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SECOND PLACE: INSTITUTIONAL BUILDINGS, NEW

Ann Arbor Skyline High School campus in Ann Arbor, Mich., was designed in a four-story configuration to reduce the building footprint.

state-of-art school
By Derek A. Crowe, P.E., Member ASHRAE

nn Arbor, Mich., home to the University of Michigan, is a diverse city with a history of green design
and environmental awareness. Ann Arbor Public Schools ninth to twelfth grade enrollment at the two

existing comprehensive high schools had topped 5,000 students. The schools, built 40 to 50 years earlier,
were operating at 150% of the original design and had many portable classrooms. The 2004 bond created
a third energy-efficient high school for 1,600 students and eliminated overpopulation at the other schools.
The new high school is a center of
innovative learning for todays students. Skyline High School was the
second comprehensive high school
in Michigan to earn a Silver LEED
status from the U.S. Green Building
Council (USGBC). Total LEED points
awarded were three shy of Gold status,
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far exceeding the school districts goal

of certified.
Ann Arbor Skyline High School is
a four-story, $56 million ($77+ million including site development and
safety roundabouts on the primary roads),
380,450 ft2 (35 345 m2) facility consisting of four flexible magnet classrooms,

four learning communities, gymnasiums,

cafeteria/commons, 12 lab spaces, decentralized administration, auditorium, black
box theater and natatorium. The building
About the Author
Derek A. Crowe, P.E., is a senior associate with Peter
Basso Associates in Troy, Mich.

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technology award case studies

Building at a Glance
Name: Ann Arbor Skyline High
School
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Owner: Ann Arbor Public Schools
Principal Use: comprehensive high
school

South-facing large box spaces including gymnasiums, auditorium, and natatorium.

Employees/Occupants: 1,600

opened in 2008 for ninth grade students

and currently operates with ninth through
eleventh grades.
Among the guiding design parameters
was to deliver a state-of-the-art facility
that minimized impact on the environment and maximized energy efficiency
and sustainability. The use of an energy
model early in design (using nationally
recognized energy simulation software),
enabled the team to collaborate on optimum design solutions such as building
orientation, fenestration options, roof
and wall types, and mechanical systems.
The partnership between the professional design and construction team,
the school district and the community
members resulted in a highly functional
building that operates comfortably and
efficiently. Key to the achievement of
LEED Silver certification was the Energy
and Atmosphere credits received due to
the energy-efficient nature of the building
systems. Under LEED-NC2.1 the building was awarded seven points under EA
Credit 1, demonstrating a 44% energy
savings over the standard baseline of
ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-1999.
The building was designed to accept
the mechanical systems with a fifth
floor penthouse along the length of the
classroom tower. Small unitary water
source heat pumps line the sides of the
penthouse and have short duct runs down
to the classrooms below. Each space has
individual temperature control along with
occupancy setbacks and carbon dioxide

Gross Square Footage: 380,450 ft2

May 2011

students

monitoring. Four dedicated outside air

units with air-to-air plate energy recovery
and integral water source heat pumps
provide neutral 60F (16C) ventilation
air to each unitary heat pump system.
Return air is mixed in the penthouse and
relief air is sent though the energy recovery units. The ventilation air is measured
and controlled by pressure independent
variable air volume (VAV) boxes and
modulated based on feedback from the
space mounted carbon dioxide sensor and
occupancy. The range is in compliance
with Standard 62.1-2004 and provides
the correct volume of ventilation air to
each room. The dedicated outdoor air
systems (DOAS) supply and exhaust fans
include variable frequency controllers in
response to the variable air volume box
requirements.

Substantial Completion/Occupancy:
Summer 2008
National Distinctions/Awards:
LEED Silver Certification, 2009
Engineering Society of Detroit,
2008 Build Michigan, Sierra Club
Conservation, WCA Pyramid, 2009
Learning by Design, American
School and University.

Large spaces such as the gymnasiums,

cafeteria and auditorium are served by
single zone energy recovery units with
air-to-air plate energy recovery devices
to pretreat the ventilation air and integral
DPT

Main Building Pumps

Geothermal
Field

VSD

HPLS
HPLR

Field Bypass

Two-Way
Control Valve
Dedicated
Outdoor Air System
EF

Outside Air

Relief Air

COIL

Plate
HX

Integral
Heat
Pumps
SF
VSD

Ventilation Air at 60F

VAV
0,
125450 cfm
Return Air

SF
Heat
Pump

Supply
Air To
Classroom

T CO2

Figure 1: The building is heated and cooled by water source heat pumps.
ASHRAE Journal

