Page 116 - Zero Net Energy Case Study Buildings-Volume 2

CASE STUDY NO. 11 THE EXPLORATORIUM
The Exploratorium
Case Study No. 11
Data Summary
Building Type: Museum (Inter-
active)
Location: San Francisco, CA
Gross Floor Area (Pier 15): 192,914 gsf (excluding 7,605 sf of restaurant/cafe tenant space)
Occupied: 2013
Energy Modeling Software:
eQuest v. 3.64
Modeled EUI (Site):
45.6 kBtu/sf-year
Measured EUI (Site):
42.0 kBtu/sf-year (2015)
On-Site Renewable Energy System Installed:
1,400 kW (DC) Solar PV
Measured On-Site Energy Production:
2,000 MWh/year (2014) 1,991 MWh/year (2015) 36.0 kBtu/sf-year (2015)
Measured Solar Thermal Production:
Separate data not available
Owner/Client
The Exploratorium
Design Team
Architect: EHDD Architecture, San Francisco, CA
All but one of the case study buildings described in this volume are major renovations of general building shells to accommodate new uses while achieving a performance goal of annual zero net energy use. Case Study No. 11. The Exploratorium, is by far the largest and most extensive of these, transforming an empty waterfront warehouse structure built on a pier into a modern science museum. While this building is, from one point of view, a special case because of its unique site, unique program and unique design constraints, it is nevertheless a good example of the common issues that arise with ZNE design of buildings of all types and the design process involved in resolving them.
As in the case of the other ZNE case study buildings, some standard ZNE design strategies were not possible due to the strong design constraints imposed on many aspects of the project. As with the other ZNE projects, the design team developed compensating and augmenting strate- gies to approach successfully the ZNE performance goal in the context of the overall design solution.
Background
The Exploratorium is classified as a science museum, but the building program and user experi- ence do not fit the standard characterizations of this type of facility. Rather than housing stan- dard passive exhibits of scientific facts and devices, the facility is experiential, exploratory and interactive, with the intention that the building visitor discover scientific ideas and concepts in an encouraged active manner.
The focus of the public spaces is self-teaching and exploration of natural phenomena through hands-on activities. The participation of artists in the design of these spaces enhances the idea of exploration of the intersection of art and science and creates an ambience of inquiry and dis- covery.
This approach to public education in the sciences and the history of the development of the vision for this institution directly affect the nature of the new space, the many architectural de- cisions and ultimately the design strategies adopted to achieve the goal of zero net energy performance. This process was made even more complex by the building location selected for the Exploratorium’s new home. To understand the effect of the many design constraints and the selected ZNE design strategies, it is useful to have some background details about the institu- tion, its history and the special nature of the new location.
The original idea for the Exploratorium as an approach to teaching scientific principles to the public was developed by Frank Oppenheimer, an experimental physicist and university profes- sor. Convinced that education in scientific methodologies could occur through “museum” facili- ties that supplemented regular educational curricula at all levels and that incorporated a well- designed discovery approach, Oppenheimer embarked in 1965 on a study of science museums around the world. By 1969, he had successfully developed the details of the idea and secured financial support from organizations and individuals in the San Francisco community. That year, he opened the original Exploratorium facility in that city in The Palace of Fine Arts (PFA), a build- ing left over from the 1915 Pan Pacific Exposition. The culture of hands-on inquiry, which was the focus from the first day it opened, has remained at the heart of the institution’s mission since that time.
After 25 years or so, the Exploratorium started to experience the limits of the PFA space and began to discuss options for new space. Ready public access and the availability of space into which the Exploratorium could continue to grow in the future were prime considerations. Finally, after years of discussion, fundraising and searches, the Port of San Francisco proposed that the Exploratorium take over the warehouse structures on Piers 15 and 17 of the main waterfront,
Structural Engineer: Rutherford & Chekene, San Francisco, CA
Mechanical/Plumbing Engineer:
Integral Group, Oakland, CA
Electrical Engineer: Cammisa & Wipf, San Francisco, CA
Lighting Design: David Nelson & Associates, Littleton, CO
Landscape Architect: GLS Landscape Architecture, San Francisco, CA
General Contractor
Nibbi Brothers
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Zero Net Energy Case Study Buildings: Volume 2