Built in 1954, Blanton Dormitory is home to approximately 280 students during the school year. The 63,000 square foot dormitory provides living quarters, laundry, study, and communal areas.
The 50+ year old outdated mechanical systems were long overdue for a makeover, and Goodwin Engineering was hired to design the needed mechanical systems renovations. During schematic design, Goodwin immediately identified issues that needed to be addressed well beyond a typical mechanical systems renovation. The original air handling unit was 100% outdoor air. The building chilled water system was integrated with the campus chilled water loop and the building was severely over-pressurized, with the excess air traversing through the corridors to the restrooms and to the outdoors. Goodwin relayed its findings to the client and promised significant energy savings and NFPA 101 compliant egress in the new design.
Mechanical Systems Renovation
In the Phase 1 of the project, Goodwin Engineering designed a built-up double-deck VAV air-handling unit, with parallel steam and chilled water coils, to more efficiently provide air conditioning. All components of the unit were designed to be transported through a 6’ door into the basement and built-in-place. Goodwin’s design included decoupling the building chilled water system from the campus loop with a plate-and-frame heat exchanger and adding new variable speed building chilled water pumps. The buildings pneumatic controls were replaced with DDC. Finally, the aging shell and tube domestic hot water heat exchanger used for building domestic hot water was replaced with two steam instantaneous domestic hot water heaters.
Energy Engineering
After Phase 1, Goodwin Engineering was commissioned to conduct an energy study to evaluate savings already in place from Phase 1 and for the needed Phase 2. Goodwin Engineering produced a DOE-2 compliant baseline energy model with associated models for Phase 1 and the upcoming Phase 2. A year’s worth of actual energy consumption data was available and was incorporated into the study. Goodwin’s study showed that the Phase 1 and Phase 2 mechanical renovations would reduce the building’s energy consumption by 35% with a utility cost savings of over $110,000 per year. With this information, Goodwin was given the go-ahead to complete the design for Phase 2 and delivered on its substantial energy reduction promise.
Life-Safety Improvements were Needed
Phase 2 addressed life-safety issues and completed the recommended energy conservation measures. This included removal of excess air-flow in the corridors with the design of a managed return air system and the installation of a fire alarm. The historic building did not have room for the needed return air chase within its confines, so Goodwin designed a new chase at the dead-end of each corridor. New ceilings were installed in each corridor and return air from the resident rooms was redirected to above the ceilings, down the return air chase, and into the new air handling unit.
Planning and Critical Phasing
Construction of the two project phases were each completed within a 3-month summer break. The entire $1.5m project was completed on time and within budget, with systems designed to last another 50 years.