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H I G H P E R F O R M I N G B U I L D I N G S S um m e r 20096

RepairingC A S E S T U D Y

Reconstructionist Judaism is a

progressive, contemporary approach

to Jewish life which integrates a deep

respect for traditional Judaism with

the insights and ideas of contemporary

social, intellectual and spiritual life.

—Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

Photo © Steve Hall, Hedrich Blessing

S um m e r 2009 H I G H P E R F O R M I N G B U I L D I N G S 7H I G H P E R F O R M I N G B U I L D I N G S 7

B U I L D I N G AT A G L A N C E

B U I L D I N G T E A M

OwnerJewish Reconstructionist Congregation

Architect and Interior DesignerRoss Barney Architects

MEP EngineersEYP Mission Critical Facilities

Landscape ArchitectOslund and Associates

Structural EngineerCE Anderson and Associates

Civil Engineer Infrastructure Engineering

Acoustical Consultant Talaske

LEED Consultant HJKessler Associates

Commissioning Agent Cotter Consulting

General Contractor Bulley and Andrews

Building Name Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation

Location 303 Dodge Ave., Evanston, Ill.

Size 31,600 ft2

Started 2003

Completed 2008

Use Religious institution with worship spaces, early childhood program, school, social hall and administrative spaces

Cost $7.3 million

Distinctions LEED®-NC Platinum;AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Green Project for 2009; AIA Illinois Honor Award 2008; Chicago Building Congress Merit Award 2009

W hen the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation (JRC) of

Evanston, Ill., decided to replace its synagogue, a guiding value was tikkun olam, Hebrew for “repairing the world.” The congregation com-mitted to ethical architecture with the goal of demonstrating the ben-efits of sustainable building design to the larger community.

The synagogue, which incorpo-rates sustainable materials such as concrete with fly ash and strategies such as light harvesting and water conservation, is the first religious

institution to receive LEED®

Platinum certification. The new schul, or synagogue, is 31,600 ft2, which replaces a 21,400 ft2 facility on the same site. The new building has three levels containing the con-gregation’s offices, early childhood program and chapel on the first floor; the education offices, classrooms and library on the second floor; and the sanctuary, social hall and kitchen on the third floor.

Land UseLand use and storm water manage-ment are key environmental issues

the WorldB Y M I C H A E L R O S S , A I A ; Y U R Y L U I , P. E . , M E M B E R A S H R A E ; A N D

K I M B E R L E Y PAT T E N , A I A

J E W I S H R E C O N S T R U C T I O N I S T C O N G R E G A T I O N

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H I G H P E R F O R M I N G B U I L D I N G S S um m e r 20098

that influenced the project design.Situated in a mature, residential areaof Evanston across from a city parkand adjacent to the tracks of a com-muter train, the design balances thelimitations of a small site with anambitious program.

The Evanston zoning ordinancelimited the building to far less thanthe original plans for 42,000 ft2.Specifically, the ordinance restrictedthe lot coverage and building height.The lot coverage requirements wereinstrumental in the final organizationof the building.

The Congregation requested thatall of the major components—theworship space, early childhoodprogram and administrative spaceof the synagogue—be located onthe ground floor. However, it was

physically impossible to place all ofthese functions at grade, or even onthe first two floors. A detailed analysismapped space use hour by hour, dayby day over a typical week to identify

opportunities for flexibility and effi-ciencies, leading to a 25% reductionin space.

The design solution layered thebuilding with the most frequently

Reclaimed cypress milled into 1 in. slats covers the walls and ceiling of the first-floor chapel.

The bimah, or raised platform, located on the east wall of the sanctuary is made of black walnut milled from storm-felled trees from local park districts.

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occupied areas on the first floor andthe least used areas on the thirdfloor. A major concern was locatingthe main sanctuary on the third floor.The issues included ease of access,especially for older congregationmembers, and creating a prominentpathway to the worship space.

The resolution was a wide linearstair on the south side of the build-ing, which can be seen through thecurtain wall of the main elevation.This design feature serves as a “spir-itual ascent” to the most importantspace in the synagogue, the sanctu-ary. The space was made accessibleby designing the stair with a shallowrise that is easily climbed and pro-viding two elevators to the third floor.

Per tradition, the bimah, a raisedplatform where the Torah scrolls areread, and ark, a cabinet where theTorah scrolls are kept, are located onthe east wall of the chapel and thesanctuary. In addition, the congrega-tion requested a strong connectionto the natural environment. Thesetwo criteria posed another designchallenge since the east side of theproperty faced an alley serving thegarages of the nearby residences.

