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地址: South Royalton, VT

建筑面积: 2,180 sq. meters

竣工日期: August 1998

高度: 3-story building 

能源利用: Heating energy use at Oakes Hall is less than one-fifth that of an adjacent library building of comparable size built just a few years earlier, and electricity use is less than half as much. This remarkable energy performance is achieved through both conventional and unconventional strategies.

Energy-efficient T-8 fluorescent lighting is tied to occupancy sensors that turn off the lights when no one is present. The walls and roof are well-insulated with structural insulated panels containing 6" (150 mm) of expanded polystyrene in the walls, and 9" (230 mm) in the roof. Windows throughout are triple-glazed, argon-filled units with a single low-e coating.

Less conventional is the mechanical system, which provides 100% outdoor air to occupied spaces and no outdoor air to those that are not occupied. Upon entering a room, occupants must press a button labeled "Push for Ventilation" to get fresh air. A little green LED by the switch indicates when the ventilation is on. The switch activates dampers that introduce outdoor air and prevent indoor air from recirculating (like the "fresh air/recirc" switch in many cars). The occupancy sensors switch the system back to recirculation mode when the room has not been occupied for a specified period. Acknowledging that it is a novel approach, engineer Marc Rosenbaum notes that, if this demand ventilation approach doesn't work out, they can always resort to fully automated controls using the building's direct digital control (DDC) system.

The amount of energy needed to condition the outdoor air is minimized with a heat-recovery system that uses both a cross-flow heat exchanger and a desiccant wheel to control humidity. Seven feet (2.1 m) in diameter, this wheel helps keep moisture out during the hot, humid summer and in during the cold, dry winter, resulting in an estimated peak load savings of 2.1 tons of cooling per thousand cubic feet per minute of air flow (15 kW per 1,000 l/s).

节水方案: The primary design intent was to use the new building to actually reduce the law school's total demand on the South Royalton municipal water system, which is severely limited in its capacity. The main level and the upper level toilet rooms are served by two composting toilet systems.

The composters rely on microbial action, similar to what occurs in nature, to decompose human waste, and convert it into a nutrient-rich, pathogen-free end product. Compost fluid, significantly altered by its passage through the compost pile, ends up in a collection area at the bottom of the composter. In most cases, this fluid is then pumped to a holding tank and used as a liquid fertilizer on plantings. In the case of the Law School, however, state regulators allowed the composting units only on condition that the compost fluid be disposed of to the town sewer. This wastes a nutrient-rich resource, but the permit conditions may be alterable in the future.

Since the composter tanks are located on the lower level, the lower level toilet rooms could not be connected to the composters, and use conventional flush toilets which are connected to the town sewer system.

材料选择: The materials following are only noted if they replace what is typically a less environmentally friendly product.

Durable materials include: fiberglass window frames, concrete floors, linoleum floors, steel roofing, fiber-cement siding, and composite wood exterior trim.

Low toxicity materials include: linoleum floors, zero volatile organic compound interior paint, water-based clear finishes, latex-based paint, and nylon carpet with an impermeable backing and peel-and-stick adhesive.

Materials with recycled content include: toilet compartment partitions, gypsum board drywall, and acoustical ceiling tiles and track.

Materials with waste byproduct content include: concrete with fly ash, acoustical ceiling tiles, and straw-based wheatboard for the wainscoting.

Materials produced from renewably harvested plant materials include: white cedar shingles and interior hardwood trim from certified sustainable forests.

Materials with zero ozone depletion potential include: the expanded polystyrene foam in the stressed-skin panels used on the walls and roof, and the spray-in-place foam used for insulating much of the foundation walls and the steel-framed exterior walls.

室内环境品质: Occupants receive 100% filtered outdoor air when any space is occupied. Humidity is kept within comfort range with the enthalpic recovery wheel. Mechanical systems are quiet. Classrooms are oriented to provide light and views without solar glare. Envelope thermal quality is very high to provide occupant comfort without perimeter heating. Windows are operable. Materials specified were reviewed for low toxicity. Very little carpet was used. Mold is prevented by avoiding thermal bridges and by providing excellent perimeter drainage around the foundation.