The principles of sustainability and integrated design form the frame work for our approach to building design leading to high performance buildings that not only meet but exceed our clients expectations. |
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Integrated Design: SOLARC is a fully integrated architectural design firm that provides planning, architecture, interior design, furniture design, display fixture design, lighting fixture design and architectural sustainability consulting services, for commercial, institutional and residential projects.
Team Spirit: The SOLARC design group is dedicated to a dynamic team and work ethic which turns difficulties and challenges into healthy, harmonious, and holistic environments. We are committed to providing the client with personal service and encouraging maximum client/community involvement, in a design process that maintains as its focal point the clients’ needs. We strive to create solutions that use existing constraints as opportunities rather than liabilities. In that spirit, our clients join the design team as full participants of the process, introducing essential ingredients in the development of the greater whole.
Energy Efficiency and Sustainability: SOLARC Architecture and Engineering is devoted to intelligent design and the creation of environments that enrich the human body and spirit, and promote the vitality of nature. SOLARC brings the practical design and planning expertise needed on the project team to create better buildings, featuring more harmonious work places and living environments, lower operation and maintenance costs, reduced health risks, reduced environmental impact, increased comfort and greater long-terms profits.
Designing a sustainable, high performance building requires a change in thinking, shifting from the traditional fragmented design approach to a more holistic, integrated method. In sustainable building design, all materials, systems, and components are considered in relation to each other and their overall contribution to the whole building. By definition, in a “green” building “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” In order to achieve this goal, however, we must move away from singular process thinking and instead move toward “integrated process thinking.”
With each project we attempt to integrate the following design parameters:
- Sensitivity and responsiveness to the aesthetic and functional needs of clients and users
- Sensitivity and respect for the existing context, the neighborhood, and site conditions and constraints
- Maximization of functional spaces and materials while remaining within the client’s budget
- Incorporation of environmentally and socially responsible design principles
- Energy- and cost-efficient application of passive and active heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting
- Design for ergonomic comfort both for current or future physical disabilities
- Aesthetic sensibility combined with innovative and visionary creativity
- Design combining architecturally expressive features with efficiency, functionality and productivity.
With this in our focus, we establish the following design principles for our projects:
- Promote the health, well-being, and comfort of its occupants
- Minimize the use of energy
- Conserve natural resources
- Minimize the production of waste
- Create and support physical and spiritual community.
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We offer a depth of experience in building heating, cooling and ventilation design; energy and mass distribution system design, building plumbing and piping design, and power systems. |
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Building Heating, Cooling and Ventilation Design: An emphasis is placed on integrating a high degree of passive, load-reducing techniques in the architecture of the building. Remaining energy needs are met by incorporating the most efficient proven, cost-effective mechanical equipment available. Accurate building loads analysis is performed using state-of-the-art analytical software and techniques.
Energy and Mass Distribution System Design: Our engineers possess a wealth of experience in the design of piping and duct distribution systems, including chilled water, steam, hot water, instrument air, service air, natural gas, biogas, fuel oil, and lubricating oil. We maintain and employ the very best in analytical design software and are highly skilled in the use of the Flo-Series (Engineered Software) piping & pumping design programs, and the T-Duct (NetSal and Associates) fan and duct system simulation program. Properly used, these tools allow the consulting engineer to optimize his/her design by examining large numbers of off-design operating conditions.
Building Plumbing and Piping Design: In addition to our full range of experience with conventional plumbing system design, we are able to provide design of alternative systems, including unique water conservation concepts such as gray-water recovery/reuse. Our skills include design, drawings, and specifications for waste and vent piping, potable and non-potable service water systems, fuel gas systems, and radiant heating and cooling systems.
Power Systems: Our engineers have been commissioned to prepare feasibility studies for medium-sized steam and gas turbine-based central utility plants, as well as full design and construction administration services. We possess an unusual depth of experience in biogas utilization in generating and cogenerating power systems, especially in the areas of municipal and agricultural waste cogeneration, using reciprocating engines. We are especially interested in fostering movement toward a decentralized model for electrical power generation, distribution, and consumption, because of its inherently higher efficiencies and because of the greater potential for incorporating local waste heat recovery and utilization.
