Does anyone remember reading about the construction of the largest zero-energy office building in Golden, Colorado? Commissioned by the Department of Energy, this 222,000 square-foot research support facility is located on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory campus and is now complete!

This is the largest zero-energy office building in the United States, and it will hopefully serve as an example to other commercial developers. True to it's name, this building will create as much energy as it uses during the year. Estimates on energy efficiency peg it as consuming up to fifty percent less energy than buildings constructed to current commercial codes. How did they do it?

The team reached this efficiency by embracing passive design techniques and current technologies. The energy required to power the building after taking reductions into account will come from onsite solar panels. The complex itself is narrow in its width, allowing for daylight to enter into all interior work spaces, reducing the need for artificial lighting. Windows in work spaces are operable. and one 'smart' feature will notify occupants with a message on their computer screens when its time to open and close windows, based on ambient temperatures.

A radiant heating and cooling system is installed to control interior temperatures, and replaces a traditional forced air system that requires far more energy to operate. One aspect I find very fascinating is the use of recycled materials in the building's construction, even including some material from the runway of Denver's Stapleton Airport, now defunct. The lobby of the building uses reclaimed Colorado pine that has been infested by bark beetles, and reclaimed natural gas pipes are used as structural columns.

In applying for LEED certification the Department of Energy expects to receive a platinum rating for their efforts. The cost of the project, $259 per square foot, is more expensive than conventional commercial sites but is still in line with similar LEED buildings. Designed not only as an office but also as a showcase, the Department of Energy plans on releasing a how-to publication this fall sharing the building's design.