Placing the sanctuary on the thirdfloor allowed the east wall to becomea large picture window to the out-doors. The space looks into the treesof this mature neighborhood, creat-ing a powerful, visual connection tothe environment.

Locating the sanctuary on the topfloor provided an economical way tocreate a large, long space with a highceiling. The sanctuary symbolicallyrises above the rest of the buildingand has clerestory windows aroundthe perimeter. The result is a lightand airy worship space.

J E W I S H R E C O N S T R U C T I O N I S T C O N G R E G AT I O N

F I R S T F L O O R

S E C O N D F L O O R

T H I R D F L O O R

H I G H P E R F O R M I N G B U I L D I N G S S um m e r 20091 0

Building EnvelopePassive strategies implemented toreduce energy consumption includethe building’s organization, volumeand exterior enclosure. The early,careful consideration of sustainablemeasures integrated the architecture

and building systems. For example,the HVAC concept mirrors the layer-ing of the functional spaces by floor.

In addition, coordination of theductwork, fire protection, lighting,electrical and other building systemsallowed the design team to reduce

Synergistically, the smaller build-ing footprint created more openspace on the site, enabling theproject to meet storm water require-ments. Pervious materials and land-scaping comprise 43% of the build-ing site, reducing the site detentionrequirements. These measures,combined with a below-grade storagestructure controlled by restrictors,reduced storm water runoff by 25%.

In addition, 30% of the site is land-scaped with native and adapted spe-cies, creating small ecosystems forprairie plants, a rain garden, shadefoliage and vines for the gabion sitewalls. Prior to demolition, congrega-tion members saved plants and fos-tered them for replanting.

B U I L D I N G S E C T I O N S O U T H S TA I R T R A N S I T I O N A L S PA C E

PASSIVE VENTILATION PASSIVE HEAT ABSORPTION

A view of the southwest corner of the building shows the ceremonial entrance door, the exterior clad in reclaimed cypress siding, the south curtain wall with spectrally selective glazing, and gabion site walls filled with discarded masonry.

The 6-by-20 ft ceremonial door at the synagogue’s entrance is clad with reclaimed maple from on-site trees that could not be saved.

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are composed of recycled gypsumboard, 6 in. structural steel studwith recycled fiberglass insula-tion, Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood sheathing, 2 in.rigid insulation, and reclaimedcypress wood siding for a calculatedR-value of 28.

Similarly, the roof is a metal deckcovered with a minimum of 6 in.of polyisocyanurate insulation anda white, reflective thermoplastic

of the stair, with the ability to openall of the doors and share heatwith other parts of the building.Conversely, the two north exit stairsprovide a buffer zone during thewinter months. The stairs provide atransition between the heated spacesand the cold north face.

The building’s exterior enve-lope construction enhances itsenergy-conscious layout. From theinterior to exterior face, the walls

the floor-to-floor height to 12 ft, sav-ing 25,000 ft3. Decreasing the vol-ume translated into fewer buildingmaterials and reduced constructioncosts and energy consumption.

Nearly all (95%) occupied spacesare on the building perimeter, maxi-mizing views, daylighting and natu-ral ventilation. The ceremonial stair,sanctuary/social hall, chapel andoffices have glazed curtain walls withoperable windows. The light-filledceremonial stair can be ventilatednaturally with air intake at the firstfloor and an exhaust fan in the ceil-ing of the third floor. The third-floorsanctuary has unobstructed viewsinto the mature tree canopy of theneighborhood and is daylit with aclerestory and lightshelf.

The majority of the occupied spaceshave 9.5 ft ceilings to enhancedaylighting and natural ventilation. Ineach classroom, the windows are at fourheights to provide a variety of views fortoddlers to adults. The operablewindows located near the floor and nearthe ceiling encourage buoyancyventilation. Operable windows in thesespaces take advantage of the prevailingwinds to provide cross ventilation. Thelocation of the punched windows on theinside face of the exterior wall providesintegral shading.

The synagogue’s three-story cer-emonial stair is strategically placedon the south exposure to act as athermal buffer zone. An exteriorsensor opens a window on the firstfloor and turns on an exhaust fan atthe roof level when the outside airis at an appropriate temperature.This allows for passive cooling of theentire south face.

In the winter, the large expanseof glass allows for passive heating

The south ceremonial stair provides a light-filled transition space that acts as a thermal buffer for the rest of the building.

