Cowell Ranch Hay Barn Project Featured in ASHRAE Journal

The September 2018 issue of the ASHRAE Journal featured the 150-year-old Cowell Ranch Hay Barn Retrofit project as Technology Award Case Studies Honourable Mention. The Cowell Ranch Hay Barn sits situated on the University of California Santa Cruz campus as the headquarters for the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.

The article examines the unique energy efficient characteristics retrofitted into the skeleton of a preserved historic landmark. Energy strategies to accomplish ultra-low energy use intensity (EUI) included the use of photovoltaics, tight building envelope, skylights and windows, natural ventilation and high-efficient heating HVAC systems.The building is extremely energy efficient with an EUI of 10.8, roughly one fifth of that of the typical university building.  Introba (formerly Integral Group) provided the designs for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, as well as LEED documentation and commissioning for the project.

The project serves as a testament to how retrofitting existing buildings to integrate energy efficiency can reduce carbon emissions at a level equivalent to, and in some cases at a higher capacity than, new green buildings.

Read the article here to find out more.