Backup Control and Secondary Data Center
- Utilities
- New England, USA
Research Projects Control Center Facility
Utilities, Renewable Energy Utilities | Colorado, USA
As part of a major expansion to an existing research facility campus, a 2-Phase project was planned; the first phase to include a showpiece operational control facility that would monitor both local and international state-of-the-art renewable energy research.
Being a renewable energy company, the client looked to BAW’s integrated approach to design a resilient, energy-efficient building with a low impact on the natural environment, that would also maximize the control center efficiency. Monitoring important research on a national and international level also meant that there would be an influx of VIP’s regularly visiting the facility – an important consideration for the building design. BAW was up for the challenge.
The single most important first step in planning the Phase 1 Research Projects Control Center Facility (CCF) was in planning ahead for the Phase 2 adjacent facility; while both are independent facilities, they are fundamentally interconnected. The facilities are not only interdependent on the plot of land that the two independent buildings are planned to share, but special consideration was paid to the way that the two buildings will interface once they are both built and operational. BAW’s intelligent and elegant solution provides stairs as connecting nodes with an open areaway between the two buildings. This practical, cost-saving, solution allows for minimal demolition and for the CCF to remain operational during the subsequent Phase 2 construction.
No less important, the next design consideration was the physical site of the new CCF, which not only overlooks many of the research experiments themselves but is also nestled next to an iconic local landmark. Considerations for the southern & western views were critical in the planning and design of the building, granting employees and visitors alike sweeping first-impression views as well as the necessary views from the two Control Rooms it will house.
Designed as a collaboration hub, the building is all about encouraging employee teamwork and showcasing current research. Throughout the facility, information is provided to visitors offering insight to the building’s energy efficiency and current research being conducted at the campus, utilizing both internal and external views wherever possible. The CCF state-of-the-art Control Rooms and collaboration spaces, both small and large, are a showcase that will attract top talent. The new facility incorporates advanced energy efficiency and environmental sustainability principles in every aspect of its design, consistent with the client’s dedication to innovative renewable energy initiatives.
- Size
- 8,000 sf
- Market
- Utilities, Renewable Energy Utilities
- Location
- Colorado, USA
- Date
- 2021 Design
Safety in Design
The careful considerations made at the forefront of the design for this project allow for a holistic approach to a sustainable site while anticipating the yet-to-be-designed Phase 2 building that is an important part of the project’s master plan. The design of the CCF centered around the criticality in the anticipated interface between the Phase I and Phase 2 buildings and used it to create a forward-thinking design concept, ultimately saving both time and money for the client.
RESULTS
The CCF will serve as a state-of-the-art collaboration building for employees, and an impressive showcase facility for the VIP dignitaries that visit, overseeing the latest renewable energy research for many years to come. To learn more about what our team can do to support your control building design needs, contact us.
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