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We offer a wealth of expertise to take you from conceptual planning, design and construction phases through bidding, construction, start up and finally commissioning. Our expertise also includes analysis and special studies. |
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SOLARC provides electrical engineering services either as prime consultant or as a subconsultant. Our experienced staff can perform some or all of the following services, depending on project requirements:
Conceptual Planning, Design, and Construction Documents Phases:
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Power Distribution
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Lighting and Lighting Control Systems
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Cogeneration, Standby, and Emergency Power Generation
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Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
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PLC and DDC Low-Voltage Control Systems
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Data and Communications Systems
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Fire Alarm, Smoke Control, and Security Systems
Bidding, Construction, and Startup Phases:
Commissioning Services:
Analysis and Special Studies:
- Electrical System Coordination Study / Arc Flash Analysis
- Daylighting Photometric Analysis (both physical model / direct measurement and software simulation)
- Artificial Lighting Photometric Analysis
- Energy-efficiency / Sustainability Studies
- Life-Cycle Cost / Benefit Analysis
- LEED
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We push the boundaries of lighting technique, materials, technical innovation and energy-efficiency to create indoor environments that exceed clients’ expectations, are an inspiration to users and provide a strong identity. |
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SOLARC provides complete lighting design services for commercial, municipal, institutional, industrial and other facilities. We focus on improving lighting quality within the Owners' cost parameters. Our projects emphasize direct involvement with all participants, including the building owner, utility representatives, other design consultants, contractors, and equipment suppliers. Extensive experience with utility incentive programs complements a very cost-effective lighting design. Our capabilities include:
Existing Lighting System Upgrades: We specialize in cost-effective energy efficiency upgrades to lighting systems in existing facilities. Information provided by the Energy Analysis group is used to design a complete package of efficient components for a building retrofit. Lighting energy consumption can generally be reduced by twenty-five to sixty percent, depending on the existing systems. A significant additional benefit of most energy saving retrofit projects is improved lighting quality.
New Facility Lighting Design: Our lighting design group works closely with the Architectural Design team, assisting their designers in lighting the architectural environment. We are dedicated to a collaborative relationship that results in extraordinary spaces that celebrate the beauty of the architectural forms and surfaces, with discrete yet highly functional lighting of circulation and building signage, effective illumination of ambient environments and task surfaces, skillful highlighting of architectural accents and features, and elegant yet effective site illumination. Our design assistance ranges from schematic design through commissioning, providing architects and owners with advice in selecting fixtures and controls, specifications, cut sheets, sample models, mock-ups, documentation, and energy analyses.
Automatic Lighting Control System Design: A significant amount of energy can be saved by implementing automatic lighting control systems in selected facilities. Control system design can be included in existing facility retrofit projects, as well as new construction projects.
Daylight Utilization: Fenestration is an integral architectural element that can provide several functions in a building. Lighting design parameters are able to interact with architectural features to allow daylight to provide high quality illumination in many facilities.
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Our emphasis in energy efficiency consulting efforts focuses on two themes - energy engineering as a serious, creative business, and integrated energy design. |
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SOLARC's emphasis in all energy efficiency consulting efforts focuses on two themes - energy engineering as a serious, creative business, and integrated energy design. Our genuine commitment to these principles is a source of pride for our firm. The successful results of this commitment are evidenced by numerous acknowledgements and awards received by our energy engineering staff including:
State Energy Manager of the Year - 2003 Association of Professional Energy Managers
Betterbricks Engineer Award - 2003 Energy Trust of Oregon and NW Energy Efficiency Alliance
National Energy Manager of the Year -1999 Association of Professional Energy Managers
Honored Trade Ally Energy Efficiency Award - 1999 Portland General Electric Co.
State Energy Manager of the Year - 1998 Association of Professional Energy Managers
Energy Engineering: Serious energy engineering and analysis implies the ability to cost-effectively identify efficiency opportunities in buildings, accurately analyze those opportunities, and present the results of that analysis in a concise and professional manner so that owners can make informed investment decisions. Our energy analysis work with existing facilities is grounded in our experience and investment in monitoring and diagnostics techniques. We maintain and regularly apply an extensive library of multi-channel datalogging equipment. Our staff include experts in lighting retrofit, digital controls, and mechanical systems retrofit. The combination of staff expertise and sophisticated data collection techniques result in energy engineering efforts that accurately target the most cost-effective efficiency improvement, especially those related to building mechanical system controls.
SOLARC's work is consistently referenced by our institutional clients as the example for other energy engineering consultants to follow. Our combined staff experience includes comprehensive energy audit efforts for well over 100 million square feet of residential, commercial, and industrial facilities. Our commercial/institutional building portfolio includes exceptional breadth of experience with different building types including, at least 30 different functional uses ranging from educational institutions to resort facilities.
