FRONTIERPROJECT

FRONTIERPROJECT

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A LIVING, BREATHING BUILDING

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A LIVING, BREATHING BUILDING

A LIVING, BREATHING BUILDING

A LEED Platinum demonstration building dedicated to educating the community in sustainable living practices.

In 2006, the Cucamonga Valley Water District approached HMC Architects with a unique and challenging proposal—to collaborate in their vision of educating local residents, commercial builders, and sustainability advocates regarding the latest conservation methods and technologies in water, energy, and site efficiency. As a result

of the passion and energy of the team, a non-profit foundation was created to propel the project into a LEED® Platinum-certified community education resource that became known as the Frontier Project. The project achieved more than 45 percent above Title 24 with its photovoltaic system and 55 percent water savings.

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LOCATION

Rancho Cucamonga, CA

CLIMATE

California Climate 10

PROGRAM

Exhibition hall, conference room, offices, and demonstration roof garden

GROSS AREA

14,200-SF

COMPLETION DATE

2009

PREDICTED ENERGY USE INTENSITY / BASED ON SIMULATION (kbtu/sqft/yr& kW/sqm/yr)

PROPOSED DESIGN

61 kBtu/sf/yr (renewable energy contribution = 15 kBtu/sf/yr)

BASELINE DESIGN

104 Kbtu/sf/yr

METHODOLOGY

Title 24 ACM 2005

OWNER

Rancho Cucamonga Valley Water District

ARCHITECTS

HMC Architects

PROJECT TEAM

Laurie McCoy AIA, Principal in Charge

Raymond Pan AIA, LEED AP, Design Principal

Pasqual Gutierrez AIA, Principal

Dexter Galang Project Designer

Daniel Sandoval Project Leader

Eddy Santosa LEED consultant/Energy Simulation Analyst

ENGINEERS

DCGA Engineers / RHA Engineers / R.M. Byrd and Associates

ADDITIONAL CONSULTANTS

EPT Landscape Architect / Turner Construction Company

The design strives to go beyond the norm of sustainable buildings as merely machines of green technologies by combining architectural and ecological design principles as equal forces in the formation of the building. It demonstrates how inviting, engaging architecture can help foster community interest and create functional spaces for school field trips, lectures, seminars, public tours, and vendor exhibits showcasing environmentally friendly products.

building informa-tion /

team /

The building is composed of four layers of concentric building shells, each serving a specific purpose. The outer shell, constructed of insulated concrete forms, acts as thermal mass protecting the interior space from solar heat during the day. The second shell is a cast-in-place concrete wall that provides lateral integrity to the building structure. The third shell, a north facing glass curtain wall, maximizes diffused daylight and visual connection into the building. The inner shell is made of salvaged redwood from a local winery’s vats and shades the south facing wall of the office/conference wing.

THERMAL MASSInsulated concrete form

PASSIVE EVAPORATIVE COOLINGCool tower + solar chimney

EXTENDED LANDSCAPEGreen roof Rain garden Reduces heat island effect

build-ing shell/

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EDUCATIONBuilding components exploration path

STRUCTURECast-in-place concrete with 25% fly-ash

PROGRAMPublic + private

service

office/conferenceexhibit

EXTERIOR SHADINGSalvaged redwood from local winery

WATER MANAGEMENTZero site runoff 100% stormwater + graywater harvesting Zero potable water for irrigation

collection cistern

DAYLIGHTINGNorth facing glazing

light and air/ COOL TOWER

SOLAR CHIMNEY

SOLAR CHIMNEY

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1 Entry2 Exhibition3 Living room4 Kitchen5 Office6 Conference7 Conference breakout/overflow8 Demonstration mechanical room

1 Open office2 Hallway3 Conference room4 Copy/coffee5 Storage6 Open to below7 Outdoor balcony

/01 First Floor

/02 Second Floor

The largest use of energy in a building, along with lighting, is the cooling and heating of air. The Frontier Project includes a passive ventilation system that demonstrates passive technology’s effectiveness and efficiency. The building has a cool tower and two solar chimneys that use natural convection to circulate air through the space. The cool tower harnesses air from prevailing winds and cools it using water misters. This cool air is drawn into the space, as the air in the solar chimney is heated causing it to evacuate the building. A displacement ventilation system and high efficiency VAV system are used to supplement the passive ventilation system.

A building-wide EMS (energy management system) provides full direct digital control of all HVAC systems and is based on BACNET open communication protocol. The system includes monitoring of temperature, carbon dioxide levels, and relative humidity in each zone or space being conditioned, ensuring optimum conditions for the occupants. It also automatically activates the switching from passive to active cooling.

SOLAR CHIMNEY

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living laboratory collaborative & post occupancy evaluations/

HMC is currently in partnership with the Frontier Project to collaborate on green roofs, water ponds, and evaporative cooling prototypes, along with indoor environmental quality surveys and comprehensive energy modeling analysis. Together, the architect and client “take the pulse” of this living building and links the outcomes of building systems and materials to inform design decisions of other ongoing projects. The measurement and research provides the team with meaningful data to support increased productivity and economical efficiencies.

Second Floor Plan

Daylight Only Daylight + Artificial Light

15.2 40.5

6.2 41.2

14.6

47.7

28.2 45.2

27.9 42.2

31.2

50.8

85.0

95.0

21.2 48.8

19.2

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As part of the Living Laboratory Collaborative, HMC recently conducted post-occupancy evaluations that included both subjective and objective measurements. The subjective measurement was occupant responses to thermal and visual performances; while the objective measurement was data collection based on actual measurements.

The research used three statistical analyses methods to analyze survey data: correlation, ANOVA, and regression analysis. Although there were certain areas of concern—photo sensor problems in Frontier Project—the subjective measurement indicated that the building had good thermal and visual performance.

Based on the collected objective data, the HVAC system designed for Frontier Project is capable to deliver the designed temperature and provide good thermal comfort performance. In terms of the lighting performance, the building has overall good lighting performance, even though there are minor concerns that should be addressed to enhance occupant satisfaction.

Occupant Lighting Perception

01 // Very Satisfied / Enhances07 // Very Dissatisfied / Interferes

Regression Result: Overall Lighting Impact = 1.070866142 Daylight Impact + 0.062992126 Elec. Lighting Impact + 0.385826772

0%01 02 03 04 05 06 07

10%

20%

30%

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50%Daylight SatisfactionElec. Lighting Satisfaction Visual ComfortDaylight ImpactElec. Lighting ImpactOverall Lighting Impact

sustainable design features

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1 Solar panel carport2 Solar water heaters3 Cool tower4 Terrazzo floor5 Green roof blocks with solar panels6 Weather station7 Intensive green roof8 Extensive green roof9 Light monitor10 Cool roof11 Solar chimney12 Stormwater + gray water cistern13 Waterless garden14 Compost/recycle/trash enclosure15 Courtyard16 Pervious concrete paving17 Outdoor classroom18 Demonstration garden

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WITH THE SEAMLESS INTEGRATION OF THESE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN ELEMENTS, THE BUILDING IS PERFORMING AT 42% ABOVE 2005 CALIFORNIA TITLE 24 REQUIREMENTS, MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST SUSTAINABLE AND ICONIC BUILDINGS IN THE REGION.

25% Fly-Ash Content in Concrete

Salvaged Redwood Sun Screen

Insulated Concrete Form = R40

Drought-Tolerant

Renewable Energy

Storm Water Collection + Management

1,600 Gallon Cistern