PALADIN: Margaret A. Cargill Natural Sciences & Health Building, Berea College

MARGARET A. CARGILL

NATURAL SCIENCES & HEALTH BUILDING

Berea College | Berea, Kentucky

Whole Building Commissioning

MARGARET A. CARGILL NATURAL SCIENCES & HEALTH BUILDING

Berea College | Berea, KY

When Berea College started thinking about a new natural sciences and health building, the school envisioned a state-of-the-art instructional facility providing advanced science laboratories, nursing laboratories, interactive learning spaces, collaborative spaces, and planetarium.

THE PROJECT

The college wanted to ensure building performance for the Natural Sciences and Health Building. The building envelope system required special attention because of its role in humidity control with the chilled beam mechanical systems. The entire scope included commissioning of all building systems, lab systems, and process systems.

The desired outcomes from commissioning this project included:

• Providing a safe and healthy facility.

• Optimizing energy use.

• Reducing operating costs.

• Ensuring adequate O&M staff orientation and training.

• Improving installed building systems documentation.

opposite: Daylighting transfers light entering from large curtainwall and customsized windows to interior surfaces and finishes—Paladin measured and monitored the levels to ensure the lighting responds appropriately to natural conditions

above: Safe fume hood operations rely on a properly air-balanced lab to prevent hazardous fumes from entering a workspace—Paladin’s componentand system-level testing and retesting addressed deficiencies, equipment failures, and programming tuning

right: Entrance’s curtainwall provides transparency for large social events or spontaneous collaboration

top: When properly operating and maintained, chilled-beam, forced-air and induction systems for heating and cooling offer high energy efficiency but create condensation—Paladin’s testing of valve operation and sensor functionally addressed any potential high-humidity conditions left Testing of custom building envelope components and systems is crucial as laboratory certificates for systems are based on small samplings of regular offerings, and the additional lengths, materials, or specialized operation can impact a custom unit’s performance—Paladin’s multiple rounds of testing ensured they performed to design specifications with no water infiltration.

THE WORK

Beginning in early design, Paladin worked with Berea and the design team to identify robust Owner’s Project Requirements. From early design reviews through warranty phase performance reviews, system performance was verified and corrective action items taken.

During testing, an initial failure of the custom-manufactured windows required the manufacturer, installing contractor, construction manager, commissioning provider, and owner representatives to work in conjunction to identify the sources of water leakage. Field modifications as well as proper manufacturer installation details allowed the showpiece windows to be functional as well as beautiful.

For the mechanical systems, the interplay between the central plant chilled water supply and chilled beam operating conditions required significant coordination to meet the required differential pressure setpoint for the equipment to function properly.

THE IMPACT

All desired outcomes for the project were achieved. The facility is safe and healthy optimizing energy use while reducing operating costs. Extensive transition documentation and services involved customdesigned system overview training sessions for Berea’s maintenance staff. Paladin provided comprehensive systems manuals, ongoing commissioning plans, equipment inventory lists, and equipment-specific preventative maintenance schedules to complete the close-out documents.

All staff has been oriented and trained on all systems and a comprehensive manual was provided for reference.

Most important, the project is certified LEED Gold, underscoring the College’s dedication to leadership in sustainability.

Berea College installed a Nobel Prize — won by alumnus John B. Fenn ’37, for his notable work in chemistry — in the facility.

above: The systems in the transparent laboratory space required top-to-bottom commissioning in all states, normal, emergency, and failed left: The Nobel Prize and certificate are installed in Cargill right: Larger volumes encourage community, but present challenges in airflow distribution, thermal comfort, thermal loads, and solar loading, which Paladin’s commissioning kept to a minimum, highlighting its importance to insure properly functioning air, thermal, and water barrier systems

ABOUT PALADIN

We

FIRM PROFILE

Paladin coined Game changers in building systems TM because of our commitment to your building’s potential. Founded in 1986, we built upon engineering roots and

COMMISSIONING

COMMISSIONING

Commissioning supports your specific project outcomes of energy performance, operational stability, risk reduction, and operating cost containment. Our capabilities encompass the entire built environment where we work to ensure seamless performance. When challenges present themselves, we partner with the team to achieve your project goals.

Commissioning supports your specific project outcomes of energy performance, operational stability, risk reduction, and operating cost containment. Our capabilities encompass the entire built environment where we work to ensure seamless performance. When challenges present themselves, we partner with you to achieve your project goals.

SUSTAINABILITY SERVICES

SUSTAINABILITY SERVICES

the strategy and ensure implementation so we meet those goals in a straight-forward, creative, and earth-improving way. To date, we have 100% success with our sustainability consulting. While that’s not a guarantee, it is an indication of how we work to bring about the best outcomes for you.

DIRECT-TO-OWNER ENGINEERING

As your technical guide through the leading sustainable rating systems (LEED, WELL, Green Globes, Carbon Neutral Design, etc.), we support you and your project team to reach the levels of sustainability you desire. We help unlock why sustainable design is important to your project, then develop the strategy and ensure implementation so we meet those goals in a straight-forward, creative, and earth-improving way. To date, we have 100% success with our sustainability consulting. While that’s not a guarantee, it is an indication of how we work to bring about the best outcomes for you.

As your technical guide through the leading sustainable rating systems (LEED, WELL, Green Globes, Carbon Neutral Design, etc.), we support you and your project team to reach the levels of sustainability you desire. We help unlock why sustainable design is important to your project, then develop

Our difference is a team that tells you the truth with good intent allowing you to leave status quo behind. We check our egos at the door and focus on your building’s working as intended. We are paladins— supporters of your project, defenders of your goals, and champions for your building’s success.

DIRECT-TO-OWNER ENGINEERING

We work in existing buildings and on process improvements to address aging infrastructure, identify energy conservation measures, and solve operational deficiencies. We recognize these projects are hard to fund, and carefully create design solution to match your budget.

We work in existing buildings and on process improvements to address aging infrastructure, identify energy conservation measures, and solve operational deficiencies. We recognize these projects are hard to fund, and carefully create design solution to match your budget.

coined Game changers in building systems

TM because of our solid commitment to your building’s potential.

Founded in 1986, we built upon engineering roots and now deliver strategic commissioning, sustainability services, and direct-to-owner engineering for new and existing facilities.

Our difference is a team that tells you the truth with good intent allowing you to leave status quo behind .

We check egos at the door and focus on making your building work as intended.

We are paladins — supporters of your project, defenders of your goals, and champions for your building’s success.