Integrated Energy Design: The integrated design process is at the core of our approach to sustainability and efficiency for new facilities. It represents a set of concepts and activities in support of sustainability that are fully integrated into the conventional design process, from programming through commissioning and can include an analysis of the associated Greenhouse Gas Emissions. To address sustainability and efficiency within an integrated design environment requires an ordered sequence of design strategies. These strategies are structured with the goal of minimizing the required work (in the thermodynamic sense) associated with the infrastructure of a building. Often referred to as the "Second Law Approach" or "Downstream Thinking," a strategy of minimizing work can result in minimal site impact, maximum resource efficiency, efficient and sustainable materials of construction and occupancy practices, and a superior environment for the building's occupants. Specifically, we focus on the following strategies, in order:
1. Create small loads
2. Reduce loads
3. Efficient HVAC systems
4. Efficient central plant
5. Integrative controls
6. On-site renewable resources
Energy Simulation SOLARC incorporates energy modeling capability that is among the best available in the country. We are experts in the use of multiple versions of the DOE2 energy simulation software, including eQUEST - a Windows version of DOE2.2. The Building Creation Wizard that is an integral part of the eQUEST program allows accurate energy models to be created quickly and cost-effectively at the very beginning of the design process.  The models can be used during early design phase charettes to quantify efficiency potential of specific efficiency ideas. Details can be added to the energy models as the design detail evolves. In addition to the energy savings quantification, the detailed models can be used to quantify other performance parameters, such as space temperature or available daylighting.
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Our practical design and planning expertise leads to better buildings, reduced health risks and environmental impact, more harmonious work places and living environments, lower operating and maintenance costs, and greater long-terms profits. |
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SOLARC Architecture and Engineering provides specialty consulting to developers, owners and other architecture and engineering firms who wish to develop sustainable and energy efficient projects. We bring extensive practical design and planning expertise to the project team. Services include:
Targeted HVAC and lighting design: SOLARC provides integrated HVAC and lighting design. Our experience is based in technical expertise with the development of building systems that integrate renewable energy sources -water, wind, earth and sun- in their design. Specifically, this experience includes the intelligent application of natural ventilation, passive heating, night-flush cooling, and daylight utilization.
Passive House design and certification: Residential and commercial buildings alike can be designed to virtually eliminate “active” heating and cooling systems, resulting in near-zero energy buildings, or “Passive Houses / Buildings”. SOLARC’s expertise in integrated and energy efficient design is an ideal compliment to the unique knowledge and skills that our in-house Passive House certified consultant team offers our clients. We are able to provide the full range of services, from conceptual design support to the development of design specifications, construction administration, and final certification
Energy efficiency modeling: Using DOE2 energy modeling software, we create real-time energy simulation models of a building or project, as it is being designed. This information is used by the design team to develop buildings that meet the identified energy efficiency performance goals.
Climate-responsive design assistance: All sustainable designs must respond to the local microclimate. We provide in-depth site analysis describing the wind, rain and sun conditions that will impact the building layout and design for a given site.
Management of LEED Certification: SOLARC’s team includes one LEED-accredited principal and two LEED-accredited staff members, who are experienced in leading sustainability workshops, providing design support services to meet LEED goals, and generating documentation for LEED certification of projects.
Commissioning: We provide whole building commissioning to verify that actual performance of the lighting, HVAC and control systems match the design team’s project performance goals.
Facilitation of sustainability and energy efficiency design: SOLARC is highly experienced in leading sustainability and energy efficiency design charrettes during the programming phase of a project, assisting the design team in identifying the project’s sustainability goals and their impact on the overall project.
Specifications writing for sustainable building materials and methods: SOLARC has generated a materials matrix that lists the sustainability features of most important building products. Materials are evaluated and categorized based on their environmental impact and potential to promote good indoor air quality.
Assistance in securing tax credits, utility incentives, and federal and state economic credits and incentives: SOLARC assists its clients in obtaining the financial incentives that are available for their energy efficient building or project.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Carbon Accounting: Our professional team possesses extensive experience with LCA and carbon accounting. Encompassing the full building lifecycle, from materials extraction to operation and eventual decommissioning, SOLARC can guide owners and design teams in selecting the greenest materials for projects. Utilizing these tools, SOLARC works to minimize environmental impact and improve indoor air quality within each project’s budget. We are able to merge our energy analysis and LCA capabilities for the increasingly demanded full life cycle carbon accounting of a building project.
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We both guide and manage LEED certification projects in a turn-key fashion, helping clients reach the environmental goals for their project, and gain national recognition for their efforts. |
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The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has created an internationally recognized certification process for evaluating sustainable and high performance buildings, a program called “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design”, commonly known by its acronym “LEED.”
The certification process bestows awards based on the level of sustainability achieved in a building. In our integrated design process, the SOLARC design team uses the LEED compliance chart as a guide and as a checklist toward designing a sustainable project.
Why sustainability?
1. Because of the negative effects of unsustainable development. Ongoing energy use in buildings represents one of the most significant environmental impacts of human infrastructure development. Energy use in commercial buildings is characterized by patterns of excessive waste and worsening pollution and damage to the global environment.
