Overview
The new Philip Simmons Elementary/Middle School is a 178,000 SF facility housing two separate schools, an elementary school for grades K-4, and a middle school for grades 5-8. The schools have separate entrances and separate administrations, but will share some common areas such as the gymnasium and cafeteria/multi-purpose room. Initially, 650 students will occupy the school, but it has the capacity for 1,400 students in the future.
Engineering Highlights
- The HVAC system is comprised of Decoupled Outdoor Air System (DOAS) utilizing highly efficient, packaged reverse cycle water source heat pump units, interconnected by way of a water loop
- Modeling analysis helped reduce first cost and maintenance cost by expanding the lower limit of the loop operating temperatures, and helped provide efficient equipment selection
- DOAS units utilize a total energy heat recovery system (enthalpy and sensible plate heat exchangers) to capture waste heat associated with the exhaust air, and are configured to provide dehumidified, variable temperature ventilation air ducted directly to individual spaces
- Dedicated floor mounted indoor heat pumps, for classroom spaces requiring individual temperature control, were located in a mechanical mezzanine so that service and maintenance could be performed without entering the learning space
- Two boilers and closed circuit cooling towers were each sized each for 50% of the building load, and are used to maintain a constant temperature in the water loop during high heating and cooling demand months
- RMF’s electrical scope of work for the project includes the provision of all electrical systems including power, lighting, fire alarm and special systems
- The building will be fully sprinkled by an automatic wet sprinkler system in accordance with NFPA 13
