City of Philadelphia Fire Department
Engine 38 Fire Station
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
12,200 sf
The new Engine 38 Fire Station, located in the Tacony neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia, was designed to meet the needs of local emergency services while also maintaining a high level of environmental sensitivity. This philosophy can be seen in the building’s design: vegetated roof systems, thoughtful water usage and runoff management systems, high-efficiency plumbing fixtures and rainwater irrigation systems were incorporated into the facility.
WCx provided LEED fundamental commissioning under LEED 2009 for New Construction. Systems commissioned included a Mitsubishi City Multi-Variable Refrigerant Flow system, an energy recovery unit, a point source capture system, a boiler heating water system, lighting controls, a domestic hot water generator and a rainwater harvesting system. WCx also performed HVAC test and balance verification for the project.
City of Philadelphia Streets Department
Northeast Incinerator
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Size not recorded
Description coming soon.
City of Reading
Department of Utilities Administration & Laboratory
Reading, Pennsylvania
28,000 sf
Description coming soon.
NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic
Navy Yard and Naval Support Activity*
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
339,000 sf
The first official facility of its kind in the United States, the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was once a leading industrial site. However, after its peak usage during World War II, the shipyard experienced a steady decline and was eventually decommissioned in 1995. Since then, it has been rechristened simply the “Navy Yard” and largely through the efforts of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) has become a vibrant, mixed-use industrial and commercial hub supporting a blend of corporate, institutional and government tenants.
WCx provided retro-commissioning services to evaluate and test the HVAC systems in ten buildings at the site. The primary goals of this effort were to improve occupant comfort, environmental quality and energy efficiency.
Project tasks involved the re-enabling of existing system capabilities, verification of equipment performance including controls optimization, testing, and adjusting and balancing of air and water systems. As part of the retro-commissioning process, the calibration of temperature, humidity, flow and static pressure sensors and the re-implementation of operating, setback temperatures and occupancy schedules based on building usage were performed.
Architect: Turtle Associates
New Jersey Department of Military and Veteran Affairs
US National Guard Building 3650*
Fort Dix, New Jersey
Size not recorded
WCx was hired by DMAVA through Tokarski Millemann Architects to provide its retro-commissioning platform of discovery, analysis and implementation of corrective actions for the HVAC systems serving the facility. The building was built in two phases with each section utilizing a different type of HVAC configuration. The original phase utilizes boiler and chillers with roof mounted AHUs to serve the HVAC needs of that section. The second phase utilizes roof mounted DX units and boilers to serve the HVAC needs of that section.
The purpose of the retro-commissioning services is to evaluate, test, adjust and correct the building’s HVAC systems to meet the owner’s current facility requirements, optimize operation and efficiency, improve comfort and environmental quality, and minimize future cost events. This process involves site investigation, quick fixes, analysis and providing scopes of work for corrective actions.
The primary objectives of the retro-commissioning platform for this project are to identify equipment and system deficiencies, to optimize how equipment and systems operate and function together, to implement recommendations to improve operational or energy efficiency, as well as to develop standard operations and maintenance protocols and to assist facility management with master planning and budgeting for HVAC systems and equipment moving forward.
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources
Nature Inn at Bald Eagle State Park
Howard, Pennsylvania
17,000 sf
Located in the scenic Bald Eagle Valley of north central Pennsylvania and overlooking a 1,730 acre lake, the Nature Inn at Bald Eagle State Park opened in the summer of 2010 as the newest addition to the Pennsylvania State Park system. Uniquely, the 18,500 square foot, 16 guest room building provides full service overnight accommodations and focuses on connecting visitors to the outdoors as well as fostering environmental conservation and stewardship. The facility makes maximum use of green building technologies, and also serves as a premier venue for bird watching.
WCx was selected to provide fundamental and enhanced commissioning services for the project under LEED–NC 2.2. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems were addressed, including the domestic hot water heating system with a solar hot water booster tank and rooftop array of solar tubes, rainwater harvesting and storage, and sprinklers.
LEED Gold Certified
Architect: SMP Architects
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources
Shikellamy State Park Marina Research Building
Sunbury, Pennsylvania
13,600 sf
Pennsylvania DCNR engaged a design team to renovate a 10,000 square foot, two-story building in Shikellamy State Park’s marina section.
The facility, which will also be expanded by 3,600 square feet, is intended to be multifunctional, providing office, educational, research, and exhibition space to local governmental, educational, and non-profit organizations interested in studying and preserving the Susquehanna River as an important natural resource.
Scheduled to open in late 2013 as a hub for environmental research and education, the $3 million center will house an interpretive exhibit area, 64-seat classroom, offices, laboratories, and kitchen and dining areas.
WCx provided LEED fundamental and enhanced commissioning services on this project, which is LEED-NC registered.
Architect/Engineer: Entech Engineering, Inc.
Seagis Property Group
US Department of Agriculture Plant Inspection Station
Linden, New Jersey
30,000 sf
The project involved tenant fitout of approximately 30,000 square feet of existing warehouse space for laboratory and office spaces for a USDA Plant Inspection Station. The Plant Inspection Station facility is the front line of defense against pests and diseases from imported plants, while facilitating export of plant propagative materials through the phytosanitary certification system. The building is staffed by botanists, pathologists, entomologists, plant health safeguarding specialists and support personnel tasked with evaluating shipments passing through the Newark/Elizabeth area.
Systems commissioned by WCx include the building automation system (BAS), HVAC systems including variable volume air handling systems with terminal units and hot water reheat, verification of the testing and balancing, lighting control system, domestic hot water system and fire protection systems.
SEPTA
Fox Chase Train Station
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
780 sf
With construction funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, this is the first LEED Silver certified train station in the United States and SEPTA’s very first LEED certified project.
A key design element for the new station which replaced the old one was the reduction of energy usage. Both the HVAC and lighting systems were designed to decrease annual electricity use. The team also selected highly durable building materials to minimize maintenance issues and to reduce consumption of raw materials used for repairs during the building’s life cycle of the building.
WCx was hired to provide LEED fundamental commissioning services to meet LEED 2009 for New Construction criteria. Systems commissioned included an HVAC system with energy recovery, lighting controls, domestic water and infrared heat for the train platform.
LEED Silver Certified
Architect: The Sheward Partnership
US Military Academy
Visitors Center
West Point, NY
32,000 sf
This project, a renovation of and addition to the existing visitors center, will serve as both a destination and gateway for visitors to this historic national treasure located on the banks of the scenic Hudson River. The 18,000 square foot program—dedicated to enrichment of the visitor experience—includes entrance reorientation, site improvements, exhibits, gift shop, meeting space, and dining/food service.
WCx was hired to provide fundamental and enhanced commissioning services under LEED 2009 for New Construction. The project has a goal of LEED Silver. Systems commissioned include HVAC, HVAC controls, lighting controls, domestic water, and both daylight and rainwater harvesting.
Architect: Mark B. Thompson Associates
* Retro-Commissioning