pre-design phase schematic design phase construction documents phase design development phase construction phase occupancy phase
West Bend A Mutual Insurance Company: The Silver Lining

CASE STUDY: WEST BEND MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
————————  2005  ———————— ————————  2006  ———————— ————————  2007  ———————— ————————  2008  ————————
JAN—MAR   APR—JUN   JUL—SEP   OCT—DEC JAN—MAR   APR—JUN   JUL—SEP   OCT—DEC JAN—MAR   APR—JUN   JUL—SEP   OCT—DEC JAN—MAR   APR—JUN   JUL—SEP   OCT—DEC


timeline | schematic design (dec 2005–july 2006)



WEST BEND'S SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE

Stewardship, quality and continuity informed the decisions made during the schematic design phase of West Bend’s building addition.

Budget: Value rather than minimal cost drove budget decisions.

Schedule: Projected occupancy date dictated deadlines for bid packages and construction scheduling.

Teamwork: The architect, engineers, West Bend staff and We Energies worked together from the beginning of the process to develop a successful building design.

SOUND BITES
Randall D. Stark, Facilities Manager

SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE

The schematic design phase is where the structure begins to take shape on paper. The team meets frequently to review the schematic layout and incorporate efficiency and system strategies. They perform further research of design strategies like daylighting, and identify additional consultants that may be needed. . Sketches begin to include delineation of space requirements and relationships, and preliminary elevation studies and drawings of special interior spaces. The team reviews opportunities for shifting costs and time within the overall project.


SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE STEPS:

  1. Analyze the site and building orientation
    Look for opportunities to improve building performance by fully understanding the site.
  2. Analyze incorporating daylighting strategies
    Daylighting is simply the controlled use of natural light in a building. When paired with an efficient electric lighting system, daylighting can become a powerful high-performance tool to reduce energy use and increase comfort and productivity.
  3. Set lighting criteria
    Set target lighting power allowances for building occupancy and individual spaces. The lighting power allowance is expressed in watts/ft².
  4. Establish envelope performance
    Determine the insulation level (R-value) targets for walls, floors and roof elements as well as the heat loss limit (U-factor) for windows and skylights. Review the applicability of a cool roof or green roof for the project.
  5. Review mechanical alternatives
    Think in terms of reducing the heating and cooling loads on the building before selecting the systems themselves. System size can often be significantly reduced.
  6. Create a conceptual building design
    Base the conceptual building design on the analysis and the design criteria developed in pre-design and early schematic design.
  7. Evaluate the design performance
    Review the conceptual design against the goals and design criteria. Use energy simulation tools to assist in assessing design performance. See Energy Modeling to learn more about these tools.
  8. Document for team review
    Keep a record of design decisions and ideas as the process progresses. Document the assumptions that are being made about the way the building will operate. Make sure the team follows through on these assumptions in their design efforts.