Nurturing Net Zero

The 87,300 square foot Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Office Building recently completed a 12-month Zero Net Energy operation monitoring period. As anticipated through Integral Group’s modeling efforts, the photovoltaic (PV) energy produced and captured on site exceeds the amount of energy used during full occupancy, verifying this project is operating at Zero Net Energy.

Integral Group worked with local Bay Area architect HPS to combat the design challenges associated with developing an energy-efficient medical facility with strict budget constraints. As part of the process, the Integral team modeled the energy consumption of an all-electric HVAC system versus that of traditional gas boiler. The models led the team to opt for an all-electric Thermodynamically Zoned Heat Pump (TZHP) system, eliminating all gas piping to and through the site. Eliminating this piping resulted in savings of one million dollars in first costs during construction, and the all-electric operation ensured the building can be dubbed Zero Net Carbon in addition to Zero Net Energy.

This three-story medical office building includes facilities for primary care with space for 40-45 health care providers. Integral Group provided mechanical, electrical and plumbing design services for the project, as well as sustainability consulting, energy modeling, and most recently, measurement and verification. To achieve Zero Net Energy Certification, a building’s owner must supply 12 months’ worth of energy data to prove that 100% of the building’s energy needs are supplied by onsite renewable energy on a net annual basis. Due to the recent Zero Net Energy Measurement & Verification, the project is now capable of registering for ILFI Zero Energy, as well as the LEED Zero certification.

If you have questions about this project please reach out to John Andary here.