A new tenant is joining the energy ecosystem development centered in the South Landing area of Spokane’s University District. 

The Spokane office of Swinerton Builders, a commercial general contractor based in Concord, California, is leasing the entire fourth floor of the Scott Morris Center for Energy Innovation, at 12 N. Sheridan. The 9,000-square-foot space will be one of the first to implement energy and efficiency products developed in collaboration between Spokane-based Overcast Innovations LLC and Armstrong World Industries Inc. The Scott Morris Center is a four-story, 40,000-square-foot building that houses a central energy plant that powers the South Landing buildings.

Tenant improvements are underway and expected to be substantially completed by late November, with move-in toward the end of the year. 

Allie Teplicky, a principal with Seattle-based Emerald Initiative LLC, which represents the ownership group for the Catalyst Building and the Scott Morris Center, says the company is looking forward to seeing the buildout of the space using the innovative, energy-efficient products created by its partners. 

“The initial vision for the South Landing was always that it would be a living laboratory (where) we could test out new technologies and ideas, especially when it comes to the built environment,” Teplicky says. 

Swinerton will act as a general contractor for the improvements. Energy and efficiency system designer and contractor McKinstry Co. will provide all mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and technology integration. The Spokane office of BCRA Inc. is designing the project; Overcast Innovations, a subsidiary of McKinstry, and Pennsylvania-based Armstrong World Industries will provide configurable Cloud and Modular Grid Platform panels and energy-saving assemblies to the suite. 

Teplicky says the hope is for the new Swinerton office space to serve as a showcase to potential clients and partner companies for the implementation of new technologies. 

Swinerton couldn't be reached immediately for comment. In a press release, Jeremiah Shakespeare, Inland Northwest division manager for Swinerton, expressed that the decision to move to the South Landing campus from its current location at 1005 W. Ninth was inspired after “witnessing the great work that has already been performed.” 

He adds, “The chance to work with a team focused on moving our industry and communities into the future is something we didn’t want to miss out on.” 

As reported by the Journal of Business, Overcast Innovations, located at 9470 W. 21st, north of Spokane International Airport, engineers and manufactures ceiling panel and tubing systems dubbed Cloud and Spline that connect a dozen or more of a building's systems and technologies, such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning and equipment controls into plug-and-play appliances. 

The panels were first designed for the Catalyst Building, a biophilic timber structure located at 601 E. Riverside, just west of the Morris building. The Catalyst has high exposed ceilings that allow for the panels to hang like clouds. The spline is the above-ceiling tubbing system that consolidates the HVAC ductwork electrical conduit and other systems. 

Armstrong World Industries is a designer and manufacturer of ceiling and wall systems. As reported by the Journal of Business, Armstrong World Industries acquired a stake in Overcast Innovations earlier this year in a strategic partnership.

Together, the companies have created a new product, the Modular Grid Platform, which takes the same elements of the Cloud and Spline and integrates them into a wall-to-wall ceiling grid. The MGP panels offer flush and tile-like options that blend into the built environment, and don’t hang from the ceiling like the Cloud and Spline. 

The new Swinerton suite will install both features, as well as Armstrong World Industries Ultima Templok Energy Saving ceiling panels. According to Armstrong World Industries website, the Ultima Templok panels combine phase change material technology that absorbs and releases heat and passively regulates indoor temperature.  

Mark Hershey, senior vice president, Americas, for Armstrong World Industries, says the project will demonstrate the energy savings performance of Templok Ceilings. 

"Our work in product innovation and commitment to decarbonization in the built environment align perfectly with McKinstry, Overcast, Emerald, and Swinerton,” Hershey adds.