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Council directs design of new Fire Station 2 to be net‑zero ready; staff to return with designs and costs
Summary
Ames City Council directed architects to design the planned Fire Station 2 so it is net‑zero ready (with optional solar) after reviewing cost estimates; council approved the direction despite a notable incremental cost because it prioritized climate goals and futureproofing.
The Ames City Council on Aug. 12 directed staff and the architect to design the planned Fire Station No. 2 to be net‑zero ready — that is, built to accommodate geothermal and advanced HVAC systems and sized so solar could be added later to achieve net‑zero energy — rather than building to standard code only. Staff showed three costing scenarios (basic, net‑zero capable, and net‑zero ready plus solar) and recommended that the council choose a future‑proofed design; the council voted in favor by a narrow voice vote (one explicit no).
Staff presentation and options
City staff and BRW architects reviewed three options: a non‑net‑zero baseline facility built to code with modern HVAC and room‑level controls; a “net‑zero capable” building that includes extra square footage and mechanical design allowances to accept future ground‑source (geothermal) systems; and “net‑zero ready” that adds additional mechanical…
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