The LKPB Portfolio Viewer requires JavaScript and the Flash Player. Get Flash here.
Size: 13,000 SF main building
2,780 SF maintenance building
Award: 2009 Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal Best in Real Estate Award, Recreation Division
Silverwood Park Visitor Center
Three Rivers Park District
Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Three Rivers Park District's desire for the Silverwood Park Visitor Center was to showcase and promote sustainability and
reduce their day-to-day operating costs. With that in mind, LKPB set its own project goal - reduce the building's overall impact
on the environment while presenting a sustainable building to the community.
After a cost analysis comparing various types of heating and cooling systems, a geothermal heat pump system was selected. The analysis included soil bore
testing from the construction site. Along with having low operating costs, a geothermal heat pump system would promote the park district's desire to incorporate
sustainable practices into the design of the building.
Renewable Energy
Project
The geothermal heat pump system (see photo) is a closed-loop type consisting of 52 vertical wells extending to a depth of nearly 200 feet below the parking
lot that sits on top of it. The maintenance garage at the park has a separate geothermal system containing four wells. The design of the Visitor Center
follows the State of Minnesota Sustainable Building Guidelines.
