Environmental Systems Design, Inc.

Environmental Systems Design, Inc. provides mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, life safety, and technology engineering, in addition to sustainability consulting services. Since 1967 it has developed an integrated approach to high-performance. Interdisciplinary engineering teams provide clients with customized engineering services that maximize productivity and efficiency. ESD emphasizes innovation, profitability, adaptability, and sustainability.

ESD is based in Chicago, Illinois, with offices and alliances in the Middle East and Asia.

Highlights

2011 – Kingdom Tower, The tallest building in the world is planned in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. ESD will be MEP/FP & Technology consulting-engineers, in partnership with the design team of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture and Thornton Tomasetti, on what is intended to be an icon for years to come.

2010 - IPD/BIM, IPD has gained popularity as a method for owners, contractors, and the design team to collaborate throughout the design and construction process to maximize overall value to the owner. The quality assurance management and BIM Building Information Modeling tools, when used with the IPD method, increase benefits for stakeholders and shareholders alike.

2009 – Allstate Data Center, uses a heat recovery system, converting rejected heat in the data center to power for cooling office space and day-lighting as far as is allowable with building and occupancy sensors for transient interior spaces. The data center achieves high energy efficiency, at least 20 to 30% better than present building codes, and LEED Gold status. This building also has a large reduction in potable water usage and utilizes waterside economizer, water source heat pumps, closed circuit evaporative fluid coolers, heat reflective roof system, ultraviolet make-up water treatment, energy start servers, and native landscaping.

2008 – Masdar Headquarters in Masdar City, in collaboration with Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, specific design features were developed to achieve a zero energy building. Design strategy included eleven sculpted glass environmental towers to create naturally-ventilated courtyards, structural trellis system for a large photovoltaic array, thermoactive foundation piling, underfloor air distribution, desiccant dehumidification, and solar powered central district cooling system.

2002 – Air column innovation with the Citadel Center, 131 South Dearborn project. This central system design utilizes underfloor air and includes static regain, redundant utility services, and a web-enabled building automation system. The air column mixes filtered and dehumidified air with warm air from ceiling to maintain 65 degree supply air through grills in the floor, improving air quality and enabling control at each workstation.

1995 – Exelon Thermal Technologies, ESD designed this first large scale ice storage district cooling system, considered the largest in the world. This included a 25,000 ton, chilled water generation plant which serves the chilled water needs of downtown customers via underground piping.

ESD & BIM

ESD utilizes a Building Information Modeling BIM platform across all market sectors. BIM elevates an engineers intuitive sense of building, as a 3-dimensional model transforms with the variations of data provided. Clash detection and spatial planning tools have proven effective, providing data that confirms constructability. ESD has pre-programmed Revit-based systems to embed parametric data to enable facilities managers to lower operating costs.

ESD’s interoperability with other commercially available building analysis, simulation, and facilities management software make this both practical and cost effective. ESD customizes the system, focusing on interoperability, with the goal that an engineer should never have to model the same space or component twice in multiple software applications.

Data Center Engineering

In 1967, the Chicago Board of Trade became ESD’s first client which included mission critical facilities design. Since then, ESD has specialized in data center design and collocation facility design for numerous clients nationwide. Some of the data centers designed include; Digital Realty Trust, CB Richard Ellis, Jones Lang LaSalle, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Savvis, and numerous others nationally.

Services that ESD Mission Critical Facilities group provides include: data center design, data center risk assessments, data center site selection and strategic planning.

Sustainability Consulting

ESD incorporates engineering solutions to reduce energy, waste and operating costs throughout a building’s life cycle. The internal Energy+Eco Services group at ESD follows a “Triple Bottom Line” approach, consisting of reducing costs associated with energy consumption and maintenance, as well as mitigating climate change by reducing carbon dioxide production.

ESD provides the following sustainability services:

• Energy audit
• Energy Star consulting
• Green Rating System consulting – LEED, Green Globes, Estidama
• Renewable Energy consulting
• Carbon Footprint consulting
• Energy Modeling
• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

Systems commissioning

ESD provides verification that the installed systems and energy conservation measures meet the owner’s requirements and perform at optimal levels according to the design documents. The firm is positioned to provide single source, diversified building commissioning consulting to clients.

Commissioning services include LEED Fundamental Commissioning, Enhanced Commissioning, Mission Critical Commissioning, and comprehensive feasibility studies.

Notable Projects

• Willis Tower
• Masdar City
• Kingdom Tower
• John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
• O'Hare International Airport
• Shedd Aquarium
• Mansueto Library
• Allstate Data Center
• Chicago Board of Trade
• Server Farm Realty Mega Data Center
• Chicago Midway International Airport
• Rush University Medical Center

Awards

• Allstate Data Center – Emerald City, ASHRAE ILLINOIS Chapter, 2010 Excellence in Engineering Award
• Nico Holdings LLC – 15th floor Award of Merit 2010 - Interior Design/Tenant Improvements
• CBS 2 Broadcast Center, Design Excellence Awards 2009 – Citation of Merit – Chicago Architect Magazine
• Prentice Women’s Hospital – 2009 National ASHRAE National Technology Award,
• Masdar Headquarters Abu Dhabi, UAE 2008 Construction Week Awards, Sustainable Design Award; 2008 Environmental Award, Cityscape Architectural Awards; 2008 Green Project of the Year, Middle East Architect Awards
• HSBC North American HQ Building, Mettawa, Illinois 2008 National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) Green Development Award
• St Xavier University O’Brien Residence Hall 2008 Illinois ASHRAE Excellence in Engineering Award
• Chase Tower Renovation, Chicago, Illinois 2008 Illinois ASHRAE Excellence in Engineering Award
• Center on Halsted, Chicago, Illinois 2008 University of California, Berkeley's Center for the Built Environment Livable Buildings Award Honorable Mention
• Allstate Data Center, Rochelle, Illinois 2008 The Executive Alliance Data Center Executive of the Year Awards Green Initiatives Project of the Year
• Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, Chicago, Illinois 2008 Illinois AIA Design Excellence Distinguished Building Award; 2008 Commission on Chicago Landmarks Award for Preservation Excellence
• Hyatt Center, Chicago, Illinois 2008 BOMA Chicago Office Building of the Year
• The Chicago Board of Trade Building, Chicago, Illinois 2008 BOMA International TOBY & Earth Awards Historical Building Category; 2007 City of Chicago Landmark Preservation Excellence Award
• Exelon Corporate Headquarters 2007 AIA Chicago Sustainable Design Excellence Award; 2007 ASHRAE Region VI Technology Award 2nd Place; 2006 Illinois ASHRAE Excellence in Engineering Award
• St. Xavier University Rubloff Student Residence Hall 2007 ASHRAE Regional Technology Award, Region VI; 2006 Illinois ASHRAE Excellence in Engineering Award
• Illinois Emergency Management Agency Operations Center, Springfield, Illinois 2006 Illinois Capital Development Board Pride in Partnership Award
• Exelon Pavilions, Chicago, Illinois 2006 ASHRAE National Technology Award, Honorable Mention; 2005 ASHRAE Region VI Technology Award 1st Place; 2004 ASHRAE Illinois Chapter Excellence in Engineering Award 1st Place