The SIP (structural insulated panel) built San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex (NWRC) headquarters in the central valley of California in October 2011. The ‘ less – than- zero’ energy, 16,000 sq. ft. building is an administrative and visitor’s center. This LEED Platinum-seeking facility was designed by Catalyst Architecture and built by West Coast Contractors is carved beautifully into the surrounding landscape by the San Joaquin River.
Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) the environmentally friendly built facility includes an exhibit hall with interactive educational exhibits, a multipurpose room to conduct environmental education activities for schools, and administrative office space.
With over 38,032 sq. ft. of Premier walls and roof panels used to frame the sustainable building, the NWRC will be able to reduce their PG&E utility bill due to a tight envelope and superior insulation. Premier SIPS provided several advantages to any building project overall air tightness and practical thermal performance, 60% more energy efficiency than 2×6 R19 construction, and environmentally friendly attributes to the earth.
As one of the largest ARRA-funded U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge construction projects, the new NWRC facility replaced current refuge offices that had been operating out of a strip mall and leased space in Los Banos for more than 30 years. By eliminating costs for leased space, the Service saved $200,000 per year.
Project Detail: