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Mix was hired by SolWorks Energy to assist them with an extensive photovoltaic installation at the Weld Hill Research Building at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.
The Weld Hill Research Building, designed in 2008 by Kling Stubbins, boasts a lovely outdoor dining terrace for researchers and staff. It suffers from too much sun on sunny days, making it and the offices that have windows onto it much too hot. Installation of 155 PV panels on a canopy will serve as a portion of the PV installation on site as well as much-needed shading for the terrace and offices.
Designed with composite C-channel steel with wood inserts, the installation is in keeping with the existing research building. It features shaped concrete piers supporting the outer columns and careful facade detailing to allow the steel canopy structure to penetrate the building’s envelope and be supported by its steel structure. The facade detail includes special attention to both waterproofing and flashing as well as using a fluid-applied thermal break to negate the thermal bridging due to the connection between the exterior steel of the canopy and the interior steel of the building’s structure.
Mix provided architectural services as a consultant to SolWorks Energy including design, envelope engineering, and presentation.