Park Row’s residents use 21 kBtu/ sf / yr – a 78% reduction in energy when compared to ASHRAE baseline goals, without the use of renewables. This reduction vastly exceeds the college’s Climate Action Plan for 2020 which seeks a 46% reduction of energy use. Energy reduction goals increased for the college in 2020 making reducing their carbon footprint a focus of the project.
The buildings are sited to take advantage of a southern orientation, maximizing solar gain on the south side as well as the buildings potential for future power generation. As a residence hall in Maine, heating load was the primary focus to reduce energy use. Heat gains from the windows account for 25% of the building heating demand while taking advantage of the buildings use and occupant density to provide additional gains, which help to realize a heating savings of 72% overall. Windows are properly shaded to remove these gains during the summer months. An air-tight envelope, R-60 roof, R38 walls and triple pane windows help to shield a stable temperature.
The relationships of the buildings to each other and to the street edge not only improve access to the sun but enhance the buildings scale and fit with the residential neighborhood, making the site feel less dense and more complimentary of the larger residential lots found on the street. Opportunities for outdoor space and pedestrian connections are also exploited creating access as well as opportunities for gathering. Thick walls provide energy performance as well as thermal comfort to the residents – and acoustic separation, a benefit enjoyed by the students as well as the residential abutters. The window to wall ratio was kept to 17% in order to minimize heat loss while the buildings floor plan works to make the best use of the glazing provided, creating opportunities for cross ventilation and light on two sides. The buildings systems include an energy recovery ventilator with dehumidification for fresh air, no air conditioning, and radiant heat, utilizing a gas-fired boiler.
