Architecture

IMEA's headquaters building reflects the influence of the praire style of architecture most associated with Frank Lloyd Wright. The long, low look with large overhangs incorporates many of Wright's visual cues. But the building itself is the product of an analytical approach that is intended to meet IMEA's needs for the next five decades.

The architects of Melotte, Morse, Leonatti first conducted a space needs study to determine the present and future needs of each department within the agency. Having determined raw space needs, those requirements were then incorporated in a series of evolving floor plans until the final form was achieved. The final design encloses 33,000 square feet on three levels. Of that 24,000 square feet is finished space which allows for future expansion. The design places the training facilities and board room facilities on the top floor, with the majority of the office functions and the operations center on the main level. The lower level houses a five-bay garage and engineering's spaces.

LEED Certification

The IMEA building is the first building in Springfield to achive a LEED Silver Certification.

The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™ is a feature-oriented rating system that awards buildings points for satisfying specified green building criteria. The six major environmental categories of review include: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation and Design. Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of LEED green building certification are awarded based on the total number of points earned within each LEED category.

Construction and Design

The architects of Melotte, Morse, Leonatti and general contractor Harold O'Shea Builders committed themselves to a building process that limited the waste stream coming from the site and that used the most environmentally sensitive materials available. The goals included a reduction in construction waste and the use of materials with an aggregate 20% recycled content. In addition, 20% regionally acquired materials were specified, which helphed cut the construction carbon footprint since they were transported shorter distances.

Whenever possible, materials that otherwise might have been discarded were reused on site. As an example, wood used to make the forms for the foundation were cut into pieces and reused in parts of the construction. Recycling of materials such as cardboard and metals became routine. The goal of reducing the waste stream by 50% was more than acheived.

And the materials used in construction were also chosen for their environmental characteristics. Paints and carpets are all low in VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) which contribute to ozone pollution and "sick building syndrome".

In addition, efforts were made to reduce the heat island effect of a large building and its parking areas by choosing reflective roofing materials and a lighter colored concrete for the paved areas. These features reflect heat in the summer, helping to keep the surrounding area cooler.

To see photos and time-lapse movies of the buildings construction click here.

Energy Efficiency

IMEA's new headquarters features a state of the art geothermal heating and cooling system. The system is based upon the circulation of a fluid through thousands of feet of plastic tubing that is placed inside bores drilled deep underground.

In IMEA's case, 72 wells, each 300 feet deep, are located beneath the parking lot. A continuous loop of approxiamtely nine miles of tubing circulates an anti-freeze like fluid through the ground. Since the ground is a constant 55 degrees (approximately), the fluid's temperature changes to match the ambient ground temperature. In the winter high efficiency heat pumps transfer the heat into the building. In summer, the process is reversed and heat is extracted from the building and "dumped" into the ground.

IMEA was honored to be approved for a grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation to assist in the cost of acquiring and installing the high efficiecy system. In addition, IMEA received a credit from Springfeild's City Water, Light and Power for the use of high efficiency heat pumps.

Altoghter, the system is expected to save the agency and its members $6,000 annually in utility costs and have a payback period of approximately eight years.

Energy Efficiency Features

Throughout the building you will see features designed to maximize energy efficiency and limit energy use. Heating / cooling, lighting and water usage are primary areas of such attention to conservation.

As you walk through the building's main floor hallways you will note skylights (known by the brand name SolaTubes) which bring sunlight into the interior hallways. This natural light is combined with electric fixtures that are turned off according to the ambient light levels. If the lighting in the hallways is sufficient from the skylights, the electric fixtures remain off.

Similarly, each room's lights are switched on and off automatically. If a room is unoccupied for more than ten minutes, the lights automatically shut off.

As for water conservation, the goal was to reduce water use by 30% compared to a comparable structure. The bathrooms use automatic switches to control the water flow. Water heating is provided by under counter units ar the source.

