On Monday, June 28, historic preservation architect and principal Matt Chalifoux led government officials and media members on a tour of planned upgrades to the Birch Bayh Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Indianapolis, Ind. The $69.3 million, 32-month General Services Administration (GSA) project, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will transform the 105-year-old landmark property into a higher performing, greener building.

Planned improvements Chalifoux highlighted during the GSA-organized tour included:

• Installation of a rainwater harvesting system, which will supply water to the building's toilet fixtures and reduce city water usage by up to 30 percent.
• Introduction of a green roof that will cover 30,000 square feet, produce as much oxygen as 18 trees, help insulate the building and double the lifespan of the roof.
• Installation of more than 3,700 sprinkler heads, served by more than 10 miles of sprinkler line. The updated system will provide coverage for the entire building.
• Conversion of the building's 300 manual heating and cooling system controls to one digital control, which will allow for single-point control operation and improved air quality, comfort and efficiency. Utility bills can be reduced by up to 10 percent. The system will also allow for building managers to control the system remotely.

In addition, the design includes emergency power and handicap accessibility upgrades. The overall design embraces sustainable practices, with the goal of achieving LEED Certification.

EYP's Birch Bayh project team consists of Charles Enos, project director; Andrew Scott, project architect; Will Hartlep, on-site construction administration; Hormos Samimi, mechanical engineer; and Eb Najadifar, electrical engineer.

The Birch Bayh Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse currently houses more than 900 federal employees. Work is being carefully phased to minimize tenant disruption, as the building will remain occupied during construction.

"We're really faced with two big challenges on this project," said Chalifoux. "One, to allow tenants of the building to work unimpeded, and two, to add high-performance features to the building while preserving its historic character and beauty."

Considered a distinguished example of Classical Revival architecture, the Birch Bayh Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse was designed by architects John Hall Rankin and Thomas Kellogg, with construction completed in 1905. In 1974, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

"Matt and the project team have been instrumental in helping GSA carefully preserve this 100-year-old historic treasure while also fulfilling the Recovery Act's aims of upgrading this courthouse into a high-performance green building," said Charles G. Hardy, GSA Regional Recovery Executive, Great Lakes Region.

Hardy credits Chalifoux's ability to clearly explain details of the project to his professional background in design and architectural history. "Matt's come to know the Birch Bayh Courthouse so thoroughly," said Hardy. "He explained things in terms reporters quickly understood."

Shiel Sexton is the general contractor for the effort and estimates that up to 150 workers will be employed by the project by the end of 2010. Construction is scheduled for completion in August 2012.

• Read the Indianapolis Star's coverage on Birch Bayh's upcoming renovations
• Read the Indianopolis Star's coverage on Birch Bayh's "green makeover"
• Read the Indianapolis Business Journal's coverage on Birch Bayh's planned upgrades