-controlled lighting is provided in all offices, workrooms, copy rooms, storage rooms and toilet rooms.
  • Lighting controls include daylight harvesting in all exterior offices and corridor areas. Dining areas also include daylight harvesting so lights along the perimeter can be reduced when they are not needed.

Mechanical and Plumbing System Features:

  • Low-flow plumbing fixtures are used throughout, providing a 30 percent reduction in water use.
  • A filtered water station provided in the building lobby encourages the refill of water bottles in lieu of prepackaged water purchases.
  • Indirect/direct evaporative cooling provided in lieu of a chilled water air conditioning system
  • Variable frequency drive (VFD) motors on all pumps and fans
  • Centrally located culinary water filtration system, eliminating 57 individual filters on various pieces of equipment

Building Construction Features:

  • High energy efficient building envelope (high R-value)
  • Daylighting and views provided throughout occupied areas
  • Low-VOC adhesives, sealants, composite woods, paints and carpets
  • Carpets are recycled, certified multi-attribute eco-label products.
  • 18 percent regional materials; 83 percent FCS-certified woods;
  • 20 percent recycled material
  • 92 percent construction waste diverted from landfills

Site Considerations:

  • Raw water used for landscaping, achieving a 50 percent reduction in landscaping water use
  • Six showers provided for staff use to promote bicycle commuting
  • Designated parking for carpool and low-emission vehicles

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