The Garfield Heights branch was a newly constructed 30,000 sq. ft. public library situated on a tight site near the civic campus. The building features a predominantly glass façade and a roofline that crests over the hill of the site. The close proximity of the library to the surrounding neighborhood was an important consideration when selecting mechanical and electrical equipment. An ultra-low sound outdoor air handling unit and emergency generator with sound attenuated enclosure were installed within an acoustical screen to minimize disturbance to the neighbors.

Inside the building, an underfloor air distribution system maintains the comfort of occupants within the library. This type of system provides superior indoor air quality because supply air is delivered at the floor, then removes contaminants in the space as it rises to the ceiling. Flexibility for future space planning is also achieved simply by moving vents within the raised floor system. In addition to the HVAC, all electrical and tele/data were run under the floor with modular components allowing for future configurations of the space.

Tec Studio Inc. completed the lighting design for the library. The design required thoughtful consideration to maintain the LEED goals and remain budget-conscious, while still providing a high level of design to meet the architectural concept for the space. All fixtures incorporate digitally addressable controls also provide superior performance for the daylight harvesting system by allowing an individual response from each luminaire. The lighting power density for the project is 16% below ASHRAE/IES 90.1 requirements.