The sustainably developed, energy-efficient Lillis Business Complex is one step closer to completion after a symbolic “topping out” ceremony was held Thursday to celebrate the last major pieces of structural steel being installed.
A few more pieces of steel will still be installed next week, project manager Matt Pearson said, but the ceremony was held to celebrate and recognize the efforts of those involved. Pearson said he wanted to have the ceremony before construction was finished, while the full staff was still on site.
University officials, business personnel, students and community members were invited to sign the backside of two steel beams that were signed at the April groundbreaking ceremony. The beams will be the final structural pieces installed in the project.
“This is a significant milestone achieved through the tireless efforts of our subcontractors and labor force, and a collaborative relationship among all parties involved,” said Gary Smith, general manager of Lease Crutcher Lewis, the general contractor on the project.
Pearson said the project is ahead of schedule and under budget, though it’s hard to say by exactly how much until the project is completely finished. The $40 million undertaking, scheduled for completion by December 2003, employs energy-efficient and sustainable building practices.
“The sustainable and environmental concern on this project has been incredible,” Pearson said.
Many of the materials used in the construction of the complex have been or will come from materials with recycled content, such as carpet, steel and linoleum, project planner Fred Tepfer said.
One strategy used to ensure efficiency was to create a design that optimized eight to 10 hours of natural daylight, so artificial lights will be used at a minimum, Tepfer said. The building will also use less lighting throughout the corridors to make classrooms seem brighter when students enter them.
By building well-shaded windows to control inside temperatures and installing fans instead of air conditioning, energy use will be greatly reduced, Tepfer said.
Motion detectors will be installed on lights and electrical outlets throughout the building, so when appliances are not being used, they will automatically shut off, Tepfer said. The offices in the building will have other outlets that are not on sensors to prevent computers from turning off when not in use. Most of the offices will also use computers with flat screens that use far less energy than traditional monitors.
Solar panels will be installed in the south wall of the atrium and there will be additional panels on the roof and skylights, with a total projected output of about 35 kilowatts.
When sunlight hits a dark roof, it heats either the inside of a building or the outskirts. A newer technology will be used in the complex, utilizing what is called a “green roof.” This involves putting a thin layer of light soil on the roof and growing some sort of grass or succulent plant in it, Pearson said. The roof will prevent heat from entering the
building, thereby reducing cooling needs on warmer days, Tepfer said.
The plants and grasses will also be drought-resistant and will not require irrigation, Tepfer said. Green roofs slow down and reduce the amount of run-off during rainstorms, and actually filter the water that does run off, which reduces pollution.
The roofing phase of the project will take place during the winter, Pearson said. After that is completed, the landscape architects will install the green roof.