The Banner Bank Building design team loves telling the story of how collective wisdoms reigned when creating this elegant, efficient and beautiful building in Boise, Idaho (HDR designed the Banner Bank Building for the Christensen Corp.). Now it can add to that the story of how Banner Bank Building won Environmental Design + Construction magazine’s Fifth Annual Excellence in Design Award for the category of commercial, office, industrial, multi-use or corporate facility.

Described by awards judge Jerry Yudelson as “An excellent example of sustainable design, a LEED Platinum spec commercial building, full of technical merit and innovation. Stands at the head of the class and worth studying by others,” Banner Bank Building was designed to be good for the owner, the occupants and especially the environment.

Compared to an average commercial office building of the same size, Banner Bank Building reportedly:

• consumes 50 percent less energy;
• uses 65 percent less domestic potable water; and
• uses up to 80 percent less potable for sewage conveyance.
  

Plus, the facility:

• is made of 42 percent recycled content materials, based on cost;
• diverted over 90 percent of construction/demolition debris from the landfill;
• is a LEED Core and Shell Platinum Rated building (July 2006); and
• was built at the average cost of competing commercial office buildings.

Interiors

A flexible underfloor air and power delivery system, demountable walls and doors, and lighting controls for each fixture result in an accommodating and sustainable interior at the Banner Bank Building. Photography by Deborah Hardee LLC.

The building’s occupants, and the owner, benefit from the flexible underfloor air and power delivery system, demountable walls and doors, and lighting controls for each fixture. The long spans resulting from the building’s unusual castellated steel beam structure eliminates all interior columns, thus reducing space requirements and making tenant reconfigurations easier. In addition, the integrated interior wall, floor, power/telecomm and lighting systems make tenant construction quiet, dust-free and 70 percent faster than standard drywall construction.

Exterior

Boise’s Banner Bank Building features custom designed white pre-cast concrete panels, coupled with multi-hued fenestration. Photography by Deborah Hardee LLC.

The project was made with as few parts as possible that not only “snap” together, but can be re-used and/or recycled at the end of the building’s useful life. Custom designed white pre-cast concrete panels, coupled with multi-hued fenestration, deliver a building envelope that is richly detailed, durable and stately. Translucent canopies diffuse direct sunlight as well as reflect it toward the ceiling of the ground-floor anchor tenant (Banner Bank).

Indoor Air Quality

According to the architects, the raised floor system, power/telecommunication boxes, demountable walls and door, and even lighting fixtures and controls can all be re-used for decades, thus reducing environmental impacts for the life of the building. Photography by Deborah Hardee LLC.

Banner Bank Building meets all “expected” IEQ protocol (low/zero-VOC finishes, smoking policy, etc.), while a quiet, low-velocity underfloor air distribution system delivers fresh air at an exchange rate exceeding 0.9 (as defined by ASHRAE Standard 129-1997). Individual thermostats in perimeter offices regulate individual geothermal-powered reheat and VF fans.

Energy Efficiency

This project exceeds ASHRAE 90.1-1999 by over 50 percent. Contributing to this energy efficiency are lighting controls that achieve a 63 percent reduction in electricity, underfloor air and power distribution, a closed-loop water pre-chiller, and individual air handlers on each floor.

Water Conservation

Banner Bank Building’s water strategies have caught national attention. Water use is reduced by 0.5 gpf urinals, 0.5 gpm lavatories with timers and sensor activation, and a closed-loop water pre-chiller. The Banner Bank Building also harvests stormwater from over seven acres of off-site public right-of-way streets and sidewalks. In addition, all lavatory graywater is captured. Both sources are stored on-site, treated four times for clarity and purity, and used to flush every toilet and urinal in the building plus provide all irrigation water.

Materials & Resources

Besides surpassing most of the standard LEED materials criteria (recycled content, local regional materials, and construction waste management) Banner Bank Building pushes the envelope at reducing environmental impact via reusing building materials. The raised floor system, power/telecommunication boxes, demountable walls and door, and even lighting fixtures and controls can all be re-used for decades, thus reducing environmental impacts for the life of the building.

Public Outreach

A “Learning Wall” in the lobby of the Banner Bank Building illustrates the business case for the sustainable design as demonstrated in the building. Photography by Deborah Hardee LLC.

A sustainable “Learning Wall” in the lobby and an accompanying eight-page color brochure illustrates the business case for the sustainable design as exemplified in this building. Additionally, the owner and several product manufacturers sponsored a documentary on Banner Bank Building, produced by Academy Award winner Ben Shedd. View “Green is the Color of Money” at www.deepgreen.tv/. The owner and design team have also spoken at numerous building conferences and conduct tours on a weekly basis.

Banner Bank Building (The Christensen Corp.)

Location: Boise, Idaho
Completed: May 2006
Size: 190,000 square feet
Project was submitted by HDR Architecture, Inc.

Congratulations to the Banner Bank Building Project Team:

Architect or Architect/Engineer: HDR Architecture, Inc.
Interior Architect: Cornerstone Design
Structural Engineer: KPFF Consulting Engineers
Mechanical Engineer: Musgrove Engineering, P.A.
Electrical Engineer: Romar Electric
Plumbing Engineer: Musgrove Engineering, P.A.
General Contractor: The Russell Corporation
Construction or Program Manager: The Russell Corporation
Civil and Geotechnical Engineer: American Geotechnics
Landscape Architect: Jensen Belts Associates
Sustainable Design/Leed Consultant: HDR Inc.
Real Estate Broker: Tenant Realty Advisors (Real Estate Broker)

Sustainable Materials and Products Specified in the Banner Bank Building

EXTERIOR
Lighting: Hydrel 4798 Accent Lights
Exterior Glazing: PPG Solarban 60
Roofing System/Insulation: GAF “Everguard”

INTERIOR
Elevators: Otis “Gen-2”
Ceilings: USG Radar Illusion
Doors/Hardware: Curries/VT Industries/Sergeant/LCN
Interior Partitions: Nordwall Demountable Wall Systems, Skyblend Panels
Carpet: Shaw Carpet Tiles; “Balance”, “Color Play”, “Emotion”, “Synthesis” Patterns
Plumbing Fixtures: Sloan Optima EBF-650 LAV Faucets, Sloan Regal Model #186-05 (Urinal) and Model #111 (Water Closet) Flush Valves
Resilient Flooring: Forbo Marmoleum
Furniture and Casework: Skyblend
Hand Dryers: Excel Xlerator

STRUCTURAL
Structural Steel: SMI Smart Beam Castellated Beams

CONTROLS
Lighting Controls: Encillium ECU Central Controller With I/O Modules
Energy Management Controls: ATS – Allerton
HVAC: York

ED+C’S EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN AWARDS COMMERCIAL-CATEGORY FINALISTS

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