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Lighting controls include a combi-nation of occupancy sensors, photo-cells, mesh shades, dimming and duallamp switching. The artificial lightingin the sanctuary and ceremonial stairis controlled by photocells.

In the sanctuary, full dimmingcapability and photocells worktogether to maximize daylight har-vesting. In most other spaces, occu-pancy sensors control the lights. Inthe classrooms, two dual-switchedlamp fluorescent fixtures providea simple, cost-effective means torespond to the natural light.

The site lighting around thebuilding consists of only four exte-rior fixtures, all with full cutoff

LightingThe interior lighting integrates thearchitectural planning and the latesttechnology to reduce energy con-sumption and improve the qualityof the indoor space. The buildingplan places more than 90% of theoccupied spaces on the exterior withaccess to daylight and views. Solartubes help illuminate the third-floorkitchen and reception spaces.

To complement the natural sources,more than 90% of the fixtures useT5 fluorescent lamps, and more than50% are indirect/direct pendants. Theproject also incorporated other long-life, energy-conscious light sourcesincluding cold cathode and LED.

polyolefin membrane with a calcu-lated R-value of 37. The exteriorglazing is 1 in. insulated units witha low-emissivity coating to increasethe R-value and control heat gain.

The punched windows and sanc-tuary clerestory are composed oftwo 0.25 in. glass lites with a ½in. air gap and a low-e coating fora wintertime U-value of 0.29. Theglazing at the exterior curtain wallsis similar, but includes a pane ofspectrally selective gray glass. Theresult is a decrease in visible trans-mittance, but with an increasedshading coefficient and solar heatgain coefficient of 0.32 and 0.28,respectively.

Electricity Gas

Month kWh Btu Btu/ft2 Therms CCF Btu Btu/ft2

Mar-08 28,676 97,846,527 3,096 1,758 1,734 175,827,000 5,564

Apr-08 20,278 69,191,375 2,190 145 143 14,500,000 459

May-08 16,556 56,491,390 1,788 519 512 51,916,000 1,643

Jun-08 18,239 62,234,021 1,969 241 237 24,082,000 762

Jul-08 24,356 83,106,082 2,630 0 0 0 0

Aug-08 24,356 83,106,082 2,630 0 0 0 0

Sep-08 21,270 72,576,218 2,297 80 79 8,010,000 253

Oct-08 18,988 64,789,714 2,050 271 267 27,073,000 857

Nov-08 18,508 63,151,887 1,998 1,513 1,492 151,288,000 4,788

Dec-08 17,560 59,917,178 1,896 691 681 69,067,000 2,186

Jan-09 20,548 70,112,653 2,219 1,364 1,345 136,364,000 4,315

Feb-09 23,068 78,731,084 2,491 1,232 1,215 123,167,000 3,898

Totals 252,403 861,254,211 27,255 7,813 7,705 781,294,000 24,724

F I R S T Y E A R E N E R G Y U S E

Building Energy Use (Btu/ft2 · yr) Proposed/Budget Savings First Year/Budget Savings

Budget Proposed First Year

ASHRAE 90.1 – 1999 134,609 78,830 51,979 59% 41% 39% 61%

ASHRAE 90.1 – 2004 120,970 78,830 51,979 65% 35% 43% 57%

E N E R G Y U S E C O M PA R I S O N


modeling. In fact, the spaces usedvary daily, weekly and seasonally.

In response, seven 15-ton modularchiller units, which can adjust tothe synagogue’s occupant load, coolthe building. This high-efficiencyair-cooled chiller has a peak powerconsumption at 1.212 kW/ton, ratherthan 1.256 kW/ton per ASHRAEStandard 90.1-2004.

In addition, the chiller has a14-to-1 turndown ratio (14.3 inte-grated part-load value [IPLV]) ascompared to a conventional air-cooled chiller’s 4-to-1 (3.05 IPLV).The higher chiller turndown ratioallows the chiller to provide cool-ing capacity to exactly match thebuilding demand. This prevents thecompressor from short cycling andallows the chiller to reduce energyconsumption and extend the life-cycle cost.

The ventilation system also reactsto the building’s ongoing activities.The air-handling unit, return fan,chiller fans, chilled water and hotwater pumps are equipped with vari-able frequency drives. In addition,

addition, the controller operates thelamp by sensing and rememberingwhen dusk and dawn occur, or it canbe programmed to turn the fixture onand off at preset times.

