ital Statistics
Facility Type: Office space
Construction: New construction
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Size: 42,750 gross square feet
Occupancy: 70 EPA employees (permanent);
150 employees during renovation of existing
laboratory building
Opened: North Wing: October 2007
West Wing: February 2008
LEED Status: Gold 2.1/2.2 for New
Construction
EXEMPLARY GREEN DESIGN is evident at EPA's new
Research Support Annex (Annex 2) at the Andrew
W. Breidenbach Environmental Research Center
(AWBERC), in Cincinnati, Ohio.The new building includes
energy efficient systems, sustainable landscaping, and a
green roof, among many other features.
The 42,750 square foot annex is being used initially as temporary work
space for employees relocated as part of a six year phased renovation
of the AWBERC research facility. Annex 2 will eventually become a
permanent workplace for EPA employees currently based at a nearby
facility in Norwood, Ohio. Even as temporary workspace, Annex 2
achieved the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC's) Leadership in
Energy and Environment Design (LEED®) Gold certification for new
construction.The facility also complies with the Federal Leadership
in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings Memorandum of
Understanding that EPA signed in January 2006, along with 16 other
federal agencies.
Research Support Annex 2
Cincinnati, Ohio
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SFA Architects in Cincinnati designed the new building. Monarch Construction
Company served as the contractor. In order to ensure maximum building
performance, EPA hired a third party—Engineering Economics, Inc.—to commission
and evaluate the building's systems and controls when the building was occupied.
Annex 2 contains a variety of energy efficient features, which EPA anticipates
will produce a collective 23 percent savings in energy consumption compared
to a conventionally designed building. In addition to innovative daylighting
techniques, the building features temperature controls, variable air volume
water-side economizers that allow for 100 percent outside air ventilation when
possible, and an underfloor air distribution system, which enhances employee
comfort while saving energy.
To maximize the amount of
natural light entering the build-
ing, 40 percent of the build-
ing's exterior is glass, which,
as an added safety feature,
meets federal blast resistance
specifications. Other daylighting
features include a skylight and
a "daylight harvesting"system
that detects the amount of
natural sunlight in the building
and adjusts the indoor lights
accordingly. Occupancy sensors
throughout the building also
conserve energy while supple-
menting interior lighting.
Drawing all of its heating and cooling needs from the exist-
ing mechanical system located in the main AWBERC building,
Annex 2 required no additional primary heating or cooling
equipment. This set-up enhanced the energy efficiency of the
existing equipment, avoided energy consumption that would
have been associated with a new primary system, and saved
construction dollars.
One of the building's most striking features is the 8,322
square foot green roof that helps conserve energy
by providing excellent thermal insulation and also
captures 30 percent of the rainwater hitting the roof,
thereby significantly reducing runoff. The roof is made of
lightweight, recycled plastic module trays pre-planted
with sedum, which is a drought-resistant, hearty, low
maintenance plant. Annex 2's green roof is the first of its
kind in Cincinnati and has generated much interest among
the local environmental, construction, and design interests.
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To help ensure optimum energy performance, Annex 2 features advanced
meters that monitor total electricity and natural gas consumption. To enable
more precise monitoring, EPA plans to expand the advanced metering net-
work to include submeters for electricity, chilled water, high-temperature hot
water, and steam consumption at Annex 2. When complete, this network will
transmit detailed data to the Agency's national advanced metering software
system to continually improve energy conservation measures.
In addition to the green roof, EPA used permeable pave-
ment for the 3,500 square foot triangular courtyard between
AWBERC's Annexes 1 and 2.This sustainable design feature
also helps manage stormwater runoff by filtering water into
the ground, not only reducing the quantity of runoff but also
improving runoff quality by filtering pollutants.
Light colored/high albedo concrete was utilized for the side-
walks surrounding the building.This surface absorbs less heat
and reduces the'tieat island"effect that can occur in urban ar-
eas when roads, buildings, and other structures replace natural
land cover and retain the sun's heat. Native shade trees, such as
sycamores, white pines, maples, and magnolias, have also been
planted to cool the building's exterior spaces.
The design and construction of Annex 2 employed the use of recycled
"" — content and regionally sourced materials and products, including car-
pet backing, ceiling tiles, metal siding, and concrete.
During construction, EPA demonstrated exemplary waste management
by recycling 96 percent of construction and demolition wastes,
including concrete, wood, and steel and diverting 924 tons of materials
from disposal.The facility also implemented a recycling collection
program for mixed paper, corrugated cardboard, plastic, glass,
aluminum beverage containers, fluorescent lamps, and batteries.
