The National Park Service (NPS) Intern Center in the Santa Monica Mountains NRA is the first newly-constructed facility in the National Park System to meet the NPS “net zero” standard, which is required for all new government buildings beginning in 2020. To eliminate the project’s carbon footprint, avoid impacts to climate change, and achieve a high level of energy efficiency, numerous sustainability features were integrated into the $2.1M design/build project. Site location, building orientation, roof design, a 36 kW photovoltaic system, no incandescent lamps, a geothermal heat pump system, solar hot water heating, extensive daylighting, natural ventilation, window shading, minimal outdoor lighting, and selected landscape features all minimize the use of energy. The building will achieve the “net zero” standard 10 years ahead of schedule.
Meline Engineering was hired by the design/build team to be the engineer of record for the mechanical systems design. The geothermal heat pump system is one of the renewable technologies utilized to help the NPS achieve a ‘net zero’ standard for the Intern Center. The geothermal system provides hot and chilled water for a 2-pipe seasonal change-over HVAC system. The equipment is coupled to a horizontal slinky system installed and buried at the site.
Santa Monica Mountains, California
Project Start: December, 2009
Project End: August 2010
Architect: Tara Moore and Associates, Inc.
Owner: National Park Service
SF Heated/Cooled: 3,373
Heat Pumps: 1
Ground Loops: 10 x 10 ft dp
System Size: 8 tons
