Higher Education
The College of Charleston
Science Center Upfit
Charleston, South Carolina
125,000 sf
In early 2010, the College of Charleston completed construction of a new, state-of-the-art, 125,000 SF Science Center that included unique infrastructure design, engineering and installation necessary to support the diverse needs of the classrooms, labs and office spaces that are located in the building. The lab spaces consist of more than 140 constant volume fume hoods. The third floor houses the greenhouse and the Low Country Hazard Center. Lecture halls, exhibit areas, staff offices, cold rooms, chemical storage, classrooms and laboratories are located throughout the building.
In 2013, WCx was hired to provide commissioning services as part of a new laboratory up-fit project within the existing science center building. The scope of commissioning services included HVAC and building automation systems, electrical and emergency power systems, fire alarm and security systems.
WCx was also engaged by the College of Charleston to verify and certify fume hood air velocities for all of the fume hoods in the building, as well as develop a SOP for future testing of the fume hoods.
Architect: Liollio Architects
Engineer: Ballinger
Haverford College
Kim Hall, Tritton Hall Dormitories
Haverford, Pennsylvania
44,000 sf
The two halls of the Orchard Student Residences house 160 students in single rooms. The buildings mirror one another and are sited on opposite sides of an earthen berm. Natural lighting is provided via roof monitors, central courtyards and operable wood windows. Vegetated roofs, visible from the surrounding campus buildings, are installed on both structures.
WCx was hired by the college to provide building systems commissioning services. HVAC systems included rooftop dedicated outside air units with enthalpy wheels, Mitsubishi City Multi VRFZ indoor fan coil units, Mitsubishi City Multi VRFZ outdoor air-cooled heat pump units, exhaust fans, electric duct heating coils, electric cabinet unit heaters and air valves. Electrical systems included lighting controls and daylight harvesting systems. Plumbing systems included domestic hot water heating. Test and balance repeatability verification was also performed.
Architect: Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects
Princeton University
Research Collections and Preservation Consortium *
Princeton, New Jersey
Size not recorded
Description coming soon.
Rutgers University
Business School*
Piscataway, New Jersey
155,000 sf
Rutgers University’s $85 Million, 155,000 square foot Business School building was opened for the fall semester of 2013. The iconic building serves as the gateway to the Livingston campus, reflecting the burgeoning prominence of the Rutgers Business School. The state-of-the-art facility accommodates up to 3,200 undergraduate business students for the first time in one building.
Noted as one of the most technologically advanced academic buildings, the new business school is equipped with $4M worth of technology and a Global Financial Center and trading floor. Much of the technology was built into the classrooms and lecture halls to enhance teaching and learning. Open lounges and team rooms are scattered about for students and faculty to congregate in, as well as 91 Wi-Fi internet access points around the five-story building to meet the demands of business education.
Sustainable features can be found throughout the building, including extensive daylighting, low VOC and efficient fixtures. A geothermal well field was designed and installed to heat and cool the building, and two solar fields generate some of its power.
WCx was hired by Rutgers University to provide its retro-commissioning platform of investigating and optimizing HVAC systems throughout the building to improve comfort and operation, indoor air quality and energy efficiency. WCx is providing discovery and recommendations, which will include any remedial repairs and schematic basis of design and scope of work for any capital improvements.
Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College
Wister Education Center and Greenhouse
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
5,200 sf
Located on Swarthmore College’s 399-acre campus, which is designated as an arboretum, the $2.7 million Wister Education Center and Greenhouse provided an excellent opportunity for Swarthmore to showcase its vision for sustainability. Design and construction focused on innovative energy-efficient green building techniques, and the project received LEED Gold certification.
The new 5,200 square foot building contains a classroom for public education, space for horticultural displays, a greenhouse for plant cultivation, and support space for the Arboretum’s many volunteers.
One unique aspect of the project was the utilization of tempered water for the heat pump units from hydronic return piping in a nearby building. Mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems were commissioned, including sweep and scheduled lighting controls with automatic window blinds, occupancy sensors, electrical system power quality, emergency power systems, and uninterruptable power supply systems.
Architect: Archer & Buchanan Architecture
Temple University
Pearson McGonigle Halls Fitness Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
140,000 sf
The $48 million modernization of Pearson and McGonigle halls, at Broad Street and Montgomery Avenue, created an additional 140,000 square feet of space when it was completed in summer 2012.
Registered for LEED certification, the facility features intramural and club sport courts, exercise space, a climbing wall, classrooms, faculty and coaching staff offices, upgraded dance studios, new men’s and women’s basketball practice courts built atop the existing structure, and a new atrium for retail opportunities to enliven North Broad Street.