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water source heat pumps to maintain the space

temperature requirements. Carbon dioxide levels
are also monitored in these spaces and allow the
correct volume of ventilation air per Standard
62.1-2004.
The natatorium is served by two energy recovery
based dehumidification units with integral water
source heat pumps. The outdoor dew-point conditions are below 55F (13C) for a majority of the
year. Outdoor air can be increased through the
sensible air-to-air plate energy recovery device
to control the space relative humidity rather than
a more traditional compressor mechanical dehumidification process.
The entire building is heated and cooled by water source heat pumps coupled to a 905 ton (3183
kW) closed loop horizontal geo-exchange field.
The building does not have heating boilers or heat
rejection equipment. A variable speed pumping
system circulates a glycol solution throughout the
buildings mechanical spaces allowing heat rejected to it from one space to be extracted and used in
another. A bypass valve permits flow through the
geo-exchange field only when loop temperatures
approach the 32F (0C) minimum or the 90F
(32C) maximum design loop temperatures. By
limiting the time when fluid flows through the Development of 65 acres (26 ha) of the 110 acre (45 ha) property helped
field and isolating units without a call for heating to preserve the natural woodlands and wetlands surrounding the site.
or cooling, total pumping energy is reduced. Also,
the energy transfer within the building is maximized when the fully using the building for summer school. Through continloop temperatures are within range. The successful operation of ued monitoring and experience in operating the systems, the
the horizontal geo-exchange field at the project location results school is on track to reduce the energy consumption to around
in a net balanced ground temperature year
4.5 million kWh this year, resulting in a
after year.
projected site EUI of 52 kBtu/ft2yr (590
Energy at a Glance
The building lighting is tied to the build593 kJ/(m2yr).
Energy
Use
Intensity:
63.2
kBtu/yr
ing automation system through occupancy
The geo-exchange field installed for
sensors. The building is darkened during
this
facility is comprised of nearly 80
2
Natural Gas: 11.5 kBtu/ft yr
unoccupied hours assisting in security
miles (129 km) of thermally fused HPDE
Electricity: 51.7 kBtu/ft2yr
when the occupancy sensors and lights are
piping installed in horizontal loops. The
activated by an intruder.
field is buried beneath the soil in the
Values include fully occupied summer
The electrical, natural gas and water serathletic field area to the southeast of
school.
vices are continuously monitored through
the school building and is made up of
the building automation system and al- 20102011 values are projected at
a series of trenches 2 ft (0.60 m) wide,
low the operators to observe changes and 51.9 kBtu/ft2yr
spaced 8 ft (2.4 m) on center and excamake adjustments based on building use.
vated to a depth of 6 ft (1.8 m) below
2
Additionally, the design engineer and com- Annual Source Energy: 185 kBtu/ft yr grade. Three 1 in. (25.4 mm) diameter
missioning agent remained involved with Savings vs. Standard 90.1-1999
pipes are laid, evenly spaced, across the
the building operators through the first year Design Building: 44%
bottom of the trench, then approximately
of occupancy providing additional training
2 ft (0.60 m) of fill material is placed on
and keeping the building performing to the
top of those pipes; the same three pipes
design specifications. The past year the
are then looped up and back across the
building operated at 5,761,880 kWh and 43,734 therms. This trench. Each of the 1 in. (25.4 mm) pipes are then fused
equates to a site EUI of 63 kBtu/ft2yr (715 461 kJ/(m2yr). The into a branch supply and return header. The success of the
results are slightly higher than predicted in the energy model but horizontal field was a first cost approximately one-third that
can be connected to the increased summer use with the district of a traditional vertical bore, providing a relatively quick
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payback. The geo-exchange loop has operated over three year. This is beneficial for schools in the swing seasons of fall
years within its parameters.
and spring.
The project faced a unique sustainable challenge based on the
All systems and utilities (including electric, gas and water)
city of Ann Arbors offset-mitigation decree with the Michigan are monitored continuously and trended. This allows building
Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). The program operators to view and adjust building performance over time.
was established to aid and protect the health and safety of the The building was fully commissioned by a third party and the
community and environment by not allowing new developments design engineer and commissioning agent teamed throughout
to exacerbate sewage collection system capacity issues and the first year of occupancy to give the building operators adpartial treatment plant overflows into the local Huron River. ditional insight and keep the building performing to the design
The citys program aims at disconnecting existing footing drains intent.
from the sanitary system.
A detailed value engineering and energy analysis was perNew developments are required to offset 120% of the FDDs formed on this facility at several milestones of the project. The
they add to the system or pay the city fair market value. The new mechanical systems designed, including the geo-exchange sysSkyline High School could not meet either of these requirements tem, were installed within the construction budget and perform
due to the rules of the Michigan Department of Treasury School within the operational budget.
Bond Loan Program. The design engineers
Unitary heat pumps that operate in reteamed with the city of Ann Arbor engisponse to space occupancy and internal
neers and developed a solution. Instead
loads, in lieu of large conventional air
of a traditional pool backwash piped to
handlers, reduce overall fan energy. Locatthe sanitary sewer, the project developed
ing equipment near the spaces they serve
an onsite treatment system that sends the
reduced ductwork and required clearances;
discharge water to the onsite storm water
installation costs were held to a minimum.
retention ponds in full compliance with
In providing energy-eff icient, costthe MDEQ.
effective HVAC systems, Peter Basso
This method was also implemented
Associates engineering team was able to
at another of the Districts high school
achieve the following:
pool and provided the school district with
Closed loop geo-exchange system with
excess credits to be used for future develvariable speed pumping strategy resulted in
opments or sold back to the city of Ann
approximately $117,500 energy savings per
Arbor at market value. The city of Ann
year resulting in a simple payback of 4.6
Arbor also benefited by avoiding a costly
years, based on an additional investment
upgrade to the sanitary trunk line serving
of $545,000.
Northwest Ann Arbor.
Energy recovery dedicated outdoor
Other innovative solutions at Skyline Installing a horizontal closed loop in the air systems to pretreat ventilation air for
High School include a storm water man- schools geo-exchange field.
all unitary heat pumps, as well as serving
agement system that provides 100% of
large spaces such as gymnasiums, cafeteria,
the irrigation water and protects the surrounding ecosystem auditorium and locker rooms, resulted in approximately $50,252
of the Huron River wetlands on all sides of the site. The energy savings per year resulting in a simple payback of 2.4
relocation of an amphibian pond has proved successful with years, based on an additional investment of $120,606.
increased colonization. The inhabitants were required to
Energy recovery based dehumidification system serving the
vacation at the Detroit Zoo while the pond was moved into natatorium resulted in approximately $34,956 energy savings
the undisturbed wooded area. Techniques were used in this per year over a conventional refrigerant based dehumidification
project that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources system, resulting in a simple payback of 1.4 years, based on an
and MDEQ had not used before.
additional investment of $48,000.
The building was designed in a four-story configuration to
In addition, energy efficient lighting and motors, a wind
reduce the building footprint. Although this challenged the turbine, an energy management/direct digital control system,
placement of the mechanical/electrical systems, it provided and automated building and site lighting controls were installed.
the opportunity to isolate mechanical equipment in fifth floor
Skyline High School began as the facility that no one wanted
penthouses, reducing HVAC noise and facilitating maintenance. at least none of its neighbors. The property was a 110 acre (45 ha)
Involvement of the maintenance staff throughout the design pristine, wooded lot. Although it had been owned by the school
proved to be key in developing a useful, high performance district for more than four decades, with the intent that it one day
building.
become the site for a new facility, that concept was lost in the
Without a boiler or chiller plant, seasonal startups and shut annuls of the Townships deed office. Because the schools site is
downs are avoided. Dedicated water source heat pumps for an integral part of the densely forested surrounding community,
each space provide instant heating or cooling throughout the it was important to treat the site development as an extension of
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the existing environs. Development of only 65 acres (26 ha) of