In the United States, buildings account for:
- 36% of total energy use
- 30% of greenhouse gas emissions
- 65% of electricity consumption
- 30% of raw materials use
30% of waste output
- 136 million tons of waste annually
- 12% of potable water consumption
2. Because of the positive impacts of sustainable development. For developers and owners who want to build sustainably and maximize both economic and environmental performance, the following benefits present themselves:
Environmental benefits:
Enhancement and protection of biodiversity and ecosystems
Conservation of natural resources
Improved air and water quality
Reduction of solid waste
Economic benefits:
Reduced operating costs
Enhanced asset value and profits
Improved staff comfort, satisfaction and productivity
Decreased workers compensation and health insurance costs
Optimization of life-cycle economic performance
Positive publicity
Community benefits:
Improved indoor air quality, thermal, and acoustic environments
Enhanced occupant comfort, well-being, physical and emotional and health
Reduced strain on local infrastructure
Positive contribution to and partnership with the larger community
Positive contribution to overall quality of life
SOLARC is a member of the USGBC and regularly design projects pursuing LEED™ ratings. SOLARC principal, Galen Ohmart, and staff members Kevin Spahn and Peter Reppe are LEED-accredited designers. |
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With our integrated design perspective, SOLARC has long recognized the need for the commissioning process, and has been an active participant in the development of the standards and procedures currently in use. |
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SOLARC offers a full range of building commissioning and diagnostic services.
As building technology has become increasingly sophisticated and complex, it has become clear that traditional construction methods and procedures too often cannot deliver a complete, functioning product: a building that actually works. This is especially true in the case of building automation and control, which is now typically done using microprocessor-based systems requiring a high degree of proficiency in design, programming, and troubleshooting.
The building trades industry has responded to this need by creating the relatively new layer of activity now commonly known as Building Commissioning.
With our integrated design perspective, SOLARC has long recognized the need for the commissioning process, and has been an active participant in the development of the standards and procedures currently in use. We incorporate elements of the Commissioning process in all projects we design, whether or not it has been identified as a formalized part of the scope of work. SOLARC’s integrated approach to commissioning includes the following key elements:
Programming Phase: Establish functional and operational needs of the facility or building, and establish the approach to be employed for commissioning to meet those needs.
Design Phase: Prepare all drawings and specifications with integrated commissioning requirements; write the master commissioning specification section; and develop the Commissioning Plan to provide a formal framework for execution of the process through each project phase. Identify process participants and their roles and responsibilities.
Construction Phase: Monitor construction process and ensure that the Commissioning Plan is followed. Modify plan as required by changes in project scope.
Acceptance Phase: Execute installation and performance verification of all building systems to confirm design intent is met. Obtain and review Operations and Maintenance Manual for compliance with project documentation goals, and review and participate in training of building staff.
Post-Acceptance Phase: During the first year, ensure that the building control systems are able to properly adjust to seasonal changeover requirements. Monitor building energy and water consumption to confirm that resource efficiency goals are met. Past and current projects include:
- Lillis Business Complex, University of Oregon
- The Dalles Middle School, The Dalles, Oregon
- Knight Law Center, University of Oregon
- Jackson County Library, Medford, Oregon
- Hult Center for the Performing Arts, Eugene, Oregon
In “retro-commissioning” and forensic engineering projects, SOLARC is especially well-equipped. We maintain a data-logging inventory that includes over fifteen 4-channel data loggers and a vast array of sensors for trouble-shooting operation of virtually all building electrical and mechanical systems.
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Photovoltaic (PV), or solar electric systems are an increasingly visible and important part of integrated energy design for buildings that propose to be environmentally responsible. Equally important are solar hot water, or solar thermal systems. |
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Photovoltaic (PV), or solar electric systems are increasingly becoming a visible and important part of an integrated energy design for buildings that propose to be environmentally responsible. Opportunities for architecturally integrated photovoltaic systems are expanding rapidly, with new products and applications seemingly emergent every week.
SOLARC's resume of PV system design includes numerous projects, ranging from small residential systems of approximately 1kW capacity to large commercial installations of 330 kW or more where the building is ultimately striving for zero-energy performance. We provide the technical electrical system design, and also develop an integrated energy design where the PV system is one part of an overall building system intended to result in exceptional whole system performance. SOLARC assists with the financial and tax considerations associated with PV systems.
There are various factors that determine what size PV system is best for a building owner. Roof form, building orientation, site shading, building energy usage, utility inter-tie complexities, and the owner's tax liabilities are some of the main considerations. With current state and federal tax credits, a typical business may be able to have a payback in as little as five years. For example, the State of Oregon currently offers a 50% tax credit along with the Federal 30% tax credit. This effectively allows rapid recovery of 80% of the capital costs. With additional tax benefits from accelerated depreciation and income from electric "sales", PV systems can be a smart business decision.
If you have little or no tax liability, SOLARC can assist with obtaining a "pass through partner" who can take advantage of the tax credits along with providing you with up-front money to reduce the installation costs. |
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