Case Study: Zero Energy
CMTA has built its reputation on research and data-driven design. When it was time to build a new headquarters campus, we decided to go beyond high-performance design techniques to engineer a headquarters that showcases both zero energy design and health and wellness for our own employees.
This building is designed to provide ‘real world’ operating data to CMTA engineers. This will enable our engineers to demonstrate the effectiveness of our system design to clients.
Constructed in 2012, our first headquarters building was designed to achieve zero energy and LEED Gold Standards. LEED certification, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, provides a framework for green building design, construction, operations, and performance. CMTA successfully managed the entire certification process, carefully documenting the costs of targeted credits to showcase not only the benefits of LEED certification but also the most cost-effective strategies to achieve it.
To meet our net zero energy goal, the building incorporated several sustainable features, including Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) walls, geothermal heating and cooling, daylighting, roof-mounted solar photovoltaics, and Airquity Demand Control Ventilation to provide excellent indoor air quality. Though designed to operate at 18 EUI, the building exceeded performance goals by operating at an impressive 15.2 EUI.
To support our continued growth, we expanded our headquarters campus by constructing a second building in 2018—situated across a parking lot from the first building. Going beyond high-performance design techniques, we aimed to achieve a new milestone in the building’s design by pursuing both zero energy and WELL Gold certification. As an early adopter of the International WELL Building Institute standards, CMTA implemented numerous features intended to positively affect the health and experience of our employees. Key design elements included glare reduction, daylight management, and LED lighting with a color temperature of 4000k to support the circadian rhythm of employees. Additionally, we carefully documented the costs associated with targeted WELL credits to show clients how to cost-effectively pursue WELL certification in high-performance buildings.
CMTA’s second headquarters building set a new standard for high-performance buildings by earning both LEED Zero and WELL Gold certifications. Occupant surveys recorded significant improvements in thermal comfort, mental health, and energy levels among employees, highlighting the impact of prioritizing health and wellness in workplace design. Both headquarters buildings serve as a testament to CMTA’s commitment to sustainability and occupant well-being.
By prioritizing sustainability and energy efficiency, both headquarters buildings achieved net zero energy, operating at 15.2 EUI and 19 EUI. Additionally, both buildings achieved a perfect ENERGY STAR Score of 100.
Our second building achieved a new milestone in high-performance buildings by becoming the first Zero Energy and WELL Gold Certified building in the country. Many CMTA projects have been zero energy certified or have incorporated WELL features, but this was our first opportunity to achieve both. This provides our engineers and clients with a real-world example of the impact a healthy and energy-efficient building can have on both occupants and the environment.
