Phase 2 Design, Renovation of Four Dormitory Buildings, Westover Job Corps

Chicopee, Massachusetts

Services: MEP Design
Clients Served: Government

 

Loureiro was retained by the Department of Labor to design the second phase of renovations to the existing four dormitories located on the Westover Job Corps campus in Chicopee, Massachusetts. We had previously completed the phase one dorm renovation design back in 2004.

The existing dorms are 1960’s vintage barracks formerly used with the adjacent air base. The dorm construction is concrete slab on grade with brick face walls. The building construction, along with minimal interior height, make any proposed interior renovations difficult.

The phase two design scope includes fully sprinklering each building with a new fire protection service fed off from the common campus domestic water loop. The design also includes fully air conditioning each building including providing year round ventilation to all occupied spaces. A full review of the electrical services to each building to support the new HVAC systems and upgrades to all existing distribution panels within each building is also included.

The phase two scope of work also includes Construction Administration support for the construction phased out over four years.

Highlights

• Design included use of high efficiency variable refrigerant flow based HVAC systems with an independent year round ventilation system.
• A review was required to determine the options for the source of heat for the new ventilation systems. The review concluded that the installation of a new natural gas loop around the campus to serve the new systems was the most flexible and efficient choice available. This choice will allow the new gas dryers to be installed in each dorm to be gas-fired eliminating the need to increase the electrical service to each building to support the new air conditioning.
• Coordination of the new phase two design work with the previously completed phase one design work in order to prepare for the simultaneous construction of both proposed design phases.
• Construction Administration services are complicated by the need to phase the construction to keep the campus including three of the dorms in operation at all times.