WCx provided LEED fundamental commissioning of energy systems in addition to MEP and fire protection engineering services and energy modeling.
Architect: H2L2/CVM Joint Venture
University of Pennsylvania
School of Nursing Claire M. Fagin Hall*
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
160,000 sf
Claire M. Fagin Hall is in the midst of a phased renovation to become a more inviting and effective home for Penn’s School of Nursing. The infrastructure of the building (HVAC, electric, plumbing, fire protection) is being improved concurrent with architectural improvements.
Phase 5 is currently underway. Work involves renovations to the entire first floor, including classrooms. The simulation classrooms require audio/visual systems for monitoring students from a remote control room, compressed air and vacuum connections at each bed, new sinks, and power and lighting to simulate a hospital environment.
WCx developed a construction phase commissioning plan, reviewed the design documentation, conducted commissioning meetings, developed testing protocols, and observed and verified results for the new HVAC and HVAC control systems.
Architect: SMP Architects
University of Pennsylvania
David Goddard Laboratories
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
10,000 sf
In 2009 Penn engaged Kruhly Architects, with BBA as the MEP engineer, to renovate lab and research space on the third and fifth floors to accommodate the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience. Principles of sustainable design, especially with regard to energy savings, were incorporated in the lighting and HVAC system upgrades.
WCx directed commissioning activities, developed testing procedures, observed and verified automatic temperature control systems and lighting control programming. Commissioning encompassed HVAC and HVAC controls; test and balance of air and hydronic systems; plumbing fixtures and piping; lighting controls; and emergency power.
Architect: Kruhly Architects
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
Villanova University
St. Augustine Center
Villanova, Pennsylvania
Size not recorded
Located at the core of the campus, SAC contains departmental offices, seminar rooms and classrooms. In summer 2012, the University began an HVAC and building automation system upgrade involving replacement of fan coil units and a controls retrofit for VAV boxes, air handling units, and central heating and cooling plants. Because the building is to remain occupied for the duration of the project, renovations will occur in three distinct phases over a three-year period.
WCx provided commissioning services for the entire upgrade and retrofit project. Systems commissioned include the cooling tower, chiller, chilled water pumping system, steam to hot water heat exchanger, heating hot water pumping system, ventilation, make up air and exhaust systems and VAV boxes. Test and balance repeatability verification was also performed.
West Chester University
Commonwealth Hall Dormitory & Wellness Center
West Chester, Pennsylvania
182,000 sf
As part of the Housing Renewal Initiative at West Chester University, this project involved construction of an eight-story, 182,000 SF residence hall that provides 653 beds and also houses the University’s Health and Wellness and Counseling Center on the lower level. It was the second phase of a three phase housing renewal initiative that includes razing and replacing six existing dormitory buildings. The first three dormitories, Allegheny, Brandywine and University Hall, accommodate more than 1,500 beds.
The mechanical design utilized geothermal heat pumps connected to an existing campus geothermal loop to provide air conditioning for the facility.
Systems commissioned by WCx include the building automation system (BAS), all HVAC systems and equipment, including the ground source heat pump units, ductwork, piping and exhaust fans, air and hydronic testing and balancing verification, lighting controls, emergency generator and transfer switching, emergency lighting and egress signage, domestic hot water, fire sprinkler and fire alarm. WCx was also hired to perform the special inspection services for the smoke control system for the project.
Widener University
Communications Building
Chester, Pennsylvania
32,000 sf
This new three-story, LEED-registered building will house communications, computer sciences and informatics with the intent to highlight technology via exterior and interior video walls, a visible television studio, mainframe computer rooms and computer research labs. The design concept was for the building to act as a gateway, or portal, to the main quad by allowing students to enter campus through an open air space cutting through the first floor of the building. This portal frames the view of Old Main, an iconic building on campus. As one approaches, the proposed building exterior incorporates traditional materials such as lime stone, field stone, and slate, while the center of the portal (main building entries) surrounds building users and passersby with vibrant video walls.
The project has a goal of LEED 2009 for New Construction certification per the requirements of the USGBC.
Systems commissioned by WCx include split-system air handling units, gas-fired hot water boilers and pumping, finned-tube radiators, VAV terminal units with hot water reheat coils, energy recovery, exhaust, split-system a/c units, normal and emergency power systems, load balancing, lighting controls including daylight harvesting, plumbing systems and HVAC Test and Balance.
Architect: Spiezle Architects