Second, electricity from a solarpanel located on the synagogue’sroof continuously illuminates the nertamid, or eternal light, located inboth the chapel and sanctuary. Likethe parking lot lights, a battery in thesolar panel stores enough energy tokeep the ner tamid on even duringthe shortest days.

Flexible, Efficient EquipmentThe mixed-use facility includes wor-ship spaces, a daycare, classrooms, asocial hall with a kitchen, and privateand open offices. Highly efficient,flexible HVAC equipment contributesto a large part of the energy savings.

For example, a 94% ultra-high-efficiency gas-fired condensingboiler heats the synagogue, ratherthan an 80% conventional or evena 91% condensing boiler. Also, thesynagogue is not a 9-to-5 operation,further complicating the energy

optics to eliminate light pollution.In addition, the interior fixtures arelocated so that their maximum can-dela falls within the building. Forexample, an embedded fluorescentfixture in the center rail of the cer-emonial stair only illuminates therisers and treads.

Limited on-site solar power is usedin both a practical application and asa symbolic gesture for lighting. First,the congregation’s 24-car parking lotis illuminated by three pole-mounted32 W fluorescent fixtures with a solarpanel, storage battery and controller.

Polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic(PV) modules that convert sunlightinto electricity compose the solarpanel. Sealed gel batteries store theelectricity for nighttime use by park-ing lot lights. A built-in controllermanages the electricity flow from thepanels to the battery to the lamp. In

The parking lot lights are powered by individual solar panels.

Polished concrete floors are usedin the first-floor main corridor andthroughout the building.

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overhead bifold door normally usedfor aircraft hangars.

Integrated ConstructionThe interior wood slat constructionin the synagogue’s worship spacesis an integrated solution address-ing the ventilation, material use,acoustical needs and daylighting ofthese spaces. Reclaimed cypress wasmilled into 1¾ in. slats that composethe interior north and south walls of

it above the human breathing zone.In contrast, a conventional overheadair distribution system provides 55°Fsupply air at the ceiling level at highvelocity. The supply air mixes withthe contaminated room air to main-tain a uniform room temperaturethroughout the entire space.

Using displacement ventilationeliminated the HVAC equipment andductwork from above the high ceil-ing in the sanctuary. The advantagesof this system include reducing therequired overhead maintenance anddecreasing the structural load on the50 ft long space.

The system also influenced thechoice of an operable partition todivide the sanctuary and social hall.Almost the entire north and southwalls of the space were needed forperimeter supply diffusers. Whenopen, a traditional operable partitionstores panels against the walls. Inthis case, this was undesirable sincethe panels would block some of theclerestory windows, and more impor-tantly, impede delivery of the supplyair to the space. The solution was an

each room on the first and secondfloors has its own variable-air-volume (VAV) unit(s) with individualcontrols, including a thermostat andCO2 sensor. Finally, a displacementair-distribution system ventilates thethird-floor sanctuary and social hallto accommodate various functions.

Displacement VentilationThe displacement ventilation systemserving the sanctuary and socialhall provides many benefits includ-ing lower installation cost, reducedenergy consumption and improvedindoor air quality. Six fan-poweredboxes deliver 63°F air at a low veloc-ity, resulting in decreased fan power.Displacement ventilation is distrib-uted near the floor, employing strati-fication to heat or cool only the first 8ft of the 18 ft space.

In simple terms, the clean, uncon-taminated air travels along the flooruntil it encounters a warm body andrises by natural buoyancy effect.The air continues to wash over theoccupants as it picks up more heat,and the air-handling system returns

T H E 6 R ’s : R E D U C E , R E U S E , R E C L A I M , R E C YC L E , R E N E W A B L E A N D R E G I O N A L

Reduce Reducing floor-to-floor heights to12 ft eliminated an estimated 10,400 ft2

of materials. In addition, polished concretestructural slabs eliminated unneeded floorcoverings, and most walls are composed ofrecycled drywall with low-VOC paint.

Recycle The building includes many prod-ucts manufactured with recycled materials,including concrete with fly ash, syntheticdrywall, structural and miscellaneous steel,fiberglass insulation, toilet partitions, ceilingtile, carpet and playground mulch.

Reuse Some 96% (2,700 tons) of the demo-lition and construction waste was recycledand diverted from landfills, including the con-crete and masonry that was crushed on siteand used as engineered fill for the building’sfoundations. Finally, waste brick and concretewere used to fill the gabion site walls.

