Together with design-build partner Gensler, Turner is building a Net Zero parking structure in Downtown Denver, which features on-site energy generation from rooftop photovoltaic panels.
DENVER: Turner Construction Company is pleased to announce that Denver Health and Hospital Authority has selected the firm to manage construction of a Net-Zero parking structure in the middle of Downtown Denver. The $25 million design-build project will feature a rooftop photovoltaic array and other green features that will enable the garage to operate 98 percent of the year with the electrical meter spinning backwards, selling power back to the local utility. For the remaining two percent of the year, the team has elected to employ a small 100A electrical service to charge the building’s DC battery system, rather than turning to natural gas.
“We didn’t start out building a Net-Zero project, but when we began the design-build process one of our major challenges was how to handle the power lines both adjacent to and feeding the structure,” explained Dan Wilder, Senior Project Manager for Turner. “To make it work, we would have had to bury the lines in the alley alongside the site, which was expensive, given their location and length. So we thought, what’s the alternative? And we worked with our partners to come up with something of which we’re all incredibly proud.”
He added that Turner worked closely with Turner’s design and trade partners to develop an off-grid, Net-Zero solution that met the client’s needs, saving approximately $2 million in construction costs in addition to the projected cost savings on future energy.
“We’re excited about this garage as a model for how to go off-grid while staying right in the middle of the action,” continued Dan, noting that it’s not common for Net-Zero Energy buildings to be located in urban settings. “It demonstrates that in addition to being the right thing to do, going green can be a cost saver during construction as well as long-term.”
About Turner Construction Company
Turner is a North America-based, international construction services company. Founded in 1902, Turner first made its mark on the industry pioneering the use of steel-reinforced concrete for general building, which enabled the company to deliver safer, stronger, and more efficient buildings to clients. The company continues to embrace emerging technologies and offers an increasingly diverse set of services. With an annual construction volume of $11 billion, Turner is the largest builder in the United States, ranking first in the major market segments of the building construction field, including healthcare, education, sports, commercial, and green building. The firm is a subsidiary of HOCHTIEF, one of the world’s leading international construction service providers. For more information please visit http://www.turnerconstruction.com.
