LA Federal Building cafeteria showcases sustainable technologies

Dec. 12—A new sustainable cafeteria has opened at the 300 N. Los Angeles Federal Building designed by the architecture firm Interactive Resources for the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). The project is a showcase of sustainable technologies in its design, construction and operation providing fresh, healthy and sustainable meal choices to the 1,750 federal workers, plus the many public visitors to the building. The project is attempting to achieve a LEED Platinum rating.

Energy-Efficiency
Resource conservation was a primary concern from the beginning of the project. The energy-efficient kitchen — containing 75 pieces of commercial food service equipment are all EnergyStar rated. The use of process water is minimized throughout, including an energy-efficient and water-efficient dishwashing system used in tandem with a composting system.

The project incorporates the latest advances in energy-efficient lighting and energy conserving controls, including dimmable fluorescent lamps for general illumination and LED technology for accent lighting, sconces and pendants to provide ambiance at very low energy cost. The greatest contribution to energy conservation from a lighting perspective may actually come from the controls, which provide for programmable scenes integrated with occupancy sensors and day lighting sensors. This allows the system to be fine-tuned for optimum output and energy conservation based on the time of day, outdoor lighting levels and occupancy.