Summary
This elegant flagship car dealership is worthy of efficient, yet uncompromising mechanical systems. An expansive two-storey feature wall enclosing the South side of the showroom gallery causes significant heating and cooling loads. Other spaces comprising the 25,500 ft2 facility include offices, locker rooms, a cafe, part storage, and a fourteen bay service area. The design solution boasts fourteen separate zones served by a forty-eight hole geothermal system complete with in-slab, radiant heating and cooling. Fan coils in the ceiling space ensure proper ventilation and occupant comfort. All three air handling units on the roof are all equipped with heat recovery, and thirty-six solar thermal collectors heat cold outdoor air to reduce natural gas consumption. The result is an estimated sixty-four ton reduction in annual greenhouse gas emissions. The federal government's Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance, which lets businesses depreciate the value of green systems quicker than traditional elements, justified the extra costs of geothermal.
