Kohler Ronan Consulting Engineers - Public Education

PUBLIC EDUCATION

QUALIFICATIONS

Public Education

The professionals and staff at Kohler Ronan Consulting Engineers understand the issues and constraints facing today’s public schools. We know systems must perform optimally to sustain the proper environment, while being cost effective to install and operate. Kohler Ronan’s design and engineering services strive to meet the educational institution’s needs for function in a manner which is supportive and contributory to the learning process. Whether the project consists of classrooms, science labs, performing arts space, libraries, dining or athletic facilities, Kohler Ronan has extensive experience. Indoor air quality, lighting, and thermal comfort are critical.

Mansfield Elementary School

New Construction

Location Mansfield, Connecticut

Architect TSKP Studio

Services MEP/FP

Sustainability Net-zero Energy

Size 79,300 square feet

Cost $40.5 million

Completed Est. 2022

The Town of Mansfield, CT, constructed a new elementary school that consolidated three separate elementary schools into one facility serving approximately 600 students in PreKindergarten through Grade 4. Scope of work supports enhanced programming for common spaces, classrooms, quiet spaces, integrated outdoor spaces, and accessible resources.

Sustainability was especially important to this Mansfield project whose stakeholders hoped to achieve a net-zero energy building through innovative design and best practices. No fossil fuels are used in the school building’s normal daily operations. Kohler Ronan was pleased to provide comprehensive mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection design in support of this program and its ambitious energy goals. The new school is Connecticut’s first net-zero school.

New Lebanon School

New Construction

Location Greenwich, Connecticut

Architect TSKP Studio

Services MEP/FP, Tech Design, and Energy Analysis

Sustainability CTHPB, LEED Gold Certified

Size 60,000 square feet

Cost $37.3 million

Completed 2019

Located on a nature-steeped site, this new, two-story elementary school for the Town of Greenwich accommodates approximately 375 children from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 5. Targeting a magnet school population, the school offers a research and evidence based International Baccalaureate (IB) program. An important goal of the design team was to enhance this unique learning experience for the school’s students and to assist in creating a highly productive teaching environment for the faculty. Many spaces within the 60,000 square-foot school have been designed with versatility in mind, including flexible furnishings and technological infrastructure, allowing for concurrent, multi-zone learning.

In addition to comprehensive MEP and Technology design, our team provided significant energy analysis in support of the school’s sustainability goals. The facility, a CT High Performance Building (CTHPB), was designed to achieve LEED Gold certification. The design followed an integrated design process informed by TSKP Studio, members of the district’s Board of Education, and Kohler Ronan. Initial energy models were created to identify design targets for envelope, lighting, and mechanical systems aimed at meeting the LEED Gold target. This iterative energy modeling process also allowed the team to make decisions based on the life-cycle cost performance of the various options proposed. The final school design incorporated a photovoltaic system for educational outreach and was 30% more energy efficient than the ASHRAE 90.1-2007 Baseline.

Images: Courtesy of TSKP Studio

Guilford High School

New Public High School

Location Guilford, Connecticut

Architect TSKP Studio

Services MEP/FP, Technology Design, Sustainable Design

Awards AIA Connecticut Design Award, 2016

Size 235,000 square feet

Cost $98 million

Completed 2015

While fulfilling the role of the traditional school, there is very little traditional about the learning spaces in this 235,000 square-foot facility. The new building includes a 600-seat auditorium, two gymnasiums, science classrooms, art studios, cafeteria, and kitchen. Technical classrooms allow students to gain knowledge in automotive, wood, welding, robotics, and television production. Thoughtful classroom design encourages effective learning, dynamic instruction, active collaboration, and lively interaction between students and teachers.

