College of Business and Economics
Behind the Red Bricks Our Building Is Green
COBE
B O IS E S TATE U N IV ER S I TY
This building has been designed to an energy use standard that is nearly 50% better than current energy code requirements. Some of our green features are:
Geothermal Hot Water Heating and Snow Melt The building is heated with 165°F water delivered from the City of Boise’s geothermal hot water system. By using this natural resource we eliminate over 90% of natural gas use. The heat in the water not used for heating the building is used to melt snow on the main entrances and courtyard.
Frictionless Water Cooled Chiller Magnetic bearing technology in compressors eliminates the friction of a traditional chiller, increasing the overall efficiency of the cooling system and eliminating noise.
Green Roof
On the wings of the building, 5,120 sq. feet have a green roof system. Hearty native ground cover grows in trays with 6" 18
of soil. The green roof reduces the load of storm-water into the drainage system and reduces the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling. The living roof requires little water, is mowed once a year in the fall and is dormant in the winter.
Building Automation Controls
All the heating, ventilating and cooling systems and lighting in the building are controlled and monitored by a building automation system. The system resets temperatures during unoccupied and standby modes, adjusts the central heating and cooling plant for maximum efficiency, and utilizes an adaptive learning function based upon weather patterns for optimal startup of the building. Other green features like super-insulated walls, window glazing, low-flow plumbing fixtures and more are described on an interactive touchscreen on the first floor at the northeast entrance. The display also shows real-time and historical energy use. On this display, you can also find out your own carbon footprint.