Overview
The Coastal Carolina Student Recreation and Convocation Center project is a two-story, 130,000 SF facility that houses a student recreation facility, athletic arena / convocation center and student bookstore. The project provides an increase in space for student recreation, student life activities and approximately 3,650 seats for university basketball and volleyball games, convocations, commencement exercises, university sponsored special events and inter-collegiate athletic contests.
With an emphasis on sustainability and energy efficiency, the facility has achieved a LEED Gold Certification through USGBC. The goal is to have the buildings energy usage be approximately 28% less than that of a comparable building.
The project was designed using an integrated design approach, involving extensive collaboration between the design team to create a “whole building design”, which viewed the building as an interdependent system as opposed to an accumulation of its separate components (site, structure, systems and use).
Engineering Highlights
- Computer modeling was used to optimize building mechanical systems.
- Total enthalpy recovery and desiccant dehumidification wheel modules for the air handling units reduce the energy required by 50% to condition the code required outside air.
- A remote central utility plant with two high efficiency centrifugal chillers and matching counterflow cooling towers were provided to support the new building.
- Water conservation features include high-efficiency, low flow toilets and urinals, water-efficient landscaping, and motion-activated flush valves and faucets.
- The electrical design included indoor high bay lighting with theatrical-type controls, and all lighting was designed to meet NCAA television national broadcast levels.
- Extensive A/V rough-in and power requirement coordination was necessary to accommodate scoreboards, ribbon boards, scorer’s tables, theatrical/stage lighting, motorized shading, television truck company switch power, coaches game video system and central game clock system.
