Washington State Ferries and Coast Salish tribal stakeholders began the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal project with ambitious sustainability goals, envisioning a complex that would sit lightly on the earth. As the mechanical engineer for the project, FSi provided both energy modeling to evaluate envelope and mechanical options, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) airflow modeling for natural ventilation. Our energy and CFD modeling helped the design team develop a highly efficient building, cooled entirely with natural ventilation. The building takes advantage of prevailing winds from Puget Sound for cooling, and our CFD model showed that natural ventilation can keep the building comfortable in the summer, eliminating the need for mechanical cooling. We examined multiple iterations of window and door placement using CFD modeling, helping the design team determine the configuration that provides the best summer cooling while minimizing heat loss in the winter.
The new 24/7 terminal generates much of the energy it uses through PV panels. The project was awarded LEED Gold, exceeding the original LEED Silver goal.
Mukilteo Ferry Terminal tied for first place in the 2022 American Transportation Awards’ Western Region Quality of Life/Community Development category. The project also won a 2022 Woodworks Wood Design Award in the category of Wood in Government Buildings. The terminal received three separate awards in the AGC Washington Chapter’s 2022 Build Washington Awards, including the Grand Award for Construction Excellence. The American Council of Engineering Companies awarded the building an Honor Award at its 2022 Engineering Excellence Awards. The American Institute of Architects honored the project with a 2023 AIA Architecture Award. Mukilteo Ferry Terminal also received a 2021 Regional Best Project award from ENR Northwest, in the category of Best Airport/Transit. The American Society of Civil Engineers awarded the project a 2023 OCEA Honor Award, as well as a 2021 Seattle Section Local Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award in the category of “Outstanding Ports and Waterways” and the 2021 Region 8 Project of the Year Over $10 Million award.
If you enjoyed reading about this sustainable ferry terminal, read about what we’ve been doing at Seattle’s Colman Dock!