Students may submit Requests For Information (RFI) to obtain clarifications or resolve any ambiguities. RFIs and the answers from the competition committee will be posted as they are received.

Student teams, who directly contact the owner and/or occupants of the building, will be disqualified from the competition.

Submit your RFIs to Catherine Tehan, AEI Director.

Q: The Carson headquarters, as they stand now, exists as two buildings connected by a bridge. Do considerations need to be made for this connection as a possible addition in the future, or are we to assume that the building will be entirely standalone for the sake of this competition?

A: Teams should assume the building will be standalone for the sake of the competition.

Q: Are you able to provide us with the land survey for the property at 14600 Branch Street to obtain a legal description and topographical database elevations.

A: There is no additional land survey information. AEI ISDC Committee is working to get utility connection information urgently, and the information will be sent to registered teams as soon as available. Teams should assume that the site has been roughly leveled by the Developer.

Q: Is the site included in the project scope? For example, are teams expected to design the site/parking lot lighting design?

A: The parking lot and construction should be included in this project. Any site work/landscaping should also be included.

Q: AEI Challenge 1, Building Envelope Performance Optimization, discusses minimum improvement over IECC 2021 standards. The proper energy conservation code for the governing jurisdiction of Omaha, Nebraska is IECC 2018. Are the IECC 2021 design standards intended to be used for the envelope only, or should the entire building follow IECC 2021 requirements per this challenge? Please let us know which code is appropriate for the overall building design (excluding the envelope performance).

A: Teams should conduct a Code Review for local codes and regulations. IECC 2021 is used in the Building Envelope Challenge for benchmarking purposes.

Q: What disciplines are accounted for in the total project construction budget of $56 million? Does this account for mechanical, electrical, structural, and architectural construction? Please let us know which systems this budget applies to, and if architectural costs should be included in this budget number.

A: The budget of $56 Million is the construction budget.

Q: The Building Envelope Performance Optimization Challenge Rubric states a minimum 30% improvement over energy standards, but the AEI ISDC Competition Addendum states a minimum 50% improvement over energy standards. Please clarify the required percentage improvement over IECC 2021 and ASHRAE 90.1 2019.

A: The rubric reduction percentage is correct. Updated addendum will be sent to registered teams indicating that the Building Envelope Performance Challenge should state “minimum 30% improvement over IECC 2021.”

Q: Is a site noise model available? We would utilize a site noise model for acoustical considerations of the envelope. Please provide a site noise model if available.

A: There is no site noise model available. Teams should investigate the site conditions and make assumptions as necessary.