We are pleased to announce that we have been selected by the University of Texas at Austin for the Welch Hall Renovation project. The opportunity to work on this project extends the work we began with the College of Natural Sciences Master Space Plan in 2013. The building houses programs that are essential to both the college and the university, including research and teaching labs, offices, support services and significant classroom space. Welch Hall occupies a key block in the core campus; it is centrally located and engages important pedestrian campus links.
This Earth Week, we’ll be covering five landmark buildings exemplifying new approaches to building performance and sustainability.
The Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Klarman Building is the first hospital in the northeast to implement chilled beams in an inpatient setting. Early energy analysis demonstrated that the use of chilled beams would be the best way to reduce building energy use.
For this strategy to work, however, the peak thermal loads of the façades could not exceed the capacity of the chilled beams. An integrated design approach and in-house modeling allowed for constant tuning of the façade to optimize glazing, solar exposure and massing. The building orients glazing to face true north and south to minimize heat gain and maximize occupant comfort, resulting in a 15% reduction in peak solar load.
Beyond performance, the distinctive serrated terracotta façade reflects the scale and cadence of individual patient rooms, providing a delicate scale and texture to the façade.
#earthweek #designalways #buildingscience #performalism #facade