Springfield architecture firm John Shafer and Associates resides in an award-winning dream office just south of the city’s downtown. The office was designed with a perfect recipie of energy efficiency, edgy design and sustainability, using geothermal for the 2,900 square foot building. Collins Plumbing Heating and Cooling, a Springfield area WaterFurnace dealer, and Congerville loop installer The Hole Deal — both GAOI members — did the geothermal installation.
The building is the equivalent of a high level LEED facility. The energy usage in the all-electric facility is nothing short of remarkable — incredibly low. “I’m trying to use this building as a case study in how to design, build and operate a small office building – a great tool for my company,” notes Shafer, a fan of utilizing geothermal systems in the facilities he designs.
In addition to the geothermal system and a tight building envelope, the facility takes great advantage of daylighting in the office/work spaces, LED lighting, recycled wood and a reflective roof covering. The building, located at 1230 S. Sixth Street in Springfield, received AIA’s Sustainable Design Award for 2010. It was featured in the July/August 2011 edition of Green Building and Design magazine.
John Shafer and Associates can be found at www.shafer-arch.com.
