A LEED Performance Report on the sustainable design and construction of the City of Austin's Mexican America Cultural Center

1. Mexican American Cultural Center
LEED Performance Report
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The following Performance Reports were created in accordance with Council Resolution 20071129-045. The
City of Austin is a recognized international leader in sustainable building practices in which municipal building
strive to conserve energy, water, and other natural resources while promoting human health and safety. The
holistic approach to architecture creates high-quality and enduring structures that enhance the economic
value and reduce the lifecycle costs of a building.
Design and construction of buildings are driven by the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC)
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines and promote these goals. The following
reports provide information about municipal buildings, highlight LEED credentials, and promote sustainable
building achievements.
City of Austin
Office of the City Architect
Peter Davis, AIA, LEED AP
Peter.Davis@austintexas.gov
Theresa Cascio
Silvia Calderon Laiton
Angela Cai
2018

3. REDUCES
ENERGY
CONSUMPTION
REDUCES
POTABLE
WATER USE
DIVERTS
MATERIALS
FROM LANDFILL
PROMOTES
ALTERNATIVE
TRANSPORTATION
IMPROVES
INDOOR
EXPERIENCE
IACP pg. 191
IACP pg. 11
IACP pg. 53
IACP pg. 187
IACP pg. 205
The following can be found in The IMAGINE AUSTIN Comprehensive Plan (IACP)

4. MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL
CENTER
600 River Street, Austin, TX, 78701
LEEDv2.2 BD+C: New Construction
AWARDED LEED CERTIFICATION JULY
2012
CASABELLA ARCHITECTS, DEL CAMPO & MARU,
THEODORA GONZALEZ DE LEON
The goal of the center is to preserve and celebrate the Mexican American heritage through the arts. The center
has space for community classes, an educational museum, and multimedia rooms for various cultural activities.
Located in the urban core of Austin, the Rainey District is on the brink of a shift in demographic. The new space
is considered brownfield redevelopment because its previous function was for vehicle maintenance. The
Mexican American Cultural Center fits with the changing neighborhood and new commercial and residential
development surrounding the site.
Because the site connects to the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail, design goals were to include a vast amount of
open space – 60 percent of the site is reserved for a green landscape. Reflective roofing materials, reflective
paving, and shade contribute to the quality of outdoor space and the reduction of a heat island effect. Recycled
and regional materials contribute to some of the building exterior, providing a welcoming aesthetic.
Design achieves maximum thermal comfort in large spaces such as the dance studio and classrooms. There are
two separate chilled water air handling units for the first and second floors which provides a cool and dry
environment in the very opposite climate of Austin. Occupancy controls and CO2 sensors allow for energy
saving, as well as thermal comfort.

6. MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER
600 River Street, Austin, TX, 78701
LEED CERTIFIED 2012
REDUCES ENERGY CONSUMPTION
1
2
3
Increased wall and roof insulation, and energy
efficient windows reduce conduction loss and
benefit heating in the winter months
The dressing room, restrooms, and storage areas
use lighting occupant sensor controls to switch off
the lighting when areas are unoccupied
A static pressure rest control system is incorporated
into the HVAC air distribution system to minimize fan
motor energy consumption
This annual savings
is equivalent to: 284Metric tons of
GHG emissions
31
Energy consumed
by
Per year
Acres of forest335
Carbon sequestered
by
28 Times
Driving around
Earth
37%REDUCTION
ENERGY USE
39%REDUCTION
ENERGY COST
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
STRATEGIES:

7. 1
2
3
REDUCES POTABLE WATER USE
Efficient low flow fixtures reduce the amount of
potable water used for waste water
Potable water is a valuable resource that can be
significantly reduced in the design phase of a
building
Reducing water consumption saves energy because
less water needs to be treated and pumped to end
users
Per year62
Drinking water
for
6,973 Flushes
per year
279 Bathtubs
This annual savings
is equivalent to: 11.2kGal of
water
37%REDUCTION
INDOOR
POTABLE WATER
USE
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER
600 River Street, Austin, TX, 78701
LEED CERTIFIED 2012
STRATEGIES:

