 Control tower at the Reagan Airport.
Increasing passenger comfort and energy efficiency have become
primary success measurements for newly remodeled and expanded airport
facilities. Syska Hennessy Group has successfully integrated these
elements into the design of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
in Washington, DC.
The new North Terminal, the centerpiece of the Metropolitan Washington
Airport Authority's $1 billion Capital Development Program, has
improved both service and customer convenience. Here, the Authority's
main objectives were: 1) a comfortable, high air quality environment,
and 2) an energy-efficient design. The 1M sq. ft. terminal building
itself includes high ceilings, domes, skylights, and glass exterior
walls, challenging our design team.
Occupancy in the terminal escalates from zero to hundreds within
minutes, so adequate air distribution for passenger comfort became
a critical issue. Air and noise pollution impacts were addressed
early in the design process, and mitigated.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
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High ceilings and a high glass content increased the complexity
of energy efficiency design measures for heating and cooling, however
the design was successfully completed to meet BOCA energy guidelines.
Conservation and efficiency was achieved through the use of energy-efficient
double glazed glass, frits on the glass to reduce solar gain, light
sensors that dim lights and variable speed drive fan motors for
added conservation in areas where occupancy fluctuates.
The project is expected to generate several million dollars in
energy cost savings through its life cycle. The pollution reductions
achieved by the design will benefit not just the passengers and
employees, but also will reduce illness and absenteeism in an environmentally
conscious manner. The project is an example of how Syska uses state-of-the
art engineering to provide cost-effective, technical-based solutions
that improve the quality of life of all who pass through this airport.
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