Renewable The synagogue also featuresproducts made with rapidly renewable mate-rials, including millwork made with DakotaBurl, a board made from sunflower seedhusks; carpet with bio-based polymer fibers;linoleum tackboards; and rubber mulchmade from discarded tires.

Reclaim Eighteen thousand square feet ofreclaimed cypress was used as exterior sid-ing and for interior slat walls. Four crimsonmaple trees on the site that could not besaved were cut down and milled to clad theceremonial door. The bimah floor was milledfrom storm-felled black walnut trees fromlocal park districts.

Regional Overall, 47% of the building’smaterials were regionally manufacturedwith an additional 14% of the raw materialsextracted locally.

A 50 ft long by 18 ft high bifold aircraft hangar door serves as the operable partition that divides sanctuary and social hall.

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the sanctuary as well as the wallsand ceiling of the chapel.

The walls and ceiling provide bothacoustic absorption and diffusion.First, the cypress slats obscure thefiberglass batts, made of recycledmaterial. The 0.5 in. gaps betweenthe slats make the walls and ceilingacoustically transparent, allowingsound to travel through the wall andhit the sound-absorbing material,which dampens the sound waves.Second, the wood walls and ceilingprovide diffusing surfaces, whichreflect sound waves in multiple direc-tions to ensure that the quality ofthe sound is pleasing and reaches agreater number of listeners.

The wood slat surfaces undulatein and out of plane in 4 ft sectionsto create large-scale diffusion, while

the synagogue staff and membersindicate that the facility is beingused more intensely than projected.

More large events have beenscheduled in the sanctuary/socialhall with an average increase in par-ticipants from 250 to 350 persons.The new building also has allowedthe congregation to significantlyexpand their adult education pro-gram. An unanticipated occupantload is the almost weekly tours of thesynagogue given by more than 25volunteer members who have beentrained as docents.

The baseline building and designcase annual water use were calcu-lated as 210,558 and 123,456 gal-lons, respectively, for a projectedsavings of 41%. Calculations arebased on estimated occupant useand included the following fixtures:dual-flush, low-flow water closets(1.1/1.6 gallons per flush [gpf]),

the 0.5 in. gaps create small-scalediffusion in response to variouswavelengths or frequencies.

The wall design also integrates thedisplacement ventilation system. Thewood slats screen the supply andreturn ventilation, making them essen-tially invisible to the users while stillpermitting the supply air to stratify inthe room. In addition, the design takesadvantage of the composite walls’thickness by incorporating a lightshelfat the top of the wood slats and bottomof the clerestory windows, bouncingdaylight farther into the 50 ft-widesanctuary and social hall.

Resource Use SummaryIn its first year of operationthe Jewish ReconstructionistCongregation has met or exceededexpectations concerning the build-ing’s use and consumption of water,gas and electricity. Interviews with

B U I L D I N G S E C T I O N S S A N C T U A R Y S L AT W A L L

DISPLACEMENT VENTILATION

INTEGRATED ACOUSTICS CLERESTORY LIGHTSHELF

The wood slat construction used inthe walls and ceiling of the worshipspaces provides both acoustic absorp-tion and diffusion, and integrates thedisplacement ventilation system.

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The energy modeling was originallyperformed using Standard 90.1-1999,but was recently revised using Standard90.1-2004. Using the latest calcula-tions, the baseline building’s energyuse was 120,970 Btu/ft2 and the designcase was 78,830 Btu/ft2 for a proposedsavings of 35%. However, after tabula-tion of the gas and electric bills from

drought-resistant plant species elimi-nate the need for an irrigation system.The water consumption tabulated fromthe first year’s water bills is 131,657gallons, a 37% improvement over thebaseline building. The difference fromthe design case and actual use is due toa larger occupant load during the year.

ultra-low-water-flow urinals (0.5 gpf),low-flow lavatory faucets (0.5 gallonsper minute [gpm]), low-flow showers(1.5 gpm), low-flow kitchen sink fau-cets (1.5 gpm), and low-flow faucets(0.2 gpm) for the daycare toilets.

Pneumatic metered faucets in thelavatories further reduce water use. Inaddition, the site’s native and adapted

A view of the northwest corner shows punched windows in the cypress-clad exterior siding. The location of the punched windows on the inside face of the exterior wall provides integral shading.

Reclaimed pieces of broken masonry fill the 8 ft high site wall constructed with gabion mattresses.

A south elevation view shows the ceremonial stair at dusk. Photosensors operate the fluorescent lamps embedded in the center handrail and cold cathode lamps at the ceiling used to light the ceremonial stair.

