A sustainable Leed Platinum buildingA sustainable development could be defined as a self-sustaining project capable of meeting current and future demand without compromising future resources. Sustainable development can be defined as the Research Support Facility in Golden, Colorado. This ultra-high performance building incorporates several design innovations, renewable strategies and excellent performance, so high that it will use only 50% of the energy it would use if designed using traditional methods. This sustainable development, owned by the U.S. Department of Energy, has also earned LEED Platinum for New Construction certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. More than 220,000 square feet of high-performance, cutting-edge technologies were combined to produce this sustainable development which is expected to be completed by 2011.Sustainable Development: RSF Project TeamThis sustainable development was built by a team of excellent contractors and construction professionals design. Led by Colorado's Haselden Construction, in partnership with Stantec and RNL Design, the team won a $64 million sustainable development competition. With a design-build approach, the team planned an innovative approach using integrated design and extensive planning, reducing risks and lowering construction-related costs. The final team consisted of: Contractor: Haselden Construction Architects: RNL Design Interior design: RNL Design Mechanical engineer: Stantec Consulting Structural engineer: KL&A Engineering, Golden Office Electrical engineer: Stantec Consulting Civil engineer: Martin / Martin, Inc. Owner: US Dept. of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colo. Architect: RNL, Denver MEP Engineer: Stantec, San Francisco Civil Engineer: Martin / Martin, Lakewood, Colo. Structural engineer: KL & A, Denver Design-build contractor: Haselden Construction, Centennial, Colo. Subcontractors include: Trautman & Shreve (mechanic), Denver; Weifield Group (electrical), Denver; Rocky Mountain Prestress (precast concrete), Denver; J.R. Butler (glazing), Denver; OfficeScapes (modular furniture), Denver; Paxton & Vierling Steel (steelmaker), Carter Lake, Iowa; Architectural Energy Corp. (LEED, daylighting and commissioning consultant), Boulder, Colorado; Technology Plus (IT and AV Consultant), Aurora, Colorado.Characteristics of Sustainable DevelopmentThis 220,000 sustainable development has been able to showcase these remarkable characteristics:1. Building Orientation: This H-shaped sustainable development maximizes north-south exposure. It provides excellent daylight and natural ventilation almost everywhere in the building. The 25% window-to-wall ratio, after extensive modeling and cost analysis, helps regulate interior temperatures.2. Thermal Mass and Thermal Labyrinth: A massive concrete basement will allow heat to be released during the winter months or cool air to be released to reduce high summer temperatures. The massive S-shaped basement will direct air into labyrinths two floors above and travel along ventilation shafts. The northern section of this sustainable development will be used for heating, while the southern section will be used for both heating and cooling.