At a glance
UW-Solar is a student-led organization working with architecture firm Perkins+Will to install building integrated… Read full summary
- Funding received
- 2015-2016
- Large
- Awarded
- $7,500
- Funding partners
-
- Services and Activities Fee (SAF)
UW-Solar is a student-led organization working with architecture firm Perkins+Will to install building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) on the new Life Sciences Building of the University of Washington Seattle campus. The intended installation will serve both as an ancillary source of electrical power and a heat gain control measure on the building envelope. The BIPV panels will also be highly visible and showcase UW as a steward in sustainable construction.
UW-Solar is a student-led organization working with architecture firm Perkins+Will to install building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) on the new Life Sciences Building of the University of Washington Seattle campus. The intended installation will serve both as an ancillary source of electrical power and a heat gain control measure on the building envelope. The BIPV panels will also be highly visible and showcase UW as a steward in sustainable construction.
Stefanie Young
Project lead
- sy10@uw.edu
- Affiliation
- Student
Jessica Canet
Team member
- jgcanet@uw.edu
- Affiliation
- Student
Introduction
UW-Solar would like to work with the University of Washington (UW) and project architects from Perkins+Will on the proposed construction of UW’s new Life Sciences Building. This letter is to request funding to perform a feasibility study for the implementation of roof-top photovoltaic (PV) panels, as well as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) on the new Life Sciences Building.
Summary
Within the University of Washington’s Urban Infrastructure Laboratory, UW-Solar is an interdisciplinary team focused on the development of solar installations with accompanying Industrial Control Systems on buildings at the UW campus,. Ranging from the the undergraduate to the Ph.D. level, UW-Solar students come from the Colleges of Engineering, Business, Built Environments, and Environmental Sciences. UW Solar’s primary objective is to provide clean and sustainable power production in order to reduce reliance on outside energy resources, improve the resilience of power systems to outages and reduce the overall carbon footprint of the university. The usage of clean and renewable energy sources are a primary objective, as stated in the University of Washington’s Climate Action plan, for the future sustainability of the University.
Project summary
UW is working with architecture and design firm, Perkins+Will, to construct the new Life Science Building. The project is time sensitive as construction is scheduled to begin June 2016. The implementation of PV is supplementary to original building design and would help with LEED Certification. The identified potential for solar power generation on the new construction includes standard PV panels on the roof and BIPV on glass fins on the southeast façade. There is also potential for BIPV on ground-level railing around the greenhouse.
PV and BIPV addition to construction design must be coordinated within the next two months to align with the proposed construction schedule. An assessment of solar panel and laminate options is needed before full integration into construction design. This funding request is for the initial feasibility study, which will be presented directly by UW-Solar to Perkins+Will on December 16th. The follow-up proposal to CSF will included the full project proposal and budget for full implementation.
Environmental impact
The addition of photovoltaics to the Life Sciences Building will have a positive impact on the environment through the on-site production of renewable energy. This reduces the carbon-footprint of the building and increases energy self-sufficiency, which reduces energy costs while improving capabilities for community service and rapid recovery during any future crises.
The 120 glass fins on the southwest facade of the building provide up to 6,000 ft2 of south-east facing surface area for BIPV implementation, with an additional 6,000 ft2 of north-west facing surface area. Harnessing the potential energy output of this area could provide a significant source of renewable energy.
Student leadership & involvement
UW-Solar has the opportunity to lead this feasibility study and present options and recommendations to Perkins+Will for full implementation. This project will allow students to work with industry experts and gain experience in a professional setting, working on project development, design, and construction management.
Education, outreach, and behavior change
This project has a high potential for education and outreach regarding sustainable energy. The integrated PV panels on the 120 glass fins on the Life Science Building facade will be highly visible facing outwards onto Pacific Avenue. The integrated PV option includes the opportunity for application of technology researched and developed at UW, as well as the opportunity for research regarding the performance of the system once implemented. The unique aspects of this project have the potential to make this a leading example of sustainability in higher education and will portray the University’s commitment to investing in alternative energy sources.
Accountability and sustainability
The feasibility study will investigate ongoing accountability for management and maintenance of the solar installations as well as long-term leadership considerations for the project related to executive stakeholders, tactical and logistical management and integrated impacts to staff and budget of stakeholder organizations.
Contact information
Facility Adviser - Jan Whittington, janwhit@uw.edu
Urban Infrastructure Lab Manager - Stefanie Young, sy10@uw.edu
Life Sciences Building Project Managers:
- Policy - Jessica Canet, jgcanet@uw.edu
- Construction - Wade Phillips, wadephi@uw.edu
Request amount and budget
How the project will react to funding reductions
Funding for the Feasibility Study is not intended to be used during the initial research phase of the project. At this time we are still investigating other funding sources and nailing down our construction and labor costs. The other funding sources we are looking into are Bonneville Environmental Fund and WA State Department of Commerce. We have started conversations with both groups but funding applications are not due until March. Both proposals are part of the work we will be completing in the Feasibility Study stage of the project. UW-Solar always ensures we have a 20% contingency within our project budgets allowing us to be able to handle both cuts in funding and/or construction changes mid-way through the project. The final budget will be part of the our next CSF proposal in the Spring.