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For example, the chiller mastercontroller may determine that itis more energy efficient to run allsix modular chillers at 50% partload than running three chillers at100% full load. Another factor isthe inability to account for all of theenergy saving strategies incorporatedinto the building, such as occupancysensors, solar tubes, displacementventilation and natural ventilation.

In addition, the combination of thereduced building volume, the effec-tiveness of the thermal envelope, thehigh-efficiency flexible HVAC equip-ment, energy-efficient lighting, the

March 2008 to February 2009, theactual energy consumption was 51,979Btu/ft2, a 57% improvement over thebudget building.

The large difference between thedesign case and actual numbers couldbe due to a number of factors. First, theenergy model follows strict guidelinesestablished under Standard 90.1-2004,Appendix G, to benchmark a build-ing’s performance. However, the energymodel algorithm may not accuratelyrepresent the highly variable occupantload and the corresponding modularchillers’ part-load performance.

Michael Ross, AIA, LEED AP, is a prin-cipal at Ross Barney Architects with responsibility for the sustainable build-ing practices.

Yury Lui, P.E., LEED AP, is a senior mechanical engineer at EYP Mission Critical Facilities.

Kimberley Patten, AIA, LEED AP, is an architect at Ross Barney Architects.

A B O U T T H E A U T H O R S

L E S S O N S L E A R N E D

Opportunities The project team, even afterdesign completion, should look for opportu-nities to incorporate sustainable strategies.The western portion of the synagogue sitewas lined with four mature crimson mapletrees that would have provided great shad-ing for the new building. Unfortunately, oncesite work commenced, the project teamrealized that the root systems would notsurvive the foundation and utility work.

We researched the possibility of millingthe maple locally to finish the ceremonialentrance door. This led to an awarenessof the urban forestry industry as a sourceof environmentally friendly hardwoods andincorporating storm-felled black walnut treesinto the project as the bimah flooring.

Planning The synagogue did not obtain theLEED daylighting credit even though thedesign team planned 90% of the occupiedspaces with exterior glazing. When perform-ing the final documentation, the building fellabout 4% short of the metric.

To avoid this on our next project, we devel-oped a spreadsheet to calculate the mini-mum amount of glazing required for eachspace to meet the daylight criteria. This toolwas successfully applied to the CommodoreBarry Elementary School in Philadelphia(LEED Gold certified) when developing theelevations during schematic design.

Lead Times High performance buildingsoften use new, innovative technologies andmaterials that are still developing a market.In addition, they often have few competitors.Submittals and shop drawings for theseitems should be reviewed within the first60 days of construction regardless of theirinstallation in the construction schedule.

We encountered avoidable delays due to latesubmission of specialty items with one viablesource. Examples on this project includedstainless steel piping associated with a 94%efficient boiler, the 50 ft x 15 ft bifold alumi-num overhead door, and the solar-poweredcompact fluorescent parking lot lights.

Coordination Reducing the building’svolume to save on materials and energyconsumption required more coordinationbetween the architects and engineers. Butthat was only half the battle. Coordinationof the subcontractors’ work during construc-tion was equally important to ensure thebuilding systems fit into the tight interstitialspace above the ceilings.

One important lesson is to install thelargest systems first (i.e., ductwork, VAVboxes, etc.) For example, the boiler intakeand exhaust piping was one of the lastcomponents to be installed, but could notbe placed as designed due to interferencefrom other building components.

Eventually, after an exhaustive effort, anew path for the piping was found that didnot affect the 9.5 ft ceiling heights in theperimeter spaces. However, the piping couldhave been installed as shown on the draw-ings while other less bulky systems, suchas sprinkler piping and electrical conduit,could have easily been rerouted.

Innovation Combining two different innovativeideas can have unanticipated consequences.Our firm researches new technologies andmaterials before using them in a project.

The synagogue design included polishedconcrete floors with a high percentage offly ash. The concrete polishing subcontrac-tor encountered difficulties grinding theconcrete, and indicated that the floor wasmuch harder to polish than normal. Duringsubsequent discussions, it was discoveredthat the subcontractor had never workedwith concrete containing fly ash.

In addition, after occupancy, the congre-gation discovered that liquid staining wasmore difficult to remove than anticipated.Though not proven, it was hypothesized thatthe fly ash content increased the concrete’shardness and porosity, leading to theseissues.

air distribution system, and HVACand lighting controls that respond tooccupancy and outdoor conditionsmay create a synergistic effect. •