The Municipal Complex’s building automation system allows the owner to schedule occupied and unoccupied times for each zone. The temperature setpoints are allowed to drift during unoccupied mode and thus save energy in heating and cooling. Thermostats are located to provide precise temperature control in each individual zone.
Fresh air from outdoors is required for occupant health and comfort in buildings. Since a large amount of energy is needed to heat or cool the outdoor air, an energy recovery wheel captures energy from building exhaust air and uses it to pre-cool or pre-heat the incoming fresh air. The amount of fresh air coming in is also optimized based on the occupancy of the building.
Volatile organic compounds “VOC” are carbon-containing ingredients that can have negative health effects on humans when exposed to high concentrations. The lower the VOC level, the better it is for the interior air quality within the building. The interior paints, coatings, flooring-coverings and furnishings within the Municipal Complex have been tested and approved by the VOC emission guidelines set by the California Department of Health.
The building went through a process called a “building flush out”. This is a process that forces air through the building prior to occupancy, in order to remove many of the pollutants, such as formaldehyde and other VOC, which seep from newly installed materials. The flush out aims to improve the indoor air quality by limiting occupant’s exposure to the most intense period of contamination.