For Immediate Release
May 16, 2022
Contact:
Linda Engler
Alfandre Architecture
231 Main Street
New Paltz 12561
845-255-4774
A Model for a Green Building Future - New Paltz Fire Station
On May 12, 2022, local and New York State political leaders, State Senator Michelle Hinchey, former State Senator Jen Metzger, Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan, Ulster County Legislator Eve Walter, Town of New Paltz Supervisor Neil Bettez, Village Mayor Tim Rogers, and Village Trustee and volunteer firefighter, William Wheeler Murray stood side-by-side with Cory Wirthmann, New Paltz Fire Department Chief, and Rick Alfandre of Alfandre Architecture to speak on behalf of the state's climate future. The New Paltz Fire Station is a model project in New York State supporting climate leadership and action for future generations.
Rick Alfandre describes the ultra-energy-efficient 16,000 sf New Paltz Fire Station, offering that the building will use substantially less energy than comparable buildings. This was a Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR) municipal project, in which Alfandre worked collaboratively with the Village and Town of New Paltz, the construction manager, Palumbo Construction Services, and five prime contractors to develop. The building is resilient and will accommodate all of the needs of the fire department for generations to come.
It is built with insulated concrete form (ICF) walls from footings to the roof. A reinforced concrete building, with insulation inside and outside and almost no thermal bridging or conductivity of energy through the walls. The roof system in the bay area is a steel frame and the office wing is framed with wood; both are super insulated. Air source heat pumps cool by running refrigerant into the building through air handlers. Or it is converted to hot water to heat the fire truck bay slab through radiant heat, making sure the heat is where it’s needed, all very highly efficient. Using an analysis through NYSERDA a determination was made that this was the most cost-effective and efficient way to heat and cool this building.
The installed energy recovery system brings in fresh air and exhausts stale air, allowing for a healthy indoor space for the occupants. The south-facing roof has been future-proofed for Solar PV, already in the planning stages. The Climate action plan for New York State is to assure that all electricity on-grid is renewable by 2040. This all-electric building is not emitting energy at the source or on-grid. Jen Metzger, on behalf of the NYS Climate Action Council (CAC), is leading the charge. Most immediate, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) has a 70 percent zero-carbon power goal by 2030.
Being a leader in the field of renewable energy is the focus of Rick Alfandre and Alfandre Architecture. New Paltz Town Supervisor Neil Bettez said “because we wanted a higher standard we reached out to Rick Alfandre.” “The bar needs to be set higher, we can’t just do the bare minimum, things need to change, we support making these changes universal.” Mayor Tim Rogers remarked that “we have on-the-ground experience with getting projects like this done, and are excited to do this again with our next capital project.”
For more information, please contact our office at 845-255-4774.
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Media coverage of the Firehouse Opening Ceremony:
For Immediate Release
October 28, 2021
Contact:
Linda Engler
Alfandre Architecture
231 Main Street
New Paltz 12561
845-255-4774
OPEN FOR BUSINESS – New Paltz Police and Courts Have a New Home
With a focus on air quality and energy efficiency, Alfandre Architecture has designed a new 2-story municipal facility within an existing pre-engineered metal building at 59 N. Putt Corners Road in New Paltz. The 16,800 SF building will house the Town of New Paltz Police Station, Courthouse, Court Offices and provide public meeting space.
The Police Department moved into their new offices in late September 2021 and is conducting day-to-day business from this location. Contractors are working on the finishing touches throughout the building in anticipation of court employees moving in soon.
The facility achieves its ultra-low energy use through the thoughtful coordination of multiple building systems, including increased insulation and air tightness, energy efficient utilities and state-of-the-art HVAC systems.
Increasing the overall insulation and airtightness of the former warehouse building was a priority to guarantee overall energy efficiency. Insulation values that meet or exceed NYSERDA requirements were achieved through improved air-sealing, installing new windows and doors and adding insulation to the walls and roof.
Water use is decreased by the installation of low-flow fixtures throughout the building. Low-flow fixtures are designed to save water and energy over conventional fixtures by using fewer gallons of water per minute.
Electrical use is reduced by the installation of LED lighting fixtures throughout the facility. LED lights consume 80-90% less energy than incandescent bulbs, emit less heat, produce more light, have a longer life, and are more durable. Additionally, occupancy sensors have been installed on each light switch to reduce the amount of energy that is used.
Using two separate fans and duct systems, the Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) draws fresh, clean air into the building and removes stale indoor air. A heat exchanger pre-heats (or pre-cools – dependent on the season) the incoming fresh air by transferring the energy between the air streams. In addition to retaining the temperature of the indoor environment, the ERV captures contaminants, pollutants, allergens and pollen; providing energy-efficient, healthy indoor air.
A Variable Air Volume (VAV) system is used throughout the building as well, modulating the temperature for each room. This system enables energy-efficient HVAC system distribution by optimizing the amount and temperature of distributed air. Occupancy sensors for HVAC functions have been installed so that heating and cooling occur when needed. Unlike other air distribution systems, VAV systems use flow control to efficiently condition each building zone.
This is truly an upgrade for the Town of New Paltz; it will be a place they will be happy to call home for years to come. We are proud of our role in this project and grateful to have been selected as the architecture firm on this project.
For more information, please contact our office at 845-255-4774.