Plans for financial longevity
The design of the BIPV is intended to last the life of the building and does not require much maintenance. Maintenance includes washing of the fins and checking to whether the equipment is still operational. As part of the agreements we are establishing with the stakeholders, we will be fine tuning the operation and maintenance plan and policy for the installation and determine who will fund the maintenance if any money is required. Listed below are those we have been working with throughout the initial phases of this project: University of Washington - College of Arts & Sciences The Life Sciences Building will be the new home of the UW Biology Department. Thus, the College of Arts & Sciences has a direct stake in the buildings development, and have been represented by Steve Majeski (Associate Dean) at design review meetings. Project Approval Form Attached. University of Washington - Major Capital Projects This project requires the direct approval of from the UW Capital Projects group. UW-Solar has presented proposals to the Capital Projects group, and has been in contact with Steve Tatge (Director), Troy Stahlecker (Senior Project Manager), and Jon Lebo (Director). We have verbal confirmation from all three of these stakeholders at our first stakeholder meeting at the end of Dec. Unfortunately, we are still waiting for them to turn in their forms. As soon as we have them in hand, we will send them to Molly @ CSF. Perkins+Will - Architecture and Design Firm UW-Solar has been in collaboration with Project Architect, Devin Kleiner, throughout the last several months. (We felt as an outside consultant did not need to sign a project approval form. If this is not the case, we would be happy to provide one.) NOTE: We have uploaded our formatted budget to the Project Approval Forms section.
Problem statement
UW-Solar requests $7,500 for this feasibility study in order to continue working with Perkins + Will, and to maintain the option of a Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) funding contribution to the project with a full project application coming in March. This $7,500 will not be immediately spent, and will be returned to CSF in the event that a BIPV installation is not possible.
The goal of this study is to assess the feasibility of installing 120 shading panels with BIPV along the southwest facade of the Life Sciences building. Initial design consisted of perforated metal panels as shading elements, which has been estimated to cost approximately $675,000. The additional cost add-on for these metal shading panels to be converted to BIPV will be dependent on the classification of panels chosen, and could range from $100,000 to over $300,000. Because of this cost magnitude, UW-Solar is also examining funding options from the Bonneville Environmental Fund and from the Washington State Department of Commerce.
UW-Solar views this as an opportunity to convert a static building element into a featured example of sustainable infrastructure; this is especially true as only a fraction of the cost of the total installation must be raised (considering the $675,000 that is already set aside for the metal shading elements). This project is not only in line with the mission statements of both UW-Solar and the Campus Sustainability Fund, but is also an excellent opportunity for the University as this would be a highly visible and unique solar application. Providing both a source of renewable energy and opportunities for student involvement in campus development, this project will surely promote environmental consciousness at the University of Washington and throughout the Seattle area, via the prominent nature of the installation on the Life Sciences Building.
Measure the impacts
The addition of BIPV to the new Life Sciences Building will have a positive impact on the environment through the on-site production of renewable energy as well as the reduction of energy consumption. Power generation from BIPV will increase energy self-sufficiency and resiliency. Initial estimates for the 6,000 ft2 of surface area range from approximately 20,000 to 50,000 kWhrs of clean energy output per year. The presence of vertical fins will control heat gain to the building, decreasing energy consumption associated with internal environmental controls. Overall, the carbon footprint and energy costs of the building will be reduced.
As part of this project, each fin will have microinverters that will be able to read the energy generated. Smart meters will be installed that will callibrate the amount ambient temperature to look at performance and amount of daylight/solar radiation available to each fin on any given day. Through these devices, we will be able to determine kWh produced and GHG emissions avoided. Through modeling we will be able to determine the decreased energy consumption of the Life Sciences Building.
Education and outreach goals
The BIPV of the Life Sciences Building will be placed on vertical glass fins on the building’s southwest facing facade. The solar array will be highly visible to building occupants, pedestrians along the Burke-Gilman Trail, and commuters traveling along NE Pacific Street. Representatives from UW Facilities supported the installation for this reason during design review meetings in December, citing the ability of this project to showcase the University of Washington as a steward in sustainability.
In addition to this inherent visibility, UW-Solar plans to use events and public displays on campus to showcase information about the project. This will communicate the impact of local clean power and raise awareness within the community about energy conservation and renewable energy production. Campus outreach will also include information dissemination through UW student organizations devoted to sustainability, clean energy, and green buildings.
Student involvement
Students from the UW-Solar group, consisting of both students enrolled in a College of Built Environments studio and student volunteers, will be directly involved with the project. The students currently involved with UW-Solar range from undergraduate freshmen to Ph.D. candidates, and come from the UW Colleges of Engineering, Business, Built Environments, and Environmental Sciences. Students will lead the feasibility study and present options and recommendations to Perkins+Will. Students will also work with Perkins+Will throughout the project, allowing them to become involved in a professional setting, working on project development, design, and construction management during the installation.