Providing electrical engineering design services, GDS addressed the sustainble requirements when creating the lighting designs for the campus' processing center while also meeting the request for the required foot-candle levels. Utilizing natural light, a daylight dimming system and motion sensors. Ultimately the processing center's lighting design exceeded the ASHRAE 90.1 standard by 25 percent.

In May 2008 the Pennway Complex received the Bronze Award in Building Design and Construction's 10th Annual Building Team Awards.

GDS is providing arcitectural and a full range of engineering services for the consolidatd laboratory.

In a remote area of Alaska on Annette Island with the only water system available is in a town 5 miles away on the north end of the island.  Taking advantage of the island’s heavy rainfall (114 inches per year), the design team developed a unique rainwater collection system to support the weather station.  The collection system incorporates a 20 and 5 micron filtersystem, ultraviolet light and other filters to remove the water’s contaminants.  The non-potable water is then distributed throughout the facility to low-flow plumbing fixtures. 

The plumbing system is only one of the station’s sustainable features.  To minimize energy use, a heat pump is incorporated into the mechanical system rather than a traditional DX air-conditioning unit and motion sensors control the interior lighting.  The mechanical and electrical systems along with the architectural features provide a 20 percent reduction in the energy cost compared to the ASHRAE and IESNA Standard 90.1 regulations for energy cost budgets.  The heat pumps take one more step and use environmental-friendly refrigerants that are free of HCFC’s, which lowers the global warming potential. 

The Missouri Department of Conservation wanted a building to accommodate student tours and activities as well as office space.  However, the main purpose of this project was to bring the message of energy conservation to the heart of Kansas City.   

GDS was successful in utilizing many unique and innovative designs for the mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and technology systems that stayed in line with the project’s overall purpose.  Photovoltaic, motion control systems, and energy saving lamps and light sources were used to increase efficiencies in the electrical system.  A ground source system of 16 geothermal heat pumps were utilized to provide both heating and cooling and reduce the energy consumption.  Finally, GDS helped with the design of a ‘Living Machine’- a biological wastewater treatment system that collects building sanitary waste and converts it to reusable non-potable water within the building and provides water to the outdoor area.  Each of the systems were placed in the facility in a manner in which they are on display to allow visitors to see the specialty systems.