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Once one of the least-efficient buildings operated by the Oklahoma Department of Central Services (DCS), the recently renovated Construction and Properties (CAP) building, a circa 1965, 11,427-square-foot facility in Oklahoma City, now serves as the flagship for energy efficiency in Oklahoma state government facilities. As it turned out, timing was everything.
According to Richard Kitchen, DCS energy manager, "We first started looking at this project to upgrade the HVAC system. About the same time, our mindset as a division was starting to change; we set sustainability goals, developed a sustainability plan, and began considering projects based on energy savings and environmental impacts. This changed our whole intent for the project; buy-in from tenants helped support our goal in pursuing LEED EB certification, further strengthening sustainability program ideals in both the DCS and the tenant, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services Project Management Office."
Water conservation took the form of waterless urinals, low-consumption toilets, and automatic faucets in restrooms. Energy efficiency in lighting was comprised of solar-powered, sun-tracking skylights, automated lighting and shading controls, daylight harvesting, and LED lighting in restrooms and the conference room. The building envelope gained energy economies with cool roofing; triple-pane, low-E windows; additional exterior wall insulation; and an energy recovery unit. Renewable energy concepts were employed through a geothermal heat pump system, a wind turbine, and photovoltaic solar panels mounted on covered parking structures.
The bottom line – besides a better bottom line? "The CAP building is the manifestation of what we envision DCS-operated facilities becoming in regards to operational efficiency and environmental responsibility," says Kitchen.