Angel Fire Country Club, located in Angel Fire, N.M., is a thoughtfully designed recreational facility. It addresses not only the needs and comfort of its patrons, but also a desire for mountain town beauty coupled with energy sensibility. The center boasts ample amounts of indirect natural light by way of clearstory windows for comfortable and high quality lighting. Several large, south-facing windows also permit the building to make the most of New Mexico's sunny days by allowing the sun's warmth to stream inside. Many areas in the Country Club use radiant floor heating, which is far more efficient and creates a more comfortable environment than forced air systems. Stormwater catchment systems aim to meet the golf course's irrigation needs by reclaiming rainwater and snow melt.

The Angel Fire Country Club is sited to maximize views of the grounds and surrounding landscape, as well as to merge the facility effectively with its surrounds. Careful thought was given to details such as accessibility, aesthetics, and efficiency. The project culminates in a facility that is attractive, inviting, and economical.

The Angel Fire Country Club will collect water from rain and snow melt using constructed surfaces for collection, including rooftops, drives, and patios. The water will then be reused for irrigation. Since irrigation water does not need to be potable, only filtration, not disinfection will be required. Water storage will be in buried tanks and in a decorative water retention pond. The system makes use of existing piping and drains, making it economical to install, and the use of catchment water for irrigating the golf course will provide the facility with a significant savings in water expenses.

A facility such as a country club has several large energy loads, including space and floor heating, hot water heating, lighting and electricity, and pool heating. Many of these energy loads can be met sustainably, by incorporating thoughtful design. The Angel Fire Country Club will make the most of natural light with large windows and solar reflectors below the clearstory windows for soft, indirect light. Ample south-facing walls will facilitate thermal gain, and massive floors will improve heat storage, reducing dependency on a traditional HVAC system. Solar collectors will pre-heat water to save energy costs, and radiant floors will efficiently and comfortably heat spaces.

Heating a pool is very energy intensive, especially in a cooler climate. In order to retain heat, the Country Club's pool will feature a retractable cover that will help prevent evaporative heat loss at night. A salt disinfection system will further reduce heat loss by eliminating the need for ventilation to the exterior that is normally required for chlorine-treated pools. The water for the pool and hot tubs will be preheated using solar collectors on the south-facing roof area, substantially reducing the amount of energy required to bring the water to a comfortable temperature. Trombe Walls on the south side of the building will passively provide warmth in the evenings, and radiant floor heating will create pleasant barefoot walking surfaces for both the inside and outside pool areas. The room itself will be extremely well-insulated for maximum efficiency.

125 La Posta Road, Suite A | Taos, NM 87571
TEL: 575-751-9481 | FAX: 505-751-9483 | Email

1105 N. Federal Hwy. | Boynton Beach, FL 33435
TEL: 561-572-2172 | FAX: 561-572-2178