A LEED Performance Report on the sustainable design and construction of the Austin Energy System Control Center

1. Austin Energy System Control Center
LEED Performance Report
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The following Performance Reports were created in accordance with Council Resolution 20071129-045. The
City of Austin is a recognized international leader in sustainable building practices in which municipal building
strive to conserve energy, water, and other natural resources while promoting human health and safety. The
holistic approach to architecture creates high-quality and enduring structures that enhance the economic
value and reduce the lifecycle costs of a building.
Design and construction of buildings are driven by the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC)
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines and promote these goals. The following
reports provide information about municipal buildings, highlight LEED credentials, and promote sustainable
building achievements.
City of Austin
Office of the City Architect
Peter Davis, AIA, LEED AP
Peter.Davis@austintexas.gov
Theresa Cascio
Silvia Calderon Laiton
Angela Cai
2018

3. REDUCES
ENERGY
CONSUMPTION
REDUCES
POTABLE
WATER USE
DIVERTS
MATERIALS
FROM LANDFILL
PROMOTES
ALTERNATIVE
TRANSPORTATION
IMPROVES
INDOOR
EXPERIENCE
IACP pg. 191
IACP pg. 11
IACP pg. 53
IACP pg. 187
IACP pg. 205
The following can be found in The IMAGINE AUSTIN Comprehensive Plan (IACP)

4. AUSTIN ENERGY SYSTEM
CONTROL CENTER
2500 Montopolis Dr. Austin, TX, 78741
LEEDv2.2 BD+C: New Construction
AWARDED LEED GOLD JUN 2014
AECOM
Photo credit: Thomas McConnell
In October 2005, the Austin City Manager was directed by City Council to relocate the existing Energy Control Center (ECC) from its
West Avenue location so that the property could be incorporated into the Seaholm district and downtown redevelopment efforts.
In July 2007, Austin Energy purchased an existing building and surrounding 12.34 acres from Tokyo Electron, located at 2500
Montopolis Drive, with the objective of using this property for the ECC relocation project. The new facility, the System Control
Center (SCC), houses previous ECC employees as well as several other compatible workgroups within Austin Energy.
This project supports Austin Energy’s commitment to renewable energy as stated in Austin Energy’s 2003 Strategic Plan and the
Austin Climate Protection Plan. The Strategic Plan calls for Austin Energy to implement a highly visible public awareness and
education program involving the installation of photovoltaic projects at schools, libraries, community centers, and city buildings.
The building houses the primary transmission system control center, the corporate data center, offices, security, and all related
support facilities. The existing structure and materials were reused to the greatest extent possible. The main transmission control
center (Control Room) is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A new Maintenance & Restoration Auxiliary Building (MRAB),
11,321 square foot steel and CMU single story structure was built adjacent to the existing structure and houses repair shops, a
maintenance facility and covered parking for AE’s service trucks.

6. AUSTIN ENERGY SYSTEM CONTROL CENTER
2500 Montopolis Dr. Austin, TX, 78741
LEED GOLD 2014
REDUCES ENERGY CONSUMPTION
116Metric tons of
GHG emissions
12
Energy consumed
by
Per year
This annual savings
is equivalent to:
11 Times
Driving around
Earth
Acres of forest137
Carbon sequestered
by
Electricity Provided by Austin Energy:
98,542 kWh
Total Energy Use
Renewable Energy (Solar):
9,450 kWh - 8.7% of total
37%REDUCTION
ENERGY USE
28%REDUCTION
ENERGY COST
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
STRATEGIES:
1
2
3
On-site renewable energy through use of PV panels
reduces the amount of purchased electricity
This building is on Austin Energy GreenChoice
100% renewable energy powered by West Texas
wind
Energy performance is optimized in heating, cooling,
appliances, lighting, and occupancy sensors

7. REDUCES POTABLE WATER USE
1
2
3
Aside
from reducing
irrigation water use,
Austin Energy System
Control Center has a
non-potable water
source
The irrigation system utilizes an automatic irrigation
controller, rain sensor, backflow device, water efficient
irrigation heads and drip irrigation in landscape beds
Native, drought-tolerant vegetation including buffalo
grass, and xeriscape plants help reduce irrigation needs
and improve the microclimate
Low-flow fixtures, sensor-operated lavatory faucets, and dual
flush water closets are used to help reduce consumption and
costs, yielding water savings and reduced utility bills
Per year52,230
Drinking water
for
16 Average sized
swimming pools
235,034 Bathtubs
This annual savings
is equivalent to: 303kGal of
water
AUSTIN ENERGY SYSTEM CONTROL CENTER
2500 Montopolis Dr. Austin, TX, 78741
LEED GOLD 2014
41%REDUCTION
INDOOR
POTABLE WATER
USE
80%REDUCTION
IRRIGATION
WATER USE
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
STRATEGIES:

