LEED Platinum & 2014 AIA COTE Top Ten Green Projects

The State University of New York College of Environmental Science & Forestry (SUNY-ESF) Gateway Center in Syracuse, NY was awarded with the 2014 AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Green Projects award. More recently, the project was also awarded LEED Platinum certification. With these two achievements, the 54,000 sq ft ultra-high energy efficient building, which is approximately 64% lower in energy cost and 69.6% less in energy consumption than a baseline building conforming to ASHRAE 90.1-2007, currently holds six awards.

This award-winning design was a response to SUNY’s mandate to create an extraordinary green building, driving toward campus climate neutrality and modeling exemplary sustainability to foster teaching and research. Atelier Ten worked closely with Architerra and SUNY-ESF to provide Energy Analysis and advanced Environmental Design services. Atelier Ten conducted a combined heat and power plant study that analyzed and compared economic and environmental benefits of different plant options. The resulting combined heat and power plant harnesses biomass (waste wood pellets), natural gas, biodiesel, solar photovoltaics, and solar thermal for optimal energy-efficiency and diversity, reducing energy costs by 64% and carbon emissions by 25%. The building further reduces its energy demand with the incorporation of a 100KW photovoltaic array, and is oriented to allow operable windows to optimize daylight and natural ventilation opportunities. In addition to efficient systems, the building’s energy savings are also due to the high-performance building envelope and efficient mechanical and lighting systems. Atelier Ten advised on the high-performance façade, including triple glazed, argon filled heat mirror glass, well-insulated walls and roof, and south and west façade exterior shading, decrease the heat gains and losses through the envelope and minimize the peak heating and cooling demand on the mechanical systems.

Atelier Ten’s project team from the New York office included Director Nico Kienzl, Associate Director Shanta Tucker, and Associate Shreshth Nagpal.

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