Mount Vernon Library Commons: Tour and Lessons from a Publicly Bid Passive House Project
Join us for an afternoon presentation and tour of the recently completed Mount Vernon Library commons in historic downtown Mount Vernon!
The Mount Vernon Library Commons is a 133,000 SF, all electric, $61M facility that is one of the first publicly bid Passive House certified project in the Country. The building is comprised of a Library, Community Center, and Commercial Kitchen on the first level, with three levels of structured parking above.
Julie Blazek, Partner with HKP Architects will lead the presentation and tour. During this event, we will review the detailing of insulation and control layers, controlling thermal bridges, HVAC systems, site energy, and WUFI modeling results. In addition, the Design Team review some of the changes that needed to be made during construction when supply chain issues arose, or space limitations required modified detailing and materials. We will also cover the blower door testing results and a few things the Design Team did to engage the construction trades, most of which had never heard of Passive House, so that they better understood the importance of the air sealing and protecting of control layers.
The concrete, which constitutes 55% of the overall building materials, has been designed to reduce its GWP by over 40%, changing the way the Design Team, the local suppliers, and the contractor approached the project. Its overall Global Warming Potential (GWP) reduction is estimated at 40% from traditional construction.
We’ll dive into the 76 EV Charging stations and opportunity to increase the quantity in the future, as well as the Solar Panels which are designed to provide approximately 20% of the building’s energy needs.
Please come prepared with comfortable walking shoes as we walk the interior of the Library and Community Center, site, and Parking Garage.
*The project is Phius Passive House Design Certified and pending final Phius Construction Certification.
Parking: The Parking Garage is open for parking and is free. Should you have an electric vehicle, there are also EV Chargers throughout the parking garage available for us. The Parking Garage entrance is off of S. 3rd Street, just to the east of the building.
Accessibility: The project complies with A117.1-2009 and there is plenty of accessible parking in the building, along with elevators. If assistance is needed, please reach out to AIA Northwest Washington so we can provide additional information or assistance.
COVID Safety: AIA Seattle recommends masking as a demonstration of community care.
This program includes continuing education credit (submitted for 1 HSW). All sessions and speakers subject to change.
