HOUSTON ZOO HEADQUARTERS
Houston
BEST PROJECT
Sent by: O’Donnell/Snider Construction
OWNER Houston Zoo
LEADING DESIGN COMPANY Valent/ Architecture
GENERAL CONTRACTOR O’Donnell/Snider Construction
CIVIL ENGINEERING Walter P Moore
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING Thornton Tomasetti
MEP ENGINEERING Collaborative Engineering Group
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Venturi Outcomes LLC
Located next to the Texas Medical Center, the Houston Zoo’s newly constructed headquarters was designed with a focus on safety and sustainability.
The five-story, 145,925-square-foot facility, named HZHQ, earned LEED Gold certification thanks to its sustainable construction practices and the owner’s commitment to environmentally conscious operations within its Class A office space .This space consolidated administrative offices and employee parking while incorporating eco-friendly features designed to protect wildlife, such as bird-friendly glazing and sky-friendly lighting dark
The Houston Zoo has been an integral part of the city’s history since 1922 and now covers 55 acres. However, parking has long been a persistent challenge, so the headquarters building also features a five-story parking structure. This provides dedicated parking for zoo staff and increases parking capacity for zoo visitors.
Photo by Geoff Lyon Photography
Contractor O’Donnell/Snider Construction determined that complex logistical planning would be necessary for this project given the proximity of neighboring buildings and working in the midst of a world-renowned medical center while prioritizing visitor safety during construction. To further assist with this effort, and without dedicated installation areas, the project team relied on just-in-time delivery and a material storage system.
All zoo operations, such as the timely delivery of food for the zoo’s more than 6,000 animals, continued uninterrupted throughout the project through continuous dialogue and coordination with zoo rangers. For example, a meticulously planned five-phase approach to paving operations and site work also helped ensure zero disruption.
Since HHZQ also houses several animal exhibits, including a boa constrictor in the executive suite, an aquarium and poison dart frogs in the lobby, the procurement team took extra precautions to prevent access to the guest rooms. keeper once the animals were placed in their respective exhibits. .
Photo by Geoff Lyon Photography
In particular, HHZQ also has extensive water conservation measures. The addition of a garden for employees and a cistern that collects rainwater is expected to reduce the water used for irrigation by 76%. In addition, the use of low-flow plumbing fixtures is expected to reduce indoor water use by 40%.
Meanwhile, an energy-efficient design includes an efficient HVAC and surround system, making the building 24% more energy efficient than required by standard codes.
Because the active construction site was in close proximity to large crowds and live exotic animals, the construction team’s attention to cleanliness played a key role in this project. Potential dust, pathogens and debris could cause harm to these animals, so maintaining a clean and safe workspace was essential.
With the site’s proximity to the medical center, the team also liaised regularly with Memorial Hermann’s Lifeflight team to ensure there were no disruptions to helicopter operations, particularly when the project crane was going up.
