As part of the Denver Federal Center’s (DFC) sustainability initiative, Atkins provided civil engineering design services for two new photovoltaic (PV) fields, one located at the southeast corner of the campus and the other located along its northern boundary.

Because one of the PV fields is located in a highly visible location adjacent to DFC’s main entrance, Atkins designed the site to reduce its environmental and visual impact and complement the natural features of the site and surrounding landscape. Using landscape materials indigenous to the area, Atkins’ design features plantings and landforms to seamlessly incorporate the array into its surroundings while maintaining its functionality.

In addition to the two PV fields, Atkins also provided civil engineering site design for 15 carport structures with roof-mounted PV arrays built in the parking lots of four buildings. The output of the arrays ranges from 46Kw to 99Kw, with a combined total generating capacity of 3 MW. And, because this $17 million design-build project had to meet the requirements of Section 438 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), Atkins performed a rigorous hydrologic and hydraulic analysis which led to design of a detention pond system beneath the solar panels and permeable pavement detention storage within the parking lot.

• Ecological services
• Environmental permitting
• Environmental planning
• Landscape architecture
• Infrastructure engineering
• Sustainability

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