Terry Thomas earns LEED Gold with natural ventilation, daylighting

“Because the building was designed without a HVAC system, it was critical that it was constructed in a way that would allow the building to naturally maintain a cool temperature,” said Tim Hensley, project manager, Issaquah Glass, Issaquah, Wash.

The basics: The 64,600-square-foot Terry Thomas building achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification for its shell and core. It cost a total of $11.2 million to construct. Surrounded almost completely by glass, the four-story building operates without a lot of expensive technology. By incorporating natural ventilation throughout, as well as daylighting, the building has reduced energy consumption by 50 percent.

The players: Architect, Weber Thompson, Seattle; general contractor, Ranf Construction, Bellevue, Wash.; framing system supplier, Kawneer Co., Norcross, Ga.; glass fabricator, Oldcastle Glass, Santa Monica, Calif.; contract glazier, Issaquah Glass, Issaquah, Wash.

The glass and systems: The building features 1-inch insulating glass with clear low-emissivity coating on the No. 2 surface in several systems. Trifab VG 451T storefront with GLASSvent windows was used to create a natural ventilation system. The GLASSvent windows incorporate automatic louvers mounted into the window frames, allowing the louvers to open automatically when the building reaches a certain temperature. Heavy wall mullions were also utilized on the building to help meet wind load and thermal requirements. 190 narrow stile entrances were integrated throughout the interior of the building. In addition, Trifab 450 storefront was used on the interior.