CI Design Headquarters

Tilt-up retrofit boosts building efficiencies while cutting costs

This 30,000-square-foot office and warehouse building was designed for a computer solutions manufacturing company. The project offers a prime example of how designers can work with a tilt-up concrete box to create a green building on a limited budget.

Located in the Irvine Spectrum, the building consists of a two-story glass office section attached to a large one-story warehouse. Designers took advantage of north-facing offices, the elevation most protected from solar heat gain and glare, to harvest abundant natural light. Interior walls are held back from exterior windows so that all employees can appreciate daylight and outside views. At the east and west, limited glass exposures are shielded by metal louvers that are functional and add an interesting design identity.

Daylight is also brought into the warehouse, where natural light is equally important for worker comfort and well-being. Punched windows pull in sunlight along the east and west faces. Vertical metal sunshades control glare and work with the metal louvers.

Both the office areas and warehouse space are engineered to be conditioned with natural ventilation from prevailing southwest breezes. Advanced lighting controls supplement the natural daylighting and further reduce energy demands. These sustainable measures make the building more efficient to operate and maintain and resulted in a 33 percent improvement over the state’s Title 24 energy requirements.