DE Featured in ACHR NEWS
University of Iowa Building Uses Thermally Activated “Bubble Deck” Slab
University of Iowa Building Uses Thermally Activated “Bubble Deck” Slab
“The Visual Arts Building (VAB) at the University of Iowa is a marvel of both aesthetic design and mechanical engineering. Six years in the making and completed in October 2016, the award-winning, 126,000-square-foot structure blends the artistry of Steven Holl Architects (New York) with innovative mechanical systems that integrate with Holl’s aesthetics while meeting the numerous industrial-like requirements of this challenging space.
Thanks to these mechanical systems, the VAB is projected to consume 60 percent less energy than a building in compliance with ASHRAE 90.1. A verification report prepared by a local utility, MidAmerican Energy, converted that percentage into an annual cost savings of nearly $300,000. The utility calculated the final payback on the “incremental costs associated with energy conservation strategy investments” at just 2.1 years. For this project performance, the university earned an incentive payment of more than $550,000 for the building, which recently achieved LEED® Gold certification.”
