Mechanical Engineering

Truly sustainable design requires straightforward yet high performance systems tuned to work in harmony with the entire building and coincides with Greenbusch’s philosophy of balancing occupant comfort with the natural environment. Both new construction and renovations make use of sustainable design. Sustainability encompasses resource conservation and efficiency through the use of innovative mechanical systems, local and recycled construction materials and the reuse of building components, delivering value not only during construction, but over the operating life of the building.

Greenbusch is familiar with many sustainable design guidelines and programs. We have worked with and have experience with LEED™, Energy Star, Washington Sustainable Schools Program, Greenbuild and others. Over 40% of the Greenbusch mechanical staff are LEED™ Accredited Professionals.

Attention to quality and detail are required to receive LEED™ Certification. The LEED™ process also requires that the sustainable project elements be thoroughly evaluated, justified and documented.

Acoustical Design

Designing an acoustically responsible building creates a healthy environment for those who occupy the space. The negative effects noise can have both on health and learning are well documented. Good acoustics are essential to facilitate communication between instructor and student.

A sustainable design approach provides the opportunity to create spaces that will effectively support the learning process. The collaborative planning process allows us to optimize adjacencies, locating quiet activities and noise sensitive receivers in close proximity, reducing the need for additional construction. Location of noisy mechanical devices can also be directed to less noise sensitive areas, reducing the extent of mitigation required.

Optimizing the use of space through moveable elements should be considered. Innovative approaches have been developed for maintaining the acoustical separation throughout the various configurations.

Acoustical surface finishes are also carefully considered. Adhesive applications are minimized and many acoustical finishes are available that contain recycled materials.

LEED™ Certified Projects

UW Benjamin D. Hall Interdisciplinary Research Building, Seattle, WA
LEED™  Certified -- Gold
-- 1st Gold LEED Certified Building on University of Washington Campus
-- 1st Higher Education Building on West Coast to Achieve LEED Gold, Shell & Core

Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center, Seattle, WA
LEED™  Certified
2003 AIA National COTE Top Ten Green Award

King County Emergency Response Center, Renton, WA
LEED™  Certified

GSA, SSA Auburn Call Center / Offices, Auburn, Washington
LEED™  Certified -- Silver

The Evergreen State College Seminar II, Olympia, Washington
LEED™  Certified -- Gold

Seattle City Hall, Seattle, Washington
LEED™  Certified -- Gold

Seattle Justice Center, Seattle, Washington
LEED™  Certified -- Silver

SPU Science, Seattle, Washington
LEED™  Certified

UW Tacoma, Ph 2B – Cherry Parks/Mattress Factory, Tacoma, WA
LEED™  Certified -- Silver

LWTC Redmond Campus, Redmond, Washington
LEED™  Certified

LEED™ Design Projects

Southwest Police Precinct, Seattle, WA
-- Designed to achieve LEED Silver certification.

Southwest Library, Seattle, WA
-- Designed to achieve LEED^™ Silver Certification.

VEER Lofts, Seattle, Washington

Technology Access Foundation, Seattle, Washington

CWU Dean Hall Ellensburg, Washington

UW Clark Hall, Seattle, Washington

UW Savery Hall, Seattle, Washington

UW Tacoma Assembly Hall, Tacoma, Washington

Wesley Square, Seattle, Washington

HCC Marine Science & Technology Building, Des Moines, WA

Sustainable Projects

Oroville-Osoyoos Port of Entry, Oroville, Washington
     This new border crossing facility was a design collaboration between the United States and Canada. Greenbusch provided the HVAC, Plumbing, and piping system designs for this $21.4M facility. The building was designed to be highly sustainable, although not systemized as in the LEED^™ process, and this goal was reflected in the mechanical system. Steel was used as a structural element because of its recycled material content, and wood was used extensively for finishes because of local availability. Greenbusch advocated the use of an earth-coupled heating and cooling system. Energy for heating is extracted from the earth, and returned to the earth during cooling to minimize utilization of purchased or "new" energy. The 53,000 square foot facility utilizes a combination ground loop field and cooling tower for heating and cooling and high efficiency heat pumps to provide conditioned air to spaces.

An American Place Residence, Hunts Point, Washington

Madison Lakefront Residence, Seattle, Washington

Lott Residence, Mercer Island, Washington

Temple Beth Am, Seattle, Washington