Industrial Engineering Projects

Sun MicroSystems

Interface provided mechanical and electrical design for the shell, core, and tenant improvements on this 88,000 SF building, 66,000 SF of which is a state-of-the art production area. Fast-tracked to meet Sun’s manufacturing schedule, the project was completed in just six months, well short of the average 12-18 months it takes to design and construct a building of similar stature. One of the primary cooling challenges for the HVAC system design was the tremendous heat load expected to be generated by test operation of the servers. Building insulation was actually reduced below code requirements to save energy, since insulation helped retain heat instead of allowing it to escape. Redundancy was provided through two back-up HVAC air handlers, a looped design for ductwork and 13 HVAC units operating in parallel. All told, the building contains 1,690 tons of air conditioning equipment. Interface met the building's need for extremely high power density needs of more than 150 watts per SF as well as energy code compliance issues by designing an electrical service with four 3,000 Amp main panels and over 300 local panels. Interface determined the plant needed higher light levels and better color rendering for detailed manufacturing and assembly tasks. High efficiency fluorescent luminaires were chosen over traditional metal halide lighting to provide good color rendition, a better lumen maintenance factor and minimal shadowing. A highly reflective floor covering was selected to increase the foot candle level at work surfaces. Dual-level programmable controls allowed lighting in unused areas to be shut down or reduced as necessary.

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