Westminster Rose Center (left) and Water + Life Museums (right)

IBE Projects Win 2008 American Architecture Awards

Chicago, IL – August 15, 2008
Two IBE projects, the Westminster Rose Center and the Water + Life Museums, received 2008 American Architecture Awards from the Chicago Athenaeum.

IBE worked with CO Architects on the 34,000 SF Westminster Rose Center in Westminster, CA, which consists of three large banquet halls with a full commercial kitchen, both connected to the main theater by a central lobby shared by both spaces. By approaching the costing as a whole building analysis, IBE with the design team was able to show the owner that a high efficiency system, which provides heating and cooling, and utilizes variable speed drives, and CO2 sensors to the lower off peak energy consumption, could be achieved with little to no impact on the project budget.

IBE provided MEP engineering services to Lehrer + Gangi Design + Building for the Water + Life Museums complex, the first museum project to attain a LEED® Platinum rating. The 85,000 SF campus is spread over eight buildings in Hemet, CA: two main exhibit and research centers, two meeting centers, a café, small auditorium and a larger auditorium capable of seating over 300 people. With this project, IBE was able to take a lead role within the design team and was able to implement improved glazing, insulation, the introduction of a central plant system, hybrid air-radiant systems consisting of air handling units, radiant floors and radiant panels, and displacement ventilation in the main exhibit areas. These enhancements not only contributed to significant energy reductions and LEED® certification, but also to improvements in occupant comfort and the architectural integration of the conditioning systems.

Founded in 1988, The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design is dedicated to the art of design in all areas of the discipline: architecture, industrial, and product design, graphics, and urban planning. The Museum's mission is the advancement of public education about the value of Good Design - from the "spoon to the city" - and how design can positively impact the human environment.

The Chicago Athenaeum has organized The American Architecture Awards for the past ten years as a way in which to honor the best, new significant buildings and landscape and planning projects designed and/or built in the United States and abroad by the most important architects and planners practicing nationally and internationally. This year, the 2008 Jury for Awards was held in Athens, Greece and the awarded projects for 2008 were selected by a distinguished group of Greek architects, museum heads, and journalists.

For more information on the 2008 awards, click here for the official press release.