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Education Facilities
Natural light and education facilities go hand-in-hand. Numerous studies have shown the benefit that access to daylight can have on student attentiveness and performance, teacher and staff wellbeing, and energy savings.
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UW Campus Utility Plant
Cladding Disguises and Beatifies a Utility Plant
Built at the center of the school's west campus, the Utility Plant is a unique illustration of the university's environmental stewardship.
Project Background
Central utility plants are usually out of sight, out of mind on most college campuses, but the University of Washington's West Campus Utility Plant (UWCUP) is a "magnet", drawing visitors from around the area to showcase the work it does in powering the west campus. Built at the center of the school's west campus, the Utility Plant is a unique illustration of the university's environmental stewardship.
The UW was able to reduce the environmental impact of the new utility plant by installing efficient equipment and through the design of the UWCUP building itself, which features 19,000 sq. ft. of the UniQuad® translucent wall system.
With the ability to both daylight interiors and reflect heat and glare simultaneously, UniQuad® is a sustainable feature for any building. At the UWCUP, the UniQuad® system reduces equipment load by shielding it from direct sunlight.
The Solution
Finding a system to provide light while hiding mechanical equipment
Architects at Seattle's The Miller Hull Partnership were originally looking at metal panels to shield the plant's rooftop equipment, but went with the UniQuad® system because it provided the shield they desired and illuminated the building simultaneously for a unique building aesthetic.
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Why UniQuad® was the right fit for the project
"Once we chose polycarbonate, there were a lot of products out there," said Architect Anton Dekom, AIA, ENV-SP, The Miller Hull Partnership, LLC, Seattle. "We went with UniQuad because it's an engineered system... and we were able to develop our own system."
UW's main campus utility plant has served the University for over 100 years, and campus architects were looking to get the same longevity out of the UWCUP. The Miller Hull team did extensive research on discoloration over time, comparing multiple polycarbonate products and existing product applications to each other.
"UniQuad was a perfect fit because it makes the building feel lighter, with more translucency," said Dekom. "We also like it because we were able to get really long panels - 47 or 48 feet tall - [which] allowed us to get a clean volume panel without a lot of joints. This feature allowed us to rely on the play of shadows to gain the interest of passersby."
All About Sustainability
As the gateway to the UW's west campus, the Utility Plant orients students and visitors physically, while also telling the school's sustainability story.
At the building's street level, LCD displays highlight University sustainability initiatives and UWCUP utilization statistics. The UWCUP is the first higher-education building in the United States to be Envision Gold certified, similar to LEED certification, which is awarded by an independent third-party rating system dedicated to promoting sustainable infrastructure projects.
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Related Articles + Case Studies
Select daylighting design information and project spotlights related to education facilities.
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Spoke Apartment Complex Parking Garage
Cladding on a Chicago parking garage hides the unattractive concrete structure underneath and provides ample ventilation - while standing out in the process.
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Rady Shell - San Diego Symphony
Uniquely designed translucent walls enclose service spaces and replicate the natural surroundings.
Contact Us
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UniQuad®
UniQuad® translucent polycarbonate wall systems provide both excellent thermal performance and soft, diffuse natural light.
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UniGrid™
UniGrid™ translucent panel wall systems feature a lightweight sandwich panel design with fiberglass reinforced polymer (FRP) face sheets that provide light control and privacy.
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PentaClad™
PentaClad™ systems offer an effective solution for enclosing non-conditioned spaces.
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UniQuad® Window
Unitized modular version of our custom UniQuad systems, optimized for small openings like clerestory applications.