Class A office buildings are among the toughest projects an engineer can work on—complex structures, demanding clients, and advanced technology. Electrical engineers have their work cut out for them.
Respondents
Daniel G. Dowell, VP Energy Performance Contracting Sales, ABM, Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
Kurt Karnatz, PE, CEM, HBDP, HFDP, LEED AP, President, ESD, Chicago
Lance Kempf, PE, Director of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, LEO A DALY, Minneapolis
Brian Michelson, PE, MEP Design Phase Manager, Mortenson Construction, Minneapolis
Joseph H. Talbert, PE, ARM, Project Manager, Aon Fire Protection Engineering, Lincolnshire, Ill.
CSE: What types of renewable energy systems have you recently specified in a Class A office building project? This may include photovoltaics, ground-source heat pumps, etc.
Kempf: We have specified geothermal wells and photovoltaics.
CSE: What unique lighting or lighting control systems have you completed?
Kempf: We’ve used a combination of energy-efficient linear fluorescent and LED sources. We’ve specified LEDs for downlights, cove lighting, linear slots, and all exterior lighting. We’ve used a combination of occupancy sensors, daylight-harvesting methods, and full-building lighting control systems to meet energy codes and reduce energy consumption. On open-office plans, we’ve used three zones of lighting relative to the distance from windows—the closer to the windows, the more the lights are dimmed.
