Current Projects

Special Environments | Allied Health Renovation

• M/E/P design and energy modeling
• 55% annual energy reduction compared to ASHRAE 90.1-2007 baseline
• 19 Energy and Atmosphere LEED points, plus 1 point for superior performance

Pathfinder is providing mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering and energy modeling for the $14 million renovation of this academic science building. This 55,000 sq. ft., three-story building, built in 1964, is being completely renovated to accommodate the Criminal Science, Biology and Nursing academic programs. The building houses academic laboratories, nursing suites, laboratory media preparation and chemical storage areas, lecture halls, student lounges and faculty office spaces. The project creates a ”state of the art” teaching laboratory facility with “world class” academic technology. The design meets goals to potentially achieve LEED Platinum Certification (2009).

The design includes a ground source heat pump system delivering superior energy performance. The 30-well GSHP well field is located northwest of Allied Health beneath the existing tennis courts. A series of 450-foot deep bore holes allow heat from the building to be exchanged with the earth. The main HVAC system includes passive chilled beams, demand control ventilation and energy recovery—allowing for reductions in overall system sizes.

Lab areas will be served by a variable air volume air handling system with heat recovery and variable flow pumping systems, variable exhaust with heat recovery for high efficiency, and low flow chemical fume hoods. Specialty gas piping, reverse-osmosis deionized water and chemical drains also service the labs. Two high-efficiency condensing boilers and a high efficiency EER>19 air cooled chilled chiller provide supplemental heating, cooling and dehumidification for the high ventilation loads of the labs.

A building integrated photovoltaic array system will provide 18 kilowatts of electrical power through modules mounted to the southern façade and roof of the mechanical penthouse.

The campus data center is housed in the building and the power distribution and HVAC system will be upgraded to accommodate it. Heat rejected from the data center will be recovered and redistributed to the GSHP system for building heating.

Other high efficiency equipment include ultra low flow plumbing fixtures, variable pumping, VFDs on AHUs and fans, an automated Building Management System and T-5 lighting with daylighting controls. The project includes a new power distribution system, new fire alarm, and new data & telecommunications systems.