This vignette is piece of a multi-part series that will highlight the work being done surrounding Washington State Executive Order 20-01. The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) has been working closely with Washington State for nearly two years to support agencies in their development of Zero Energy projects. ILFI has developed a toolkit of resources for project teams in the state to help them understand definitions around Zero Energy, build powerful teams, and set appropriate targets in order to make designing and building to Zero Energy a feasible goal. Each vignette will shine a light on a project, meeting, or event wherein Zero Energy work was the forefront of the conversation as teams work diligently to implement the Executive Order and achieve their Zero Energy goals.  

Project Name: Washington Secretary of State (OSOS) Archives Building

Event: Project Kickoff + Design Charrette

Date: October 22, 2019

Keywords: design charrette, local government

Representatives from Miller Hull Partnership present energy intensity baselines and preliminary targets for the project at the design charrette.

Highlights: The design team presented LBC concepts and took a deeper dive into the Energy and Water Petals to show what could be incorporated into the OSOS Archives Building. ILFI participated in the charrette activities as Miller Hull led the presentation and facilitated the discussions. The design team discussed energy targets they are aiming to meet through a rigorous design process (Image 1). The group used Post-It notes to write their vision for the Archives Building, focusing on high-level goals derived from the Executive Order and elsewhere (i.e. Zero Energy capable) (Image 2). Major categories that arose during this discussion were historical preservation/storytelling, resilience, healthy materials, and zero energy. The building owners had many questions answered and the charrette provided important alignment by bringing together many different parties, including ILFI, Miller Hull, OSOS, structural engineers, civil engineers, an archive facility designer, and more. 

Design charrette discussion about goals for the project. 

Next Steps: The project team at Miller Hull will synthesize and distill what was discussed at this meeting and apply it to various design concepts for the Archives Building. The team will focus on non-tangible goals (storytelling to highlight this facility) as well as more technical goals (net-positive energy, water). As they move into Schematic Designs, the team will reach out to agency members for additional feedback as a part of their integrated design process.

Written By

ILFI Staff

The International Living Future Institute’s mission is to lead the transformation toward a civilization that is socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative.