YWS America
5005 West Patrick Lane
Las Vegas, NV 89123
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YWS, a Las Vegas-based design firm founded by Tom Wucherer and Jon Sparer, is a leader in leisure design and architecture, including hospitality, gaming, dining, and entertainment. YWS America's headquarter building is located in Las Vegas, Nevada. The building is owned, operated, and occupied by YWS. Completed in 2003, the 9,175-square-foot (852-square-meters) building includes several enclosed offices, two conference rooms, and the collective workspace where the majority of the architectural design and production work is done. The YWS spaces are divided into several comfort zones, with thermostats located in the conference rooms, collective workspace, and enclosed offices to provide a high level of temperature, ventilation, and lighting control, while promoting the productivity, comfort, and well-being of staff members. The large windows on the north wall and four skylights above the collective workspace provide a connection between the indoor spaces and the outdoor environment. Being constructed out of concrete tilt-up walls, the south walls of the building intentionally lack windows as a measure to reduce the summer heat gain, helping to temper the extreme desert temperatures.
Although the building was originally designed with several inherently sustainable qualities, YWS recognized that there would be several challenges that would need to be met in order to earn the ENERGY STAR for superior energy performance. Prior to establishing any energy efficiency strategies, the building was retro-commissioned to ascertain and document the actual condition of all systems within the building. YWS ascertained that the actual structure of the building had been built in a sustainable manner, and modifications should only be performed to reduce energy use or to produce renewable energy.
To determine which modifications should be made, the YWS team conducted an analysis of the current mechanical system and evaluated options to modify and/or replace its units. They discovered that the building's mechanical system, initially provided as a design-build contract, was very inefficient. Based on the available data, they concluded that it would be impossible to modify the mechanical units to meet the current minimum energy efficiency required, while it would be cost-prohibitive to replace them with higher efficiency rated units. As a result, YWS began to analyze options for improving lighting efficiencies and incorporating renewable energy production to offset the inefficient mechanical units.
During the analysis phase, the team discovered that lighting energy usage accounted for about 30 percent of the total energy used by the building. To reduce this consumption, the entire lighting system was upgraded to low wattage LED lamps and low wattage fluorescent tubes. This helped to reduce the power consumption by 50,000 kwh annually, as well as eliminated the indirect heating load caused by the 150 incandescent lamps that were removed. To achieve additional energy reduction, a 28-panel five-kilowatt AC photovoltaic system was installed on the roof. This system also utilizes a micro-inverter technology which allows for individual control of each panel as well as online monitoring and alerts. This collector will produce 10 percent of the building's annual energy needs.
YWS also developed a Tenant Operations and Maintenance Manual that is designed as a "living" document and will be continuously revised and updated. This manual, in electronic form, covers all policies created to achieve the ENERGY STAR, as well as other sustainability initiatives to keep our work environment healthy, sustainable, and safe.
Communications:
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Testimonial:
"When we decided to pursue the ENERGY STAR for our office building, we were pleased that the intuitive thought process YWS used in the initial building design were inherently energy-efficient design practices. The building design, not developed with ENERGY STAR principles, was very adaptive to ENERGY STAR standards."
Please note: Narrative information in this profile has been provided by YWS America or a representative of this facility. Other building information was verified and submitted to EPA at the time of application. Building energy performance, operating characteristics, and ownership/management may be subject to change over time.
Building Owner:*
YWS America
Property Manager:*
YWS America
Year(s) Labeled (Rating):
2010 (79)
2011 (81)
Facility Type: Office
Total Floorspace: 9175 sf
Year Constructed: 2003
Contract Type: None
Technologies Used:
| Stage 1-Recommissioning |
| Stage 2-Lighting |
| Stage 3-Load Reductions |
| Stage 4-Fan Systems |