For our part, Kohler Ronan designed MEP/FP and IT/Security systems in keeping with the plans for the distinctive school building. To this end, our energy modeling team analyzed numerous design options. The final design of this Connecticut High Performance Building included an aggressive energy plan and high-efficiency systems such as a thermally improved envelope, radiant floor heating and cooling, energy recovery, daylighting, condensing boilers, co-generation, and thermal ice storage. Improvements resulted in a $138,000/year reduction in energy costs and simple payback within eleven years. Working with Eversource and Southern Connecticut Gas, incentives of nearly $650,000 were obtained. Finally, part of the facility can serve as an emergency shelter, operating entirely on standby power.

Images: © Robert Benson

Victoria Soto School

Stratford Academy’s K-2 Building

Location Stratford, Connecticut

Architect TSKP Studio

Services MEP/FP, Energy Analysis

Size 34,000 square feet

Cost $18 million

Completed 2015

Awards AIA Connecticut Design Award, 2016: Honorable Mention | Connecticut High Performance Building Standard Compliant

The Victoria Soto School lies on a twenty-five acre campus in the historic town of Stratford, Connecticut. As part of The Stratford Academy, the school serves kindergarten through second grade. Kohler Ronan designed complete MEP/FP systems for the new school in the hopes of creating a comfortable and safe environment for students and faculty.

Ventilation is provided via dedicated outdoor air units with energy recovery, and all the classrooms are provided with radiant floors. Dual fuel boilers allow the facility to choose the fuels utilized based on cost efficiency. Significant energy analysis was conducted in order to obtain the highest possible level of cost-effective energy efficiency.

To achieve the building’s energy goals, the design team created an initial energy model to reduce energy expenditures and optimize overall energy performance. The energy model was also used as a tool to evaluate various design concepts and strategies. Energy efficiency measures incorporated into the final design included improved thermal envelope, energy recovery ventilators, variable refrigerant flow systems, energy-efficient lighting, light shelves and occupancy sensors.

During construction, whole building performance simulation was performed in accordance with ASHRAE 90.1-2007 Appendix G Building Performance Rating Method in order to demonstrate compliance with the Energy Performance section of the Connecticut High Performance Building Standard (HPBS). The design performed 27.3% more efficient in terms of energy cost than the ASHRAE 90.1-2007 Baseline, earning the mandatory strategy.

Images: © Robert Benson

Lady Liberty Academy Charter School

Renovations and Addition

Location Newark, New Jersey

Architect GLUCK+

Services MEP/FP

Size 43,400 square feet

Cost $5.2 million

Completed 2014

Kohler Ronan worked with GLUCK+ Architects and the not-for-profit developer, Build With Purpose, to provide MEP/FP systems design for the Lady Liberty Academy Charter School in Newark, New Jersey. The school serves approximately 468 students from kindergarten through the eighth grade. The project included a new construction, two-story addition totaling approximately 17,400 GSF, as well as the renovation to the existing school consisting of another 26,000 GSF. The new school provides the students with a modern, state-of-the-art facility, including a dedicated music class room, a gym, and a new cafeteria which looks out onto the courtyard providing a safe and inviting environment for the students.

Systems include gas-fired rooftop units which provide both heating and cooling to the school, LED lighting, and fire-alarm and sprinklers throughout the renovated spaces and the new addition. Design of these systems required considerable coordination as the building’s construction incorporated modular units which were built offsite and shipped from Pennsylvania.

Images: Courtesy of GLUCK+

Fairfield Woods Middle School

Public School Renovations

Location Fairfield, Connecticut

Architect TSKP Studio

Services MEP/FP, Energy Modeling

Size 45,900 square feet

Cost $24.2 million

Completed 2012

This education project consisted of the expansion and renovation to an existing 134,487 square-foot middle school originally constructed in 1954. Building expansions included a 12,000 square-foot auditorium, 3,500 square-foot auxiliary gymnasium, 1,000 square-foot occupational and physical therapy suite, and 29,400 square-foot general & science classroom addition. The goal of the renovation and addition was to achieve the highest, cost-effective energy efficiency possible. In order to achieve this goal, the energy demand of the building was thoroughly analyzed and minimized through efficient building design and thoughtful considerations on the part of the design team.

