ASHRAE 2009 Winter Conference: Technical Tours

Tours Include

• ASHRAE Student Tour District Energy System
• The Intercontinental Chicago, the first Energy Star-rated hotel in the city  
The Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, designed on the concepts of tikkun olan (meaning repairing the world) and bal tashchit (meaning do not waste)
The ASHRAE Technology Award winning-Chicago Center for Green Technology
• The Modern Wing of the Art Institute

Tour Details 

ASHRAE Student Tour District Energy System  
Sunday, January 25
2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
$15 per person

The central energy plant in Chicago, IL provides District Energy and CCHP (Combined Cooling, Heating, and Power) for over 5 million square feet of facilities including the McCormick Place exposition center and other nearby public and private commercial facilities. Two student tours of the facility will be offered in conjunction with the ASHRAE Winter Conference in Chicago.  Learn More

Intercontinental Chicago
Sunday, January 25
3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
$20 per person

InterContinental Chicago has received an Energy Star award for superior eco-friendly initiatives and highly efficient energy use. As the first hotel in the city of Chicago to be certified with this sustainability merit, the InterContinental Chicago stands apart for its commitment to environmentally-friendly travel.

The InterContinental Chicago's most recent initiatives include a green roof installed this summer. The old bituminous membrane roof system was removed and a new green roof installed. The green roof includes drought-resistant plants and covers a 1,200-square-foot area. It will mitigate the heat island effect from the building and capture a significant portion of the rain water that falls on the roof.  A unique built in irrigation system will water the plants when it rains and hold water in a reservoir for times when the weather is dry. 

The hotel has recently finished a comprehensive evaluation and upgrade of the steam heating system to maximize the efficiency and reduce losses due to vent steam.

Chicago Center for Green Technology, LEED Platinum Building
Tuesday, January 27
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
$20 per person

A brownfield redevelopment and building renovation project, The Chicago Center for Green Technology (CCGT) is now a model for the nation.  CCGT was one of the first buildings in the United States to be designed for LEED-NC Platinum and is one of the few that was actually an existing facility with a NC (New Construction).  The building is the Green Hub of the City of Chicago and is home to organizations and businesses committed to the environment, including the local chapter of the USGBC. 

The building itself features four arrays of photovoltaic panels, providing 30% of the building's electricity demand.  Passive solar technologies are also used for lighting and heating the offices, as well as providing a natural heat source for the passive solar greenhouse. Motion-sensitive lights and a smart-lighting system (photo sensors automatically adjust based on level of natural sunlight) were also incorporated.  The HVAC system uses ground source heat pumps to heat and cool the well-insulated building.

CCGT also features a green roof, rainwater collection for landscaping, bioswales, and a wetland.  Working together, these features help the site retain over half of the rainwater and prevents over 90,000 gallons of water from flowing into the sewer system on a rainy day.

This project won the 2006 ASHRAE Technology Award for Commercial Buildings-Existing.
 

The Art Institute of Chicago New Modern Wing
Tuesday, January 27
3;15-5:15 p.m.
$20 per person

The New Modern Wing facility is a 264,000 square foot addition to the Art Institute which incorporates art display, art storage, and handling, as well as educational, boardroom, and public spaces. The art galleries and storage areas are designed based on very exacting environmental criteria with strict temperature, relative humidity, and filtration performance requirements. The Project Scope includes significant utility infrastructure upgrades including new Central Steam and Chilled Water facilities and new Electric Infrastructure.  The project is pursuing USGBC LEED Silver Certification. The Modern Wing is being designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano.  The engineering is being accomplished by Arup and the LEED Consulting and Commissioning is being accomplished by Jacobs Carter Burgess. The Modern Wing is scheduled to have a Grand Opening in late spring or early summer of 2009. The new Modern Wing facility will incorporate a number of innovative design features to enhance the functional and operational performance of the building.

The most important of these include:

• “Flying Carpet” Roof Configuration
• Double Layer Exterior Envelope
• Water Side Economizer System
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Monitoring
• HVAC System Operation 

Due to the requirement for reliable system operation to meet strict environmental conditions, a separate air handling system will be dedicated to art gallery and storage spaces, with provision for carbon filtration. To enhance the reliability of this configuration, parallel fans, coils, humidifiers, and filters are being incorporated. The variable volume system is being sequenced to have relative humidity control as the primary driver, rather than temperature, in response to the performance criteria that have been established. However, the system will be able to gain economies of partial occupancy and weather loading by virtue of direct digital control technology incorporated into the building and campus.