8. DIVERTS MATERIALS FROM LANDFILL
1
2
3
Construction waste is a major element to consider
when diverting materials that go to the landfill
Reducing the amount of material needed and
recycling content can significantly decrease waste
Prefabricated components are another great method
of reducing material scraps and packaging
This savings is
equivalent to: 92Metric tons of
GHG emissions
10
Energy consumed
by
Per year
Garbage trucks5
Times
Driving around
Earth
9
80%REDUCTION
LANDFILL WASTE
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER
600 River Street, Austin, TX, 78701
LEED CERTIFIED 2012
STRATEGIES:
Concrete
68% 20%
Metal
10%
Wood
2%
Paper
A CLOSER LOOK
AT DIVERTED WASTE:

9. REDUCTION AND REUSE OF MATERIALS
1
2
3
Regionally extracted and manufactured materials
include the total cost of materials within a 500
mile radius
Pre- and post-consumer recycled materials include
structural steel, metal framing, steel doors and
frames, rebar, and more
Where does regional material come
from? Almost $150,000 of the material is
regionally purchased from within
500 miles of the site
Total Material Cost:
$768,050
19% Regional material:
$144,872
20% Recycled material Content:
$151,479
Recycled materials can include materials from the
structural components to the building’s finishes and
are important for preservation of the environment
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER
600 River Street, Austin, TX, 78701
LEED CERTIFIED 2012
STRATEGIES:

10. This savings is
equivalent to:
+ =
Alternative transportation includes:
7
Metric tons of
CO2 emissions
38Fuel-efficient
preferred parking
Bicycle stalls Miles of commuting
per year
41
101,558
PROMOTES ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION
1
2
3
Located in a high traffic area in Rainy Street Historic
District with many pedestrian friendly points of
access
38 bike stalls are available for 5% of transient
occupants
Vicinity to public transportation further
promotes alternative methods of travel
There are 3 Capital Metro lines
within 1/2 mile of the building.
5%
of Users have Access to Bicycle
Stalls
Bicycle stalls:
38
Total Peak Users:
740
5%
of Parking Reserved for
Alternative Transportation
Fuel-efficient Preferred Parking:
7
Total Parking Spaces:
133
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER
600 River Street, Austin, TX, 78701
LEED CERTIFIED 2012
STRATEGIES: What about shared transportation?

11. 100%SPACES WITH
OUTDOOR
VIEWS
IMPROVES INDOOR EXPERIENCE
1
2
3
The space temperature and outside air are
controlled by thermostats and carbon dioxide
sensors
Classrooms are equipped with manual switching
of alternate rows of fixtures that provides dual-
level lighting control
Access to views and daylight increase productivity
and satisfaction rates
1.3 TIMES THE REQUIRED
OUTDOOR AIR VENTILATION
Required:
1,788 cfm
Designed:
2,400 cfm
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER
600 River Street, Austin, TX, 78701
LEED CERTIFIED 2012

12. RESOURCES
Leedatx.com
USGBC
Website
usgbc.org/leed
Project Profile
usgbc.org/projects/mexican-american-cultural-center-ph-1a
Imagine Austin
Imagine Austin Vision
austintexas.gov/department/imagine-austin
Comprehensive Plan
ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/npzd/ImagineAustin/IACP_corrected2018.pdf
EPA
Waste Reduction Model
epa.gov/warm/versions-waste-reduction-model-warm#WARM Tool V14
GHG Conversion Calculator
epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
Public Works Department
Website
austintexas.gov/department/public-works
PWD Capital Green Infrastructure
austintexas.gov/page/green-capital-improvement-projects
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT
Office of the City Architect
Contact Us
pwdcityarchitect@austintexas.gov
Team
Peter Davis, AIA, LEED AP
LEED/Sustainability Project Manager
Peter.Davis@austintexas.gov
Theresa Cascio
Silvia Calderon Laiton
Angela Cai