Sustainable Building Design

Project Highlights

M/E Engineering conducted the initial study to determine what HVAC systems would be best suited to meet Net Zero conditions for this new Agricultural and Clean Energy Technology Center.  The educational program spaces and instructional classrooms include hands-on/vocational labs such as high-bay vehicle maintenance and repair spaces for Agricultural Engineering, Diesel and Hydraulic Labs, Solar, Wind, and Hydro Power Shops, Bio-Fuel and thermal Combustion Labs, and a (wind turbine) Tower Lab.

M/E Role

The mechanical design for the new building consisted of air handling units with VAVs for the majority of the spaces, a bio-fuels boiler, and in-floor radiant heat, general and vehicle exhaust, and make-up air systems for the high-bay vehicle labs.

For the sustainable building design we also designed an 85kW photovoltaic solar array consisting of solar cells mounted on both fixed tilt and tracking racks, interconnected to the new building’s electric service with a real-time digital display in the lobby to monitor the clean energy produced by the array. This PV system will be an integral live teaching tool for students in the renewable energy field.