ABSTRACT
Great River Energy, a non-profit public utility company, found a site for their new headquarters in Maple Grove, 15 miles north west of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Efficiency of space is an important factor when assessing building energy performance. As with the building design, the systems design also responds to and works with natural sources of energy available at the site. A 72 kWp roof-mounted photovoltaic array delivers an additional 99,000 kWh in a typical year, bringing the amount of on-site renewable energy supply to a total of 216,000 kWh, or 6–7 percent of the total annual energy use. By developing the design according to accepted guidelines for environmental response, the building presents itself with great clarity, but stops short of expressing a more detailed dialog with the environment. This design feature was enforced by making the east-and west-facing facades appear solid and opaque with only a few small windows accentuating the massiveness.
