THURSDAY, APRIL 12th, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INDIGO ARCHITECTS WIN ZERO ENERGY AWARD
DAVIS, CA
Indigo Architects was notified that Indigo | Hammond + Playle Architects Studio & Office is officially Zero Energy Certified by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI). This award is the only Zero Energy Certification that is based on actual rather than modeled results. At least 12-months of utility bills and a 12-month production report is required. Verification is performed by a third-party auditor. Note: Zero-Energy was achieved even while charging two electric vehicles.
Relative to the Zero Energy ILFI Certification, this is the:
1st office building in the Sacramento area
2nd project in Davis
4th project in California
6th project in 2018
A UNIQUE NEW BUILDING TYPE
Indigo’s offices are novel in the fact that the building is a “adaptive re-use” Zero Energy building, meaning it was an old inefficient building that was expertly remodeled to achieve ZNE certification. This contrasts with most ZNE buildings, which are new construction. Indigo Architects transformed a dilapidated existing a 1967 Dairy Queen building into a “green” super efficient office space. Using multiple strategies, Indigo was able to fine tune the building to the central valley climate and have the building work with the climate to create an energy saving advantage. This climate-adapted design keeps the building passively cooled 90% of the time. The unique the design approach harnesses energy from the outdoor environment. Whether it’s cooling energy or heating energy, the power of nature creates a perfectly climate-controlled interior. Heat gain is minimized by strategic use of north and south facing windows, shaded with appropriate solar overhangs and fins to bring in the daylight and keep out the heat. Natural lighting from skylights and windows allow daytime use without using electric power. Super insulated walls, using straw bale wall construction, reduces cooling and heating loads immensely. This new type of design, creates an extremely energy efficient building, ensuring only a limited number of solar panels need to be installed to achieve Zero-Net Energy status.
WHY THIS IS SIGNIFICANT
In the climate change discussion, much of the focus goes to transportation emissions, however, existing buildings are the single largest contributor to the problem of global warming. (Architecture 2030) The future of environmental protection depends on our ability to repurpose, reuse and adapt old construction buildings into new Zero Energy buildings and Indigo Architects are leading the way on that front.
SETTING THE EXAMPLE FOR CALIFORNIA
The State of California is encouraging Zero Net Energy statewide and has implemented an aggressive program for all their buildings. EXECUTIVE ORDER B-18-12 stated that “all new State buildings and major renovations beginning design after 2025 be constructed as Zero Net Energy facilities.”
FIND OUR CASE STUDY HERE
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Jonathan Hammond or Bruce Playle at Indigo, Hammond & Playle Architects, LLP
909 5th Street, Davis, CA 95616 // 530-750-0756 // jhammond@indigoarch.com
Susan Rainier, AIA, LFA, Living Future Certification Consultant // susan.rainier1@gmail.com