Kohler Ronan’s team created an initial energy model to optimize and reduce the overall energy performance. The energy model was also used as a tool to evaluate various design concepts and strategies.

The proposed addition and alteration work at Fairfield Woods Middle School meets and exceeds the Energy Performance sections of the Connecticut High Performance Building Standard; wherein a minimum 21% improvement must be shown over a baseline model as defined by ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1 – 2004. The proposed building model performs 21.5% better than the AHSRAE baseline.

Jettie S. Tisdale Elementary School

New Public Elementary School

Location Bridgeport, Connecticut

Architect TSKP Studio

Services MEP/FP

Size 105,000 square feet

Cost $25 million

Completed 2008

The late Jettie S. Tisdale dedicated her life to ensuring that students of Bridgeport, Connecticut would be prepared to succeed in life. Named in her honor, the Jettie S. Tisdale Elementary School will definitely provide its students with a solid foundation from which to learn and grow.

Completed in 2008, the 105,000 square-foot, two-story school is home to approximately 750 kindergarten through eighth grade students. At a cost of $44.6 million, the facility’s classrooms are equipped with computers and SMARTBoard technology. The choral/music room houses high-tech recording equipment, and storage areas are brimming with new band instruments.

Kohler Ronan delivered a complete array of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection design services for this new facility. Of particular interest is the use of thermal ice storage to cool the building. By creating ice at off-peak hours (when electric energy and demand charges are less), and then utilizing the chilled water created by melting that ice during the day, the facility is cooled in a cost-effective and energy-efficient manner. As for heating the school, radiant ceiling panels help to reduce the overall size of the system and create free areas on the lower walls and floor of the rooms. This available space is beneficial to teacher looking for easily accessible storage for young students.

Lyman High School

Vernon E. Cleaves Agricultural Science & Technology Program

Location Wallingford, Connecticut

Architect TSKP Studio

Services MEP/FP

Size 70,830 square feet

Cost $28 million

Completed 2010

Kohler Ronan was contacted to provide complete mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering and design services for this project consisting of the renovation and new additions to a vocational agricultural teaching facility. The school’s program incorporates aquaculture, large animal science, small animal science, and horticultural studies. Corresponding facilities and engineering systems were required.

To the existing building (approximately 188,230 square feet), we outlined a two-story, 70,000+ square-foot addition incorporating a green house, horse riding area, and stables, both for the horses as well as other types of animals. Indoors are spaces for multiple fish tanks and aquariums whose waste water is re-used for the greenhouse. The project also accommodates space for farm equipment repair along with wood working shops.

Our engineers designed new heating and air-conditioning systems throughout the facility, in addition to new wiring, equipment relocation, and electrical design to provide pathways for telecom and security.

Henry Abbott Technical High School

Connecticut Technical High School Addition & Renovations

Location Danbury, Connecticut

Architect TSKP Studio

Services MEP/FP

Size 200,000 square feet

Cost $43 million

Completed 2009

Located in central Danbury, Henry Abbott Technical High School is one of approximately 20 schools in the Connecticut Technical High School System. Having opened in 1915, Abbott Tech has been educating students in and around the city and Northern Fairfield County for 94 years. At the time of this writing, the school offers training in 12 trades and technologies in addition to one post graduate day and evening course.

This school project consisted of an 84,000 square-foot renovation and a 116,000 square-foot expansion. The expansion houses the school’s vocational technical program including auto mechanics, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and carpentry shops. An expanded library and longawaited modern media center were also within the project’s scope.

Kohler Ronan’s team of professionals addressed the varying needs of the building’s occupancies and disciplines by providing engineering and design services for a new cooling plant along with new HVAC systems and equipment. Additionally, we designed comprehensive electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems throughout the building. All shop facilities and academic spaces are now within a state-of-the-art learning environment, and the students of Henry Abbott are enjoying their much improved school.