Structurally, the building envelope was designed to exceed code by 16%. The tightness of the structure, combined with the building's geothermal heating and cooling system and the other energy efficiency measures, means that the IMEA's headquarters will use an estimated 60% of the energy that a conventional office building of its size uses.

Operations Center Features

The opererations center functions 24 hours a day / seven days a week and insures the economical and reliable delivery of wholesale electricity to IMEA's power purchasing members.

To assure the safety of the operations center personnel and the uninterrupted functioning of this area, the center is contained in a hardened reinforced steel and concrete envelope that is built to withstand a category F5 tornado. In case of an emergency, storm shutters cover the windows and doors to prevent them from becoming a flying glass hazard.

The center is also served by a backup generator for emergencies. The generator will allow for the building to operate in the event external power is interrupted for any reason.

The center is connected to the members by an advanced telemetry system that allows staff to monitor power usage on an instantaneous basis. The information on member usage, power market cost and generation availability is displayed on the large screens against the back wall.

Board Room / Training Area

The IMEA headquaters building incorporates specially designed and specifically dedicated board room and training room facilities with features that were lacking in the previous facility. These features greatly enhance the functunality of the building.

The board room for the first time in IMEA history incorporates and integrated electronic voting system and audio-visual equipment. Each board member station has an individual microphone and a key pad that allows for their votes to be recorded and their voices to be heard. The results of the voting are displayed automattically on the screen at the front of the room.

In addition, there is a terrace off the board room to allow members to step outside for fresh air or just to relax. And a small board member office is located next to the board room so that board members have a dedicated space in which they can conduct business while in Springfield for meetings.

The training facility, which is located across the hall from the board room, is designed for maximum flexibility and for multiple meetings. The room can be split into two with a retractable wall and each half has built in audio-visual capabilities. The room can also be used for meals on board meeting days and entertainment fuctions.

Building Fact Sheet

Project Team:

Owner: Illinois Municipal Electric Agency
Architect: Melotte Morse Leonatti Parker, LTD.
Engineer: ETA Engineers
Contractor: O'Shea Builders

Features:

Praire Style Influences
2.5 Acre Lot, 75 Stall Parking Lot
33,000 Gross Square Feet
5-Bay Garage
36 Seat Board Room With Integrated AV and Voting, 25 Seat Gallery
Executive Conference Facility With Intergrated AV and Phone
24/7/365 Control Center in 3,530 Square Foot Tornado Shelter (Designed for Category F5 Storms) with 72 Hour Generator Backup

Green Features:

Alternative Transportation (Bus rte, Car Pools, Low CO2 Cars)
Bicycle Storage/Shower
"Cool" Roofing/Paving, Light pollution Reduction
Goal of 30% Water Use Reduction
Building Envelope 16% Better Than Code
100% Geoexchange (Geothermal) Heating/Cooling:
-82 Tons Capacity - 54 Tons = Bldg, 28 Tons = Data Racks
-Methalene Solution in > 50,000 Feet of Polyethelene Piping
-11 High Efficiency Heat Pumps - Each Heat Pump A Zone
-6 Loops (Thermal Exchange Zones) of (12) 4" Diameter Holes, 300 Feet Deep -Reverse Return System
-Fossil Fuel Consumption = 0 at the Building
-Energy Savings: 84,601 KWH/Year Over Similar Water Source Heat Pump System. $6,100 Estimated Annual Energy Savings Over Conventional System (as defined by ASHRAE 90: Electric Boiler for Hear and Air-Cooled Chiller/VAC System for Cooling) - 30%
Fundamental & Enhanced Commissioning
Over 50% constuction Waste Diversion
Over 20% Recycled Content & 20% Regional Materials
Automatic Lighting Controls:
-Interior Based on Available Daylight and Occupancy
-Exterior Based on Astronomical Time Clock
Daylighting/Views, Operable Windows
Low VOC Finishes / Indoor Air Quality
Silver Level LEED Certification