8. DIVERTS MATERIALS FROM LANDFILL
1
2
3
General dry waste ranging from plastics to cardboard, absent
garbage and organics, are collected in a commingled box.
Garbage, lunch waste, and unusable waste are placed in a
separate labeled debris box
Prefabricated components are another great method
of reducing material scraps and packaging
The construction waste management plan primarily
utilizes on-site commingled collection and off-site
material sorting
This savings is
equivalent to: 4,201Metric tons of
GHG emissions
454
Energy consumed
by
Per year
Garbage trucks209
Times
Driving around
Earth
413
AUSTIN ENERGY SYSTEM CONTROL CENTER
2500 Montopolis Dr. Austin, TX, 78741
LEED GOLD 2014
91%REDUCTION
LANDFILL WASTE
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
STRATEGIES:
Asphalt
34% 28%
Concrete
16%
Metal
22%
Other
A CLOSER LOOK
AT DIVERTED WASTE:

9. REDUCE AND REUSE OF MATERIALS
1
2
3
Regionally extracted and manufactured materials include
the total cost of materials within a 500-mile radius
Pre- and post-consumer recycled materials include
structural steel, steel frame bullet resistant windows,
concrete masonry units, wood doors, and more
Where does regional material come
from? Almost $1,700,000 of the material is
regionally purchased from within
500 miles of the site
The building reused 272,407 sq. ft. of the existing 278,891 sq.
ft. including slab on grade foundation, floor deck, roof
structure, and exterior walls
AUSTIN ENERGY SYSTEM CONTROL CENTER
2500 Montopolis Dr. Austin, TX, 78741
LEED GOLD 2014
Total Material Cost:
$12,815,368.65
20% Recycled Material Content:
$2,587,658
13% Regional Material:
$1,693,990
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
STRATEGIES:

10. This savings is
equivalent to:
+ =
Alternative transportation includes:
31
Metric tons of
CO2 emissions
27Alternative fuel
charging spaces
Bicycle stalls
59
There are 2 Capital Metro lines
within ¼ mile of the building.
1
2
3 27 bike stalls are available for 7% of the building
users
31 of the 448 on-site parking spaces are reserved for
an alternative fuel vehicles
AUSTIN ENERGY SYSTEM CONTROL CENTER
2500 Montopolis Dr. Austin, TX, 78741
LEED GOLD 2014
Miles of commuting
per year
15,300
7%
of Parking Reserved for
Alternative Transportation
Alternative Fuel Charging Spaces : 31
Total Parking Spaces:
448
7%
of Users have Access to Bicycle
Stalls
Bicycle Stalls: 27
Total Peak Users:
370
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
Bike riding uses minimal fossil fuels and is a pollution-
free mode of transportation
STRATEGIES:
What about shared transportation?

11. IMPROVES INDOOR EXPERIENCE
1
2
3
ADHESIVE
&
SEALANTS
PAINTS CARPET
3 OUT OF 4
CREDITS ACHIEVED FOR
LOW-EMITING VOLATILE
ORGANIC COMPOUND
(VOC) CONTENT
8 air handling units are equipped with demand control ventilation
systems in high density occupancy spaces in order to modulate the
amount of ventilation supply air in response to a measured level of
carbon dioxide (CO2) in the breathing zone
CO2 sensors are located in spaces including the small, medium
and large conference rooms, meeting rooms, planning rooms,
computer training and planning room, as well as break rooms
A CLOSER LOOK
AT VOC CONTENT:
ADHESIVES &
SEALANTS
PAINTS &
COATINGS
CARPET &
FLOORING
Baseline: 3,950 g/L
Design: 708 g/L
Baseline: 1,600 g/L
Design: 788 g/L
Design: No VOCs
Lighting controls enable occupants to make adjustments to suit
individual task needs and preferences
AUSTIN ENERGY SYSTEM CONTROL CENTER
2500 Montopolis Dr. Austin, TX, 78741
LEED GOLD 2014
93%INDIVIDUAL
SPACES WITH
LIGHTING
CONTROLS
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
STRATEGIES:

12. RESOURCES
Leedatx.com
USGBC
Website
usgbc.org/leed
Project Profile
https://www.usgbc.org/projects/austin-energy-system-control-center
Imagine Austin
Imagine Austin Vision
austintexas.gov/department/imagine-austin
Comprehensive Plan
ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/npzd/ImagineAustin/IACP_corrected2018.pdf
EPA
Waste Reduction Model
epa.gov/warm/versions-waste-reduction-model-warm#WARM Tool V14
GHG Conversion Calculator
epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
Public Works Department
Website
austintexas.gov/department/public-works
PWD Capital Green Infrastructure
austintexas.gov/page/green-capital-improvement-projects
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
Office of the City Architect
Contact Us
pwdcityarchitect@austintexas.gov
Team
Peter Davis, AIA, LEED AP
LEED/Sustainability Project Manager
Peter.Davis@austintexas.gov
Theresa Cascio
Silvia Calderon Laiton
Angela Cai