For Immediate Release: June 13, 2008
HGA Wins National Award - Public Works Project of the Year
Rochester, MN - HGA Architects and Engineers (HGA) has won a national 2008 Public Works Project of Year Award for the Graham Arena Complex at the Olmsted County Fairgrounds in Rochester, Minn. Sponsored by the American Public Works Association (APWA), the award cited the ice arena for innovative use of geothermal cooling technology in the Structures category for public projects.
HGA employed state-of-the-art, energy-efficient geothermal technology to develop a new ice arena, Graham IV, connected to three existing arenas within the Graham Arena Complex. The award-winning project includes the new 140-by-240-foot ice rink, common spaces, parking upgrades, and a 9,000-square-foot lobby that connects the four arenas.
The ice arena's "green" solution uses geothermal energy to reduce fossil-fuel use, greenhouse-gas emissions, and operation-and-maintenance costs. The geothermal system consists of nearly 45 miles of networked tubing between the ground exchangers and the rink piping. The technology converts the earth's constant 56-degree temperature into renewable energy to fuel the ice-cooling systems as well as heat the common areas through "waste" heat extracted from the ice pumps.
The project is the first North American conversion of an existing ice arena to geothermal technology, which replaces the 40-year-old ice-making equipment and natural gas furnaces.
The building also uses such energy-saving devices as high-efficiency water heaters; multilevel high-efficiency fluorescent lighting; and occupancy sensors for room lighting. Overall energy savings equal 50 to 60 percent over the old system.
The project meets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System Energy and Atmosphere prerequisite and credit.
In addition to HGA as lead architect and engineer, the project team included Met-Con Construction, Faribault, Minn., general contractor; and Harty Mechanical, Austin, Minn., geothermal contractor.
The American Public Works Association is an international educational and professional association of public agencies, private sector companies, and individuals dedicated to providing high-quality public works goods and services. The Graham Arena Complex is managed and operated by the Rochester Park %26 Recreation Department.
:: View Olmsted County, Graham IV Ice Arena
HGA Contact: Julie Luers (612) 758-4000 e-mail JLuers@hga.com
Media Contact: Melinda Peffer, The Hoyt Organization (310) 373-0103 e-mail mpeffer@hoyt.com