Gold Hard Hat Award

New Belgium Brewing Co.
Submitted by: Neenan Co.

The newest building phase of the New Belgium Microbrewery Campus in Ft. Collins is an environmentally conscious project for an environmentally friendly company. New Belgium prides itself on being sensitive to its surroundings and therefore, a key part of the planning, design and construction process of its new facility included environmental sustainability.

The Neenan Co. addressed New Belgium's concerns by designing and building a facility complete with features that would increase energy efficiency. For example, the truck dock area incorporates a hydronic snow melt system that uses waste process heat; the warehouse is cooled with a highly efficient, custom-designed glycol cooling system; the onsite wastewater treatment facility not only pre-treats the brewing waste to reduce solids and BOD count before release in the city sewer, but also the methane generated in this process is captured and used to co-generate electricity at the brewery (projected to provide 80 percent of annual power needs); the brewhouse is naturally cooled using thermal chimneys; and Xeriscape landscaping complements the heavy timber elements of the main building.

Neenan was also able to incorporate green building materials - wood structure, floor coverings, paint, tacking surfaces and systems furniture from 98 percent recycled materials - not only to be environmentally correct, but also to create a "hip, fun and funky" image for the company.

Zach Elementary School - Poudre Prototype 2002
Submitted by: FCI Constructors Inc.

The Poudre School District's new prototype elementary school, built by FCI Constructors Inc., is a two-story building on 14.2 acres. It is approximately 63,000 sq. ft. and includes K-6 classrooms, a media center, flex room, a full kitchen, gymnasium, art and music rooms and administrative areas.

The building itself is intended to teach students about energy efficiency and the environment. Incorporating many construction elements into a sustainable design, Zach Elementary is energy efficient and environmentally friendly. The school's most noticeable physical feature is its recycled rubber and plastic shingle siding.

In addition, much of the flooring and a portion of the steel framing are manufactured from recycled materials. The highly efficient glazing works in concert with the mechanical and electrical systems of the building to maintain a comfort level without excessive energy consumption.

The electrical system includes a Building Automation System, which monitors the mechanical units and shuts them down when they are not needed. The Power Logic lighting system adjusts light levels in the building depending on outside light to avoid unnecessary electricity usage. Ice storage tanks assist in cooling, and many of the classrooms and offices have operable windows to let in fresh air with no effort from the mechanical units.

Open ceilings and see-through walls allow students to discover the behind-the-scenes functions of their school building. The exposed piping throughout the building is color-coded and labeled, enabling the children to trace, for example, how the cold water gets to the upstairs sink faucet or how warm air reaches their classroom.

The building's main fire riser is in the front entry, painted bright red, as are the fire sprinkler lines, making it possible for the students to see how the fire protection system is connected throughout the building.

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