Making Sustainability the Industry Standard.

Architect: RDg Planning + Design

Photographer: Cameron Campbell

Project Overview

The Central College Education and Psychology Building in Pella, Iowa, competed fall of 2009, is a state-of-the-art 58,000 square foot, $17 million dollar project. Central College is striving for the U.S. Green Building Council’s top rating, Platinum, by utilizing environmentally friendly building practices and energy efficient design.  The Education and Psychology building houses, education, psychology and communication departments, as well as community-based learning.

Sustainable Features incorporated into the Education and Psychology Building Design includes:

•   38% more efficient energy performance than ASHRAE 90.1
•   Variable air volume demand based ventilation system
•   Energy Recovery on the Exhaust system
•   Low Static Pressure Air Valves and Duction Design
•   Variable Speed Pumping Systems
•   Rain Water Roof Collection for flushing Bathroom Facilities/Feed water feature
•   Automatic Laboratory Faucets in Bathroom Facilities
•   Radiant Slab Cooling and Heating
•   Operable Windows with Natural Ventilation
•   Enhanced Ventilation Design without Sacrificing HVAC Energy Consumption
•   Day Light Dimming Controls
•   Day Lighting System: Classroom Supply Ducting
•   Enhanced Chilled Water Temperature Differential, Loading to 20 Degrees Fahrenheit

Contract Manager for the Dadanco Project: The TRANE Company, La Crosse, WI

This is one of Dadanco’s first active chilled beam projects in the U.S.

Analysis: The school has an existing wood chip boiler that makes steam for the school, community center and the hospital across the street so they have a steam demand year round; this was a good location for an Absorption Chiller.

Design Solution: MEP designed a 600 ton Steam Absorption Chiller to make chilled water currently for Barron High School and Barron Community Center.

Project Detail: MEP designed in 3 new air handlers (2) air handlers served the gym and stage areas and (1) which was serving the IMC, Computer Lab, Audio Visual, and Classroom areas had (37) Active Beams and also (8) Induction Diffusers. This air handler also had a CDQ Wheel in the air handler to keep the air dry so that we would not sweat the active beams.

Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University selected MEP Associates to design the conversion of the campus cooling and heating plant to a district geothermal system.  The geothermal project will achieve the following:

• Eliminates 80,000 tons of carbon emissions annually.
• Cut energy costs by an estimated $2 million annually.
• Reduce approximately half of the current campus carbon footprint.
• Eliminate four coal fired boilers built in the 1950s.
• Heat and Cool more than 40 buildings over the 660 acre campus.

The cost of the project is estimated at  $93 million and will be completed in two stages.  When completed the project will consist of approximately 4,100 boreholes each 400 feet deep.  It will be the country’s largest geothermal energy project.

How Ball State’s Geothermal System Works

A geothermal heat pump uses the Earth as either a heat source, when operating in heating mode, or a heat sink-dissipating heat while in cooling mode.  At three energy centers on campus, the heat pulled from the ground or returned to the ground will be transferred, or exchanged with heat pump chillers that will be connected to two district loops that run throughout campus.  One is a cold water loop, which flows at a constant 42 degrees, and the second is a hot water loop, which flows at a constant 170 degrees.  Inside the buildings, heat exchangers and fans will deliver the temperature desired by the occupants. ]]> http://www.mepassociates.com/uncategorized/ball-state/feed/ 0 http://www.mepassociates.com/portfolio/worship/projects-coming-soon/ http://www.mepassociates.com/portfolio/worship/projects-coming-soon/#comments Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:32:52 +0000 admin http://www.mepassociates.com/dev/wp/?p=200 More information to follow. Continue checking back for updates.

• Eliminates 80,000 tons of carbon emissions annually.
• Cut energy costs by an estimated $2 million annually.
• Reduce approximately half of the current campus carbon footprint.
• Eliminate four coal fired boilers built in the 1950s.
• Heat and Cool more than 40 buildings over the 660 acre campus.

The cost of the project is estimated at  $93 million and will be completed in two stages.  When completed the project will consist of approximately 4,100 boreholes each 400 feet deep.  It will be the country’s largest geothermal energy project.

How Ball State’s Geothermal System Works

A geothermal heat pump uses the Earth as either a heat source, when operating in heating mode, or a heat sink-dissipating heat while in cooling mode.  At three energy centers on campus, the heat pulled from the ground or returned to the ground will be transferred, or exchanged with heat pump chillers that will be connected to two district loops that run throughout campus.  One is a cold water loop, which flows at a constant 42 degrees, and the second is a hot water loop, which flows at a constant 170 degrees.  Inside the buildings, heat exchangers and fans will deliver the temperature desired by the occupants.