5/22/2009 1 California Academy of Sciences California Academy of Sciences Building Description The new Academy is a single structure but contains multiple venues, including the aquarium, the planetarium, the natural history museum and the 4-story rainforest. In addition, there's a new 3D theater, a lecture hall, a Naturalist Center, two restaurants, an adjacent garden and aviary, a roof terrace, and an Academy store. The new building also houses the Academy science labs and administrative offices, including an extensive library and scientific archive consisting of more than 20 million specimens. The Academy is now the largest public Platinum-rated building in the world, and also the world’s greenest museum. The Academy earned the platinum rating (highest rating possible) for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). This commitment to sustainability extends to all facets of the facility - from the bike racks and rechargeable vehicle stations outside the building to the radiant sub-floor heating inside the building to the energy-generating solar panels on top of the building! LOCATION San Francisco, CA BUILDING TYPE Museum NEW CONSTRUCTION AREA 370,000 sq.ft. COMPLETED 2007-10 LEED PLATINUM California Academy of Sciences SBSE checklist The past thirty years have seen a change in sustainable design. To account for this, the Malcolm Wells Wilderness-Based Checklist was revised to reflect changes to a building and its site. It has both positive and negative standards that determine the sustainability level of both the building or its site. +75 +100 +100 +100 0 CLEANS AIR CLEANS WATER STORES RAINWATER PRODUCES FOOD CREATES RICH SOIL Lots of plants on site and interior of building there fore it cleans air. 1.7 million native plants have been planted on the living roof. Nitrate wastes are purified with natural systems, ensuring that aquarium water can be recycled. Cleans Water By absorbing rainwater, the Academy’s living roof will prevent .6 million gallons of runoff from carrying pollutants into the ecosystem each year (about 98% of all storm water). A way of storing storm water on site and not getting on sewers. The native plants will provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. Strawberries, self heal, sea pink, stonecrop, tidy tips, and others plants are grown on site. There really are no aspects of the design that promote rich soil, there is an enormous green roof, but the museum has opportunities to create the soil. California Academy of Sciences The Site
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5/22/2009
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California Academy of Sciences
California Academy of Sciences
Building Description
The new Academy is a single structure but contains multiple venues, including the aquarium, the planetarium, the natural historymuseum and the 4-story rainforest. In addition, there's a new 3D theater, a lecture hall, a Naturalist Center, two restaurants, an
adjacent garden and aviary, a roof terrace, and an Academy store.The new building also houses the Academy science labs and administrative offices, including an extensive library and scientific
archive consisting of more than 20 million specimens.
The Academy is now the largest public Platinum-rated building in the world, and also the world’s greenest museum. The Academy earned the platinum rating (highest rating possible) for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). This commitment to sustainability extends to all facets of the facility - from the bike racks and rechargeable vehicle stations outside
the building to the radiant sub-floor heating inside the building to the energy-generating solar panels on top of the building!
LOCATIONSan Francisco, CA
BUILDING TYPEMuseum
NEW CONSTRUCTION
AREA370,000 sq.ft.
COMPLETED2007-10
LEED PLATINUM
California Academy of Sciences
SBSE checklist
The past thirty years have seen a change in sustainable design. To account for this, the Malcolm Wells Wilderness-Based Checklist
was revised to reflect changes to a building and its site. It has both positive and negative
standards that determine the sustainability level of both the building or its site.
+75+100+100+100
0
CLEANS AIR
CLEANS WATER
STORES RAINWATER
PRODUCES FOOD
CREATES RICH SOIL
Lots of plants on site and interior of building there fore it cleans air. 1.7 million native plants have been planted on the living roof.
Nitrate wastes are purified with natural systems, ensuring that aquarium water can be recycled. Cleans Water
By absorbing rainwater, the Academy’s living roof will prevent .6 million gallons of runoff from carrying pollutants into the ecosystem each year (about 98% of
all storm water). A way of storing storm water on site and not getting on sewers.
The native plants will provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. Strawberries, self heal, sea pink, stonecrop, tidy tips, and others plants are grown on site.
There really are no aspects of the design that promote rich soil, there is an enormous green roof, but the museum has opportunities to create the soil.
California Academy of Sciences
The Site
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-25+100-100-25+100
DUMPS WASTES UNUSED
PROVIDES WILDLIFE HABITAT
IMPORTS ENERGY
REQUIRES FUEL-POWERED TRANSPORTATION
MODERATES LOCAL WEATHER
The building has programs that incorporate recycling, however there are specific materials, parts, and objects of daily use that cannot be recycled and
end up being dumped as waste
The native plants will provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife.
The building has photovoltaic cells integrated into its roof design. The building though, is only capable of generating 10% of its own energy per year.
Visitors and employees need to travel by means of an automobile, therefore fuel powered transportation is required.
Creates a new habitat for local wildlife. By absorbing rainwater, the new Academy’s living roof will prevent up to 3.6 million gallons of runoff from
carrying pollutants into the ecosystem each year
California Academy of Sciences
The Site
0
+75+75+100+75+100
USES DAYLIGHT
USES PASSIVE HEATING
USES PASSIVE COOLING
MAINTAINS ITSELF
PROVIDES HUMAN COMFORT
USES FUEL-POWERED CIRCULATION
At least 90% of regularly occupied spaces have access to daylight and outside views, reducing energy use and heat gain from electric lighting.