Through construction waste management and monitoring,
the 110 acre (45 ha) property assisted in preserving the natural the project received two LEED credits for diverting more than
woodlands and wetlands. The building was designed in a four- 75% of construction waste from disposal. Active recycling
story configuration to reduce the building footprint. To reduce efforts exist in the occupied school building and serve as a
visual clutter, the football/soccer
constant teaching tool for all
complex was set into a lower
students.
portion of the property. The
Plumbing systems reduce
project team displayed exemthe water distribution and
plary performance in retaining
waste by 35% over the Energy
an area twice the size of the
Policy Act of 1992. This was
building footprint for the life of
achieved through auto flush
the building.
valves, waterless urinals, meThe use of three dimentered auto faucets and on-site
sional drafting software for
pool backwash treatment. The
the mechanical system design,
storm water management syscoupled with an above ceiling
tem provides 100% of the site
coordination program with the
irrigation.
mechanical, electrical, plumbThe Ann Arbor community
ing, and fire protection contrachas overwhelmingly embraced
Fifth floor penthouse mechanical room houses classroom heat pumps.
tors, eliminated coordination
this new facility. Not only
issues during fabrication and installation. The construction have the immediate neighbors accepted it, but the public
professionals, with the assistance of the design engineer, worked school community as a whole has given it the stamp of aptogether to identify and eliminate conflicts in the drawing stage proval, evidenced by a waiting list to become a student at
and signed off on the drawings prior to construction.
the school.

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