Alliant Energy recognized West Willow Elementary of the Cedar Rapids Community School District in Cedar Rapids, Iowa as a recipient of the 2022 Excellence in Energy-Efficient Design Awards for outstanding efforts to reduce energy use.
Recipients are selected from projects whose designers participated in the Commercial New Construction program offered by Alliant Energy and MidAmerican Energy Company. The program provides energy design assistance and energy efficiency incentives to commercial customers for new construction, additions and renovation projects in areas the two utilities serve.
West Willow Elementary opened in 2021. OPN Architects and Design Engineers P.C. designed the school, and it achieves 41% annual energy savings. The project includes a high-performance building envelope designed with sensitivity to thermal breaks. A geothermal heat pump system distributes hot and cold water to fan coils throughout the building. Total energy recovery ventilators also minimize energy consumption for ventilation air. To reduce reliance on artificial light, common public spaces make use of natural lighting, and internal windows allow daylight to penetrate deep into the building.
Alliant Energy presented the award at the 2022 American Institute of Architects Iowa Convention.
Alliant Energy is proud to partner with Willdan and MidAmerican Energy for the Commercial New Construction program. Alliant Energy and its partners are grateful to the American Institute of Architects for continuing to recognize and celebrate energy efficiency.