Achieving the stringent performance required by the three rating systems pursued by the project—ZCB, LEED Gold, and Passive House—was no easy feat, especially given the distinct operational requirements of the typology.
Fire halls operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Not only must heating, cooling, lighting, and ventilation remain operational at all times, these loads are significant when considering the energy-intensive equipment on-site, including specialized IT and communication tools. In addition to energy-usage, the issue of airtightness—a fundamental Passive House design strategy—was complicated by having several apparatus bays with overhead doors.