To ensure indoor air quality, designers selected construction materials
and indoor furnishings, including paints, caulk, carpet, and furniture, that
minimize fumes and harmful odors.
With the completion of
Annex 2, EPA has added
another green asset to
its growing portfolio of
high performance and
sustainable buildings.
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Final LEED® Scorecard for Cincinnati Annex 2
Points
Documented
11
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
3
Sustainable Sites
Prerequisite 1 Erosion & Sedimentation Control
Credit 1 Site Selection
Credit 2 Urban Redevelopment
Credit 3 Brownfield Redevelopment
Credit 4.1 Alternative Transportation, Public Transpor-
tation Access
Credit 4.2 Alternative Transportation, Bicycle Storage
& Changing Rooms
Credit 4.3 Alternative Transportation, Alternative Fuel
Refueling Stations
Credit 4.4 Alternative Transportation, Parking Capacity
Credit 5.1 Reduced Site Disturbance, Protect or
Restore Open Space
Credit 5.2 Reduced Site Disturbance, Development
Footprint
Credit 6.1 Stormwater Management, Rate or Quantity
Credit 6.2 Stormwater Management, Treatment
Credit 7.1 Landscape & Exterior Design to Reduce
Heat Islands, Non-Roof
Credit 7.2 Landscape & Exterior Design to Reduce
Heat Islands, Roof
Credit 8 Light Pollution Reduction
Water Efficiency
Prerequisite 1 Erosion & Sedimentation Control
Credit 1.1 Water Efficient Landscaping, reduce by
50%
Credit 1.2 Water Efficient Landscaping, No Potable
Use or No Irrigation
Credit 2 Innovative Wastewater Technologies
Credit 3.1-3.2 Water Use Reduction
Energy & Atmosphere
Prerequisite 1 Erosion & Sedimentation Control
Prerequisite 1 Fundamental Building Systems
Commissioning
Prerequisite 2 Minimum Energy Performance
Prerequisite 3 CFC Reduction in HVAC&R Equipment
Credit 1.0-1.10 Optimize Energy Performance
Credit 2.1-2.3 Renewable Energy
Credit 3 Additional Commissioning
Credit 4 Ozone Depletion
Credit 5 Measurement & Verification
Credit 6 Green Power
Points
Possible
1
2
17
0
0
0
0
10
3
1
1
1
1
Points
Documented
Yes
Yes
Yes
Materials & Resources
Prerequisite 1 Storage & Collection of Recyclables
Credit 1.1 -1.3 Building Reuse
Credit 2. 1-2. 2 Construction Waste Management
Credits. 1-3. 2 Resource Reuse
Credit 4.1-4.2 Recycled Content
Credit 5. 1-5. 2 Local/Regional Materials
Credit 6 Rapidly Renewable Materials
Credit 7 Certified Wood
Indoor Environmental Quality
Prerequisite 1 Minimum IAQ Performance
Prerequisite 2 Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)
Control
Credit 1 Carbon Dioxide (C02) Monitoring
Credit 2 Increase Ventilation Effectiveness
Credit 3.1 Construction IAQ Management Plan,
During Construction
Credit 3.2 Construction IAQ Management Plan, Before
Occupancy
Credit 4. 1-4. 4 Low-Emitting Materials
Credit 5 Indoor Chemical & Pollutant Source Control
Credit 6.1-6.2 Controllability of Systems
Credit 7.1 Thermal Comfort, Comply with ASH RAE
55-1992
Credit 7.2 Thermal Comfort, Permanent Monitoring
System
Credit 8.1 Daylight & Views, Daylight 75% of Spaces
Credit 8.2 Daylight & Views, Views for 90% of Spaces
Innovation & Design Process
Credit 1
Credit 1
Credit 1
Credit 1
Credit 2
CREDIT SUMMARY
47
Innovation in Design 1.1
Innovation in Design 1.2
Innovation in Design 1.3
Innovation in Design 1.4
LEED Accredited Professional
Points
Possible
39 to 51 points = Gold
For more information on the USGBC's LEED® Green Building Rating System, visit .
For more information on the Cincinnati Annex 2 project, visit or
.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (3204R)
Washington, DC 20460 • March 2009 • EPA200-B-09-001
^ Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on 100% Postconsumer, Process Chlorine Free Recycled Paper
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