Last November, Denver Water, the largest water utility in Colorado, opened its new six-story, 186,000-sf administration building, located southeast of downtown Denver.
As part of the public agency’s multiphase modernization that linked eight new or fully renovated facilities within a 35-acre operations campus, the building was designed to achieve LEED-NC Platinum and Net Zero Energy certification standards.
The administration building itself is long and thin, calling to mind a slot canyon formed by natural water flow over the years.
Its sustainable features include onsite solar, a radiant slab powered by the complex’s central utility plant to conserve heat and energy, a high-efficiency triple pane-glazed window system, and biophilic design. The building also taps into one of the adjacent potable water conduits from Denver Water’s own water supply as a variable temperature heat-sync.
GETTING THE ‘RIGHT’ WATER TO THE ‘RIGHT PLACE’
The utility's One Water program recycles water for use by the buildings on Denver Water's corporate campus.
To address water sustainability, Denver Water has developed “One Water,” a holistic distribution approach that manages the utility’s water resources for long-term resilience and reliability. Large water users, such as parks and cooling towers, often don’t require water that’s potable, which presents opportunities for putting alternative water supplies to work.
One of the most visible applications of One Water has been Denver Water’s recycled water system, which takes water used by homes and runs it through a wastewater plant to reintroduce the water safely into the built environment, at a nondrinking standard.
The facility’s two most innovative “One Water” strategies are the rainwater capture for irrigation and onsite wastewater treatment and recycling for reuse in the admin building and on the site. The design of these systems is a first in Colorado, with Denver Water working to expand state regulations and clear a path for other new developments to work on their own reuse solutions.
Jim Lochhead, Denver Water’s CEO and Manager, says that One Water is the culmination of nearly a decade of planning and years of construction. Stantec designed the new administration building, Mortenson Construction was the GC, and Trammell Crow the owner’s rep.
“Stantec’s commitment to sustainability aligns with Denver Water’s aspiration to make a long-lasting difference in the region,” says Josh Gould, Stantec’s Vice President-Buildings. “Together we pushed the boundaries of water use and reuse, creating safe and replicable water efficiency solutions that are scalable nationwide.”
Related Stories
| Jun 18, 2013
Report: HVAC occupancy sensors could slash building energy demand by 18%
Researchers at the DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory conclude that significant energy savings can be achieved by varying ventilation levels based on the number of people in a given space.
| Jun 17, 2013
DOE launches database on energy performance of 60,000 buildings
The Energy Department today launched a new Buildings Performance Database, the largest free, publicly available database of residential and commercial building energy performance information.
| Jun 5, 2013
USGBC: Free LEED certification for projects in new markets
In an effort to accelerate sustainable development around the world, the U.S. Green Building Council is offering free LEED certification to the first projects to certify in the 112 countries where LEED has yet to take root.
| May 28, 2013
LED lighting's risks and rewards
LED lighting technology provides unique advantages, but it’s also important to understand its limitations for optimized application.
| May 9, 2013
Post-tornado Greensburg, Kan., leads world in LEED-certified buildings per capita
Six years after a tornado virtually wiped out the town, Greensburg, Kan., is the world's leading community in LEED-certified buildings per capita.
| May 3, 2013
'LEED for all GSA buildings,' says GSA Green Building Advisory Committee
The Green Building Advisory Committee established by the General Services Administration, officially recommended to GSA that the LEED green building certification system be used for all GSA buildings as the best measure of building efficiency.
| Apr 25, 2013
Colorado State University, DLR Group team to study 12 high-performance schools
DLR Group and the Institute for the Built Environment at Colorado State University have collaborated on a research project to evaluate the effect of green school design on occupants and long-term building performance.
| Apr 22, 2013
Top 10 green building projects for 2013 [slideshow]
The AIA's Committee on the Environment selected its top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment.
| Apr 16, 2013
5 projects that profited from insulated metal panels
From an orchid-shaped visitor center to California’s largest public works project, each of these projects benefited from IMP technology.
| Apr 12, 2013
Nation's first 'food forest' planned in Seattle
Seattle's Beacon Food Forest project is transforming a seven-acre lot in the city’s Beacon Hill neighborhood into a self-sustaining, edible public park.
