Emblematic of Setty's commitment to being on the vanguard of environmentally
conscious building practices are two new D.C. area projects involving Net Zero
Energy (NZE) buildings—one that is in its final stages, and the other recently
awarded.
First, with Bowie Gridley Architects, Setty has been investigating the feasibility of using an innovative combined heat and power (CHP) plant to serve four D.C. government buildings located in the city's new Southeast Eco-District. CHP plants improve overall power plant efficiency by recovering waste heat from electric power production, thus making NZE more attainable. Another central tenant of NZE building design—on-site generation of renewable energy—is achieved by using a biomass-powered fuel cell as the CHP's prime mover. Setty's proposed CHP/fuel cell design not only realizes NZE, but is projected to save the District over $300,000 per year in utility costs.
Second, Setty was recently awarded the MEP Design and Construction Administration for a NZE demonstration home in Prince George's County, Maryland. With this Urban Green-led project, our goal is to combine renewables—a photovoltaic array and solar water heating—with intelligent lighting and HVAC controls, thereby showing that NZE is a real option for low-income suburban residents.
In both projects, Setty's energy modelers and engineers are leveraging their expertise in high performing building practices to both serve our clients and put state-of-the-art building technologies on the ground.
First, with Bowie Gridley Architects, Setty has been investigating the feasibility of using an innovative combined heat and power (CHP) plant to serve four D.C. government buildings located in the city's new Southeast Eco-District. CHP plants improve overall power plant efficiency by recovering waste heat from electric power production, thus making NZE more attainable. Another central tenant of NZE building design—on-site generation of renewable energy—is achieved by using a biomass-powered fuel cell as the CHP's prime mover. Setty's proposed CHP/fuel cell design not only realizes NZE, but is projected to save the District over $300,000 per year in utility costs.
Second, Setty was recently awarded the MEP Design and Construction Administration for a NZE demonstration home in Prince George's County, Maryland. With this Urban Green-led project, our goal is to combine renewables—a photovoltaic array and solar water heating—with intelligent lighting and HVAC controls, thereby showing that NZE is a real option for low-income suburban residents.
In both projects, Setty's energy modelers and engineers are leveraging their expertise in high performing building practices to both serve our clients and put state-of-the-art building technologies on the ground.
