FRONTIER PROJECT / archlab.hmcarchitects.com
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A LIVING, BREA THING BUILDING
/ Frontier Project
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A LEED Platinum demonstration building dedicated to educating the community in sustainable living practices.
/ archlab.hmcarchitects.com / Frontier Project 03 // 04
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 LEEDÂŽ 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.
building team / information / LOCATION
OWNER
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Rancho Cucamonga Valley Water District
CLIMATE
California Climate 10
ARCHITECTS
HMC Architects PROGRAM
Exhibition hall, conference room, offices, and demonstration roof garden GROSS AREA
14,200-SF
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
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)
ENGINEERS
DCGA Engineers / RHA Engineers / R.M. Byrd and Associates ADDITIONAL CONSULTANTS
EPT Landscape Architect / Turner Construction Company
BASELINE DESIGN
104 Kbtu/sf/yr METHODOLOGY
Title 24 ACM 2005
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.
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building shell/ THERMAL MASS Insulated concrete form
PASSIVE EVAPORATIVE COOLING Cool tower + solar chimney
/ Frontier Project
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.
EXTENDED LANDSCAPE Green roof Rain garden Reduces heat island effect
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STRUCTURE
Cast-in-place concrete with 25% fly-ash
EDUCATION
Building components exploration path
service
exhibit
EXTERIOR SHADING Salvaged redwood from local winery
PROGRAM Public + private
collection cistern
WATER MANAGEMENT
Zero site runoff 100% stormwater + graywater harvesting Zero potable water for irrigation
DAYLIGHTING North facing glazing
office/conference
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light and air/
COOL TOWER
SOLAR SOLAR CHIMNEY
/01 First Floor 1 Entry 2 Exhibition 3 Living room 4 Kitchen 5 Office 6 Conference 7 Conference breakout/overflow 8 Demonstration mechanical room / Frontier Project
/02 Second Floor
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1 Open office 2 Hallway 3 Conference room 4 Copy/coffee 5 Storage 6 Open to below 7 Outdoor balcony
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.
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 95.0
47.7 21.2
48.8
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6.2 15.2
41.2
31.2 27.9
28.2
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Daylight Only
85.0
14.6
19.2
40.5
42.2 45.2
Daylight + Artificial Light
50.8
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 Daylight Satisfaction Elec. Lighting Satisfaction Visual Comfort Daylight Impact Elec. Lighting Impact Overall Lighting Impact
50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
01 // Very Satisfied / Enhances 07 // Very Dissatisfied / Interferes
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Regression Result: Overall Lighting Impact = 1.070866142 Daylight Impact + 0.062992126 Elec. Lighting Impact + 0.385826772
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sustainable design features 12
1 Solar panel carport 2 Solar water heaters 3 Cool tower 4 Terrazzo floor 5 Green roof blocks with solar panels 6 Weather station 7 Intensive green roof 8 Extensive green roof 9 Light monitor 10 Cool roof 11 Solar chimney 12 Stormwater + gray water cistern 13 Waterless garden 14 Compost/recycle/trash enclosure 15 Courtyard 16 Pervious concrete paving 17 Outdoor classroom 18 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.
Salvaged Redwood Sun Screen
25% Fly-Ash Content in Concrete
Insulated Concrete Form = R40
Storm Water Collection + Management 1,600 Gallon Cistern
Renewable Energy
Drought-Tolerant