Radiant floor heating reduces energy needs by 5-10%. Heat recovery systems capture and utilize heat produced by HVAC equipment, reducing
heating energy use.
The new Academy’s living roof is planted with nine native California species that will not require artificial irrigation
An elevator is needed for ADA purposes
California Academy of Sciences
The Building
This major new initiative builds on the Academy’s distinguished history and deepens its commitment to advancing scientific literacy, engaging the public,
and documenting and conserving Earth’s naturalresources.
Motorized windows automatically open and shut to allow cool air into the building. Operable windows are also employed in staff offices.
+75
+100+75+100+100+100
CREATES PURE INDOOR AIR
IS BUILT OF RECYCLED MATERIALS
CAN BE RECYCLED
SERVES AS AN ICON FOR REGENERATION
IS A GOOD NEIGHBOR
IS BEAUTIFUL
Over 90% of the demolition waste from the old Academy was recycled. 9,000 tons of concrete were reused in Richmond roadway construction, 12,000 tons
of steel were recycled and went to Schnitzer Steel, and 120 tons of greenwaste were recycled on site.
The recycled nature of the materials lends themselves to be once again recycled.
The Museum doesn’t rely on any mechanical system to keep it comfortable and it also provides the integration of a green roof, therefore the building starts
to educate its neighbors about regenerative design
The design is amazing; it incorporates a lot innovative technology and it’s sustainable!
California Academy of Sciences
The Building
Both the building and the site are surrounded by plants, making it a beautiful place to work at and visit.
The undulating roofline draws cool air into the open piazza at the center of the building, naturally ventilating the surrounding exhibit spaces.
California Academy of Sciences
Performance Analysis
The building is a very good example of a regenerative design for a museum. Overall, the museum scored
very high in the regeneration column. The site scores however, seem to have been lacking and there were some aspects of the design that could be improved
The LEED checklist done by professionals scored LEED
Platinum with a total of 54 points. We rated the building using the
same list but our score was much lower due to the fact that we
didn’t know much of the information on the building. Our total score was a 26 making the building barely certified by LEED standards. The building however shows its great implementation
on sustainable design.
California Academy of Sciences
Performance Analysis
California Academy of SciencesSan Francisco, California
As a LEED platinum, the building is already sustainable in many ways. As mentioned before it is 90% day lit, it is radiantly heated, naturally ventilated, and has a wide range of habitats that help moderate the building in its interior. However, we have come to the conclusion that there is room for improvement and ideas that can be implemented to
further increase the sustainability of the building. For instance the soil quality can be enhanced, the waste dump decreased, the energy imported reduced, and the transportation fuel reduced as well.
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+100
California Academy of Sciences
Site & Building Redesign
+50-50+75
CREATES RICH SOIL
DUMPS WASTES UNUSED
IMPORTS ENERGY
USES FUEL-POWERED TRANSPORTATION
In order to improve the soil in the site; fertilizer will be taken from the composting toilets.
To reduce the waste dumped, the incorporation of waterless urinals and composting toilets will take place in the building. Making waste almost non
existent.
The energy imported to the site is to be reduced by 40% with the incorporation of 85 qr5 wind turbines, placed strategically throughout the site to maximize
wind power.
Incorporate the electric powered metro system to be used by more people from longer distances; reducing the use of cars
Building Redesign Composting toilets & waterless urinals.
California Academy of Sciences
Redesign Energy Estimates
2.1 million kWh (per year) are needed to power the building.
currently 10% is provided by photovoltaics.
To achieve 50% imported energy we needed 40% of energy from another source, which will be provided by the wind turbines.
40% of 2.1 million kWh is 852,000 kWh, which would be provided by 85 qr5 wind turbines.
California Academy of Sciences
Redesign Summary
The California Academy of Sciences is a LEED Platinum; making it quite a
sustainable building at the start. There were some improvements we felt could
be enhanced, therefore we implemented our knowledge on design to further
improve the performance of its design.
With the incorporation of the qr5 wind turbines, composting toilets, and
waterless urinals the building will reach a new level of sustainability.
California Academy of Sciences
Conclusion
The building and site are currently very sustainable using the SBSE it scored a 1525 out of 2200. Once again to further enhance the sustainability factor the incorporation of wind turbines, composting toilets, waterless urinals, and the
supplementary implementation of the electric powered metro, were amongst the only elements that could be added for a heightened performance in sustainability. These changed our SBSE scores from 1525 to 1825 out of 2200.
The overall integration of the systems is great. The green roof not only adds integrity to the building but it also adds an aesthetic element, providing views and support to plant and animal wildlife while helping with passive cooling of itself and the environment. Although the addition of the wind
turbines will have a high initial cost of an extra $3 million, the result will be the production of clean natural energy and less maintenance in the long term.
By implementing our redesign with the buildings current sustainable factors the California Academy of Sciences will continue to be at front of the sustainable integration of elements, and will continue to be a regeneration example for large scale buildings and their sites.
