MKK Portfolio

The History Colorado Center is located at 12th and Broadway in Denver, Colorado. The building includes office space, exhibits, collections/storage, educational areas, auditorium, and ancillary spaces. Including a below-grade level, the structure is five stories.

Efficient condensing boilers and a water-cooled frictionless magnetic chiller with a water side economizer heat and cool the building. The spaces utilize variable air volume air handling systems for the main exhibit spaces, offices, educational areas, and ancillary spaces. The traveling exhibit and the collection/storage areas use a constant volume system with a low energy atomizing humidification system. Ventilation air flows to the air handling units via a dedicated outside air unit with an energy recovery unit. The multi-story atrium houses a UL listed smoke exhaust system.

Energy efficient lighting and daylighting controls are used throughout the building. The networked lighting control system monitors, controls, and meters the installed lighting. Local controls allow occupants to adjust the required light levels according to their task. Occupancy sensors also serve as an automatic local shut-off throughout the building. Shade controls are incorporated into the daylighting model to account for sun glare and to reduce building heat load.

All the building control systems will be integrated into one building management system. This enables the owner to access the mechanical system controls, lighting controls, metering, and various alarm monitoring from one integrated web-based system. The scheduling and interaction between these systems allows the owner to maximize energy savings.

This building will also support a 250kw to 300kw photovoltaic (PV) system which will offset the building's already low energy usage.

This project was designed using Revit MEP, BIM 3-D modeling software, maximizing all discipline coordination and facilitating a reduction in change orders in the field.