Event at Rice Fergus Miller Office & Studio

West Sound Technology Association

High Tech Buildings: The Next Wave

Rice Fergus Miller Office & Studio 275 Fifth Street, Bremerton WA 98337

RESCHEDULED - February 2, 2012 5:30 PM  - 7:30 PM

Technology advances on many fronts - and the construction industry is no exception. Rice Fergus Miller completely renovated the former Sears Automotive Center, a 1948 building that was vacant for 23 years, for its new office and studio. The space is a laboratory for innovative design and experimentation, combining sustainable energy and water use features with the recycling of an abandoned and forgotten downtown building shell. Its LEED® (Leadership in Enviornmental and Energy Design) Platinum building will be the first of its kind on the Olympic Peninsula and the most energy efficient office building in the Puget Sound region by a factor of two.

Come learn how the next generation in building design impacts all phases of the building lifecycle - from site selection and design choices by the architects, new materials and building techniques, and even changes in maintenance and operations. Every step is to conserve energy, cause less impact on the environment and to lead to healthier offices and lower operating costs.

These buildings incorporate numerous passive and active technologies and computerized mechanical systems. Occupants no longer just use a space but instead become active stewards of their personal and collective environment. These advances in commercial designs are now leading the way for new standards in the residential industry and home building.

Cost: $10 for non-members | FREE for WSTA members... Current WSTA members: you have two free meeting passes on file. Invite your clients, colleagues, friends or family members to check out a meeting for FREE. Contact: 206-984-3509

Refreshments and monthly geek raffle prize for members. Registration is required to help us provide adequate refreshments.

Panelists• Jeremy Southerland, Rice Fergus Miller Senior Associate and project designer
• Greg Belding, Rice Fergus Miller Principal, initial project design
• Shawn Oram, Ecotope, Mechanical Engineer
• Dan Ryan - President of Tim Ryan Construction - performed the construction/remodel

Agenda

5:30 - 6:00 Registration, Networking and reception

6:00 - 7:00 Presentations by our panelists

7:00 - 7:30 Q &A

Location

275 Fifth Street, Suite 100
Rice Fergus Miller Office
Bremerton, WA 98337

The RFM new office is officially LEED Platinum! We have earned 91 points which is 11 points above the requirement for LEED Platinum.

Our Green Roof

Our new green roof garden is in, and it adds another sustainable element to our building.

There are two types of green roofs, intensive and extensive. Intensive roofs, which are thicker and can support a wider variety of plants are heavier and require more maintenance. Extensive roofs are covered in a light layer of vegetation and are less “intensive.”

The green roof system we have is the G3 Extensive Green Grid and is used for green roof projects that require a higher degree of aesthetic character. This system is composed of 18”x 24” trays, 4” deep and each tray holds 6 plants. Our garden has 108 trays that will cover 324 square feet and the vegetation consists of flowering varieties of sedums and chives.   The green roof garden is designed by Sirima Rajpreeja and was installed by Tim Ryan Construction.

Green roofs serve a few purposes for a building, such as absorbing rainwater, providing insulation, and helping to lower urban air temperatures and combat the heat island effect.

Other elements on our roof include a solar array, and five pairs of roof and overflow drains at the top of our rainwater collection system. Our roof is visible from the south facing window of the Norm Dicks Government Center.

What a Celebration!

Thank you to all of you who joined our opening celebrations last Friday. Enjoy a few photos...
(Photos by Kariba Photography, karibaphotography.com)

Join Us Tomorrow for Our Open House

Collaborate!

Another cool thing about our new space is the furniture it houses. We have seven bar-height collaboration tables we use for meeting, working, and gathering spaces all made here in Bremerton by Chris and Ryan Tincher. Chris is a general contractor and Ryan, a finish carpenter.

The tables are made from 2x2 ceiling furring salvaged from the building. The nail-hole discoloration comes from the furring strips having been nailed to the lath in their former life. Over years and a lot of moisture the discoloration adds to the history, texture, and beauty of the tables and, in turn, our space as a whole.

These collaboration tables, or boeufettes (buffets) as we like to call them, provide us a place to leave our desks and come together with fresh perspectives to an inviting space.

A Glimpse of Our New Space

Enjoy this glimpse of our new space, and plan to see it for yourself at our open house on Friday, June 24, from 3:00 - 6:00pm.
275 Fifth Street, Suite 100
Bremerton, Washington  98337