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Skidmore College, Murray and Aikins Dining Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
As a hub of student interaction on campus, Skidmore«??s Dining Center is both visually appealing and comfortable.
The social environment and innovative design, likened to a cross between a bistro and a market, creates appeal for the dining facility, drawing students and faculty alike. In addition, a geothermal system provides an environmentally sustainable and economically attractive solution for heating and cooling the facility.
Burns Engineering completed engineering design for the rehabilitation of the existing 24,000 square foot dining facility and the addition of a new 18,000 square foot second floor banquet room. The facility now includes a conference center, a dining room with 720-person capacity, a central kitchen and serving area, and a two-story atrium with a banquet area that can seat 250.
Burns designed the following:
- Geothermal HVAC system
- Structure and foundation for the two story atrium and second floor addition
- Lighting, power distribution and emergency power
- Life safety systems
- Fire Protection Sprinkler system
- Plumbing for kitchen and restroom services
- Kitchen exhaust systems
Burns collaborated closely with Skidmore staff, the consulting architect and contractors to achieve the client«??s goals. The geothermal HVAC design achieved Skidmore«??s payback requirement of three years with a projected $55,000 per year in energy costs savings. In addition, the college will be receiving rebates from NYSERTA to help off-set the added capital costs of the geothermal system. The system entails 50 wells, water-source heat pump units, centralized ventilation systems and energy recovery ventilation units.
Creative solutions and collaborative teamwork provided Skidmore College with a high-profile centerpiece on campus that will facilitate rich interaction among students and faculty. The HVAC system achieves Skidmore«??s goal of an environmentally sustainable and economically viable geothermal system that keeps occupants comfortable.
Posted on Mar 23, 12:36 PM