HONORABLE MENTION - SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
United States Citizenship & Immigration Services
Nebraska Service Center

This new 145,000 SF LEED Silver commercial office building was delivered on a fast-track basis in response to the Client's need for an expedited schedule.

The approach centered around providing a Core and Shell design that was deliberately simple to accommodate the accelerated demands of a fast track schedule, yet attractive and able to creatively reflect the functional requirements, aesthetic character and sustainable design goals established for this important facility.

Key ingredients of the design concept, in addition to the Client's program requirements, were the design elements identified in the targeted LEED credits, identified at project onset. This, combined with our team's Project Intent confirmation process, established a tangible set of client objectives so we could be sure to satisfy them in the design.

The project involved the provision of sensitive security oriented design elements, both in site and building development. The challenge was to provide unobtrusive security: to express a welcoming, yet safe and professional image to the users of the facility.

The project site offers a professional appearance which serves to express the importance and dignity of the Client's operations. The site location provides an easy access for users, staff and support functions. The site development offers a design that is accessible to the public yet provides unobtrusive security utilizing 50' setbacks, low profile CCTV and motion detector equipment.

The design team made material and systems selections to allow the building to relate to its surrounding context . The selection of an architectural precast exterior skin system allowed the building to reflect regional materials character with its buff coloration, while offering a blend of interesting detail (via dimensional recesses) and permanence with its maintenance-free characteristics as well as outstanding utilization of locally available materials.

Site design was developed to reflect development standards of the site as well as local landscape ordinances. The selection of landscape materials features drought tolerant plantings in keeping with indigenous species and LEED Water Efficiency Credit 1.

The site's inherent physical characteristics were used in development of the site and building planning. The existing site topography features a drop in grade that allowed the building to be viewed from a variety of perspectives as one travels around the site and allowed all fill materials to be obtained from on site. The layout of interior spaces was developed to maximize use to green space views to the north and west.

Environmental factors such as sun angles, shading, and the heat island effect were all taken into consideration in the development of the design concept. The building footprint was placed on the site with the long dimension in the east west direction to minimize the east and west exposures. The roof materials for the building were selected to be highly reflective Energy Star materials in keeping with Sustainable Sites Heat Island Effect - Roof credit SS 7.2.

The building was equipped with solar shading shelves on the south face of the building as an integral part of the glazing systems; thus an effective means of shading high-altitude sun. High performance glazing was provided to control heat gain from east and west. North facing light monitors were provided at the roof level to allow natural light to the center areas of the second floor.

Soil conditions allowed the on-site recycling of gypsum board into the soil substrate. Construction Waste management programs exceeded the LEED requirements for recycled materials. The building was provided with an excellent thermal performance envelope and features energy efficient mechanical systems. The use of automated building systems, occupancy sensors, and daylight harvesting lighting controls all contribute to the energy performance of this facility.