Renovation/Restoration -- Award of Merit: SIERR Building at McKinstry Station
To balance sustainable energy practices and historic preservation for a rail station project, McKinstry traveled to Washington, D.C., to get special permission for its design of the SIERR Building at McKinstry Station from the National Park Service. The approach kept 70% of all interior brick walls exposed in the most historically significant portions of the Spokane, Wash., building, while still providing insulation through a removable spray foam on the facade walls. Insulating the exterior was critical for occupant comfort and reducing the cooling load. For areas where the exterior wall could not be insulated because of historical requirements, the team used a system that includes the addition of fin-tube radiation. The approach keeps the uninsulated exterior surfaces warm, which increases occupant comfort.