WSP Flack + Kurtz Completes First Phase of Energy Efficiency Program At Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Phase one of a five-year sustainability program to reduce energy consumption and boost operational efficiency has been completed at the 1.8-million-square-foot Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, reports Christian Agulles, PE, LEED® AP, managing director of the Washington office of international engineering firm WSP Flack + Kurtz, which designed and is implementing the program.
Through a five-year Indefinite Quantity Contract, the first phase of which began in 2009, WSP Flack + Kurtz is providing mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering services and retro-commissioning for the renowned facility, which encompasses seven theaters, two restaurants, nine special function rooms, and five public assembly areas.
During the first phase, WSP Flack + Kurtz surveyed and analyzed existing mechanical and electrical systems and developed measures to optimize performance and reduce energy consumption. Now, the firm is implementing these steps in conjunction with Grunley Construction Company, the general contractor.
This new phase encompasses the reconfiguration and optimization of central cooling plant operation, replacement of multi-zone air handling units with new variable air volume systems, retrofitting of high-percentage outside air systems with demand ventilation control, reconfiguration of the heating/hot water pumping system, upgrades of lighting control systems, and installation of daylighting controls.
“All of these measures advance The Kennedy Center toward its sustainability goals, which are ambitious for an existing building and which meet the highest standards of energy efficiency,” says Mr. Agulles. “They will also improve occupant comfort, indoor air quality and equipment maintainability within the facility."
The work is slated for completion in 2014.
“We are really enjoying this work because it draws on our expertise with large buildings, complex systems and multi-disciplinary projects,” Mr. Agulles observes. “And, of course, it’s an honor to collaborate with such a high-profile cultural center.”
WSP Flack + Kurtz is a multi-faceted consulting engineering firm that has completed significant projects with internationally acclaimed architects for the world's largest corporations, developers and institutions. The firm’s services include mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, security, information technology, sustainability, architectural lighting design, and commissioning. As an integral part of WSP USA, the business can also provide a full range of multidisciplinary services, including structural engineering, transportation and infrastructure, and environmental and energy services.
WSP Flack + Kurtz’s 450-plus professionals, 135 of whom are LEED accredited, are based in offices in New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Las Vegas, Houston, and Washington, D.C. The firm also has worldwide capabilities as an integral part of the WSP Group, a 9,000-person multi-disciplinary international engineering consultancy headquartered in London, with offices spanning 35 countries. For more information, please see www.wspfk.com and www.wspgroup.com.
