Christopher Ankeny

Architecture and Engineering – Kling   www.kling.us
Construction Management – www.usacivil.skanska.com

The project was a design-build project with Skanska Corp. as the Construction Management firm.  Construction was supposed to be completed by October of 2006, but due to an end user change, construction is now expected to be completed by March 1st, 2007. 

The electrical system is powered from an existing switchgear unit located outside the adjacent building. Two secondary feeders are routed from here to the new building, where they enter double-ended 1600A switchgear located in the first floor electrical room.  Each feeder and switchgear panel is designed to carry the entire load of the building.  The switchgear’s main tie breaker will automatically transfer on the loss of a power to a single feeder in order to keep the entire building powered.  Interior building power will be distributed at 480Y/277V.  Feeders from the switchgear go to distribution panels for lighting, receptacles and power panels, along with the UPS system and all other loads throughout the building.  A redundant UPS system is powered by two battery banks to ensure power to select equipment in the building.  Step-down transformers are provided for those loads that run off of 208Y/120V service. 

Almost all of the lighting is connected at 277V.  The lighting is provided to the majority of the building using fluorescent or compact fluorescent fixtures.  A combination of direct troffers and indirect pendants are the main fixture choice in most areas of the building.  Specialty lighting such as LEDs and incandescent fixtures are used to accent certain areas where attention is required or pleasing to visitors and staff alike.  These lighting fixtures are run from 120V panels.

There are three air handling units to supply the air to the 1st, 2nd, and theater space of this building.  Electric steam humidifiers are used to in conjunction with the air handling units.  Two expansion tanks are used for the hot and chilled water.  Water is heated using a 1991 MBH oil-fired boiler and chilled using a 110 ton water-cooled chiller.  There is also a 330 GPM cooling tower.  The water is provided by wells located on the base as well as sewage being treated at the base. 

The structural system is slab on grade with footers at 2’ deep.  The superstructure is framed with structural steel columns typically being W12x79 and spaced out on a grid 40’x35’.  W25x35 beams are typically used to frame the second floor composite metal decking system.  These beams are attached to girders typically W30x108.  The roof structure is a metal roof deck supported by steel 30K9 joists attached to W24x62 girders.  The exterior wall system is 8” reinforced CMU blocks.

A fire alarm system is required and provided for the new facility.  The main equipment used for the fire alarm system includes a fire alarm control panel, which is located in the 1st floor electrical room, and a remote annunciator panel that is housed the lobby for the fire department.  Some components to the alarm system include smoke detectors, heat detectors, smoke dampers, manual pull stations, speakers, strobes and horns.  Sprinkler system devices include water flow switches, valve tamper switches, and water flow pressure switches.

The communication part of this facility was basically left untouched due to the Government providing their own equipment and needs.  Basic devices were placed in the building and those include data and voice outlets, multi-outlet raceways with data/telephone outlets, and cable TV connection boxes.  The cable tray for voice and video cabling are also shown running through the hallways.  Data cabling will be routed in a separate cable tray.  All other information is unknown for the communication systems of this building.

One elevator is located in the north east corridor and is oil-hydraulic pump operated.  No motor information is available.

The security system for this facility includes an Access Control system, Closed Circuit Television System (CCTV), an Intrusion Detection System (IDS), and an Electronic Security System (ESS).  Electric card readers, door monitor switches, roof hatch monitors, cameras, duress switches, and emergency push buttons are all devices that are used in these systems.  These devices are used in just about every single space in the building so having a detailed security system is a must.