Community & Cultural

Client/Owner: Albany County

Location: Albany, NY

Contact: Curtis Benedetto, Jr, PE

Description: GPI provided design services for the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems for Albany County and their renovations to the Times Union Center. The project consisted of a complete redesign of the front atrium, the south facade, and the northeast corner of the Times Union Center to elevate the usefulness, improve curb appeal and create a space that will enhance the experience of both patrons and the general public attending events in and around the arena. The project was phased to allow the facility to remain open and operational during the construction phase.

Category: Community & Cultural

Client/Owner: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Location: Delmar, NY

Contact: Daniel Hampson, PE

Description: GPI provided design services for the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems for a new educational center at Five Rivers. The facility is an environmental and natural history learning center extending over 350 acres, operated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The new building incorporates green roofs, LED lighting, solar thermal and solar photovoltaic arrays, as well as rainwater harvesting, natural ventilation, light shelf elements and a geothermal heat pump system. The building is like a "working lab" to support key educational themes, emphasizing the importance of environmental conservation and teaching by example in the building design. Due to the expanded building size, fire protection was needed, but available pressure from the municipal system was inadequate therefore the rainwater collection/storage system and a new emergency generator and fire pump provide the appropriate water supply and pressure. *LEED Platinum

Category: Community & Cultural

Client/Owner: Dewberry

Location: Oakton, VA

Contact: Rocky Styer, PE

Description: GPI provided design services for the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems for the 17,000 sq ft library. The design features an HVAC system that is simple to operate and maintain, had a low first cost, and still achieves energy savings goals. Demand control ventilation reduces energy use by automatically reducing the ventilation rate when the building is not fully occupied. The variable occupancy community meeting room has a dedicated HVAC system to avoid the energy costs associated with over-ventilating the rest of the building. Daylight sensors and dimmable fluorescent light fixtures automatically reduce lighting levels and energy use when ample natural light is available. Underfloor power raceways allow easy reconfiguration of the computer areas as technology evolves. Dual flush toilets and other water efficient plumbing fixtures reduce water usage over 40% compared to a facility with standard fixtures. *LEED Silver

Category: Community & Cultural

Client/Owner: Harvey-Cleary Builders

Location: Great Falls, VA

Contact: Rocky Styer, PE

Description: GPI provided design services for the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection and structural engineering design for an 18,700 sq ft facility which is one of the largest fire stations in Fairfax County. The station’s architecture looks more rural than most modern fire stations and includes a 48-foot-tall hose-drying tower that provides both drying space for the hoses and training space for the firefighters. Twenty-four professional firefighters are assigned to the station and six bunk rooms are available for crew members. The station has conference and training rooms, multiple storage spaces, a decontamination room, repair shop, recreation area and a large kitchen with a low island accessible by the disabled. The station makes effective use of natural light and has many environmentally friendly features, including floor tiles made with recycled glass, heat-reflecting concrete parking areas and waterless urinals. Three sections of the station’s roof are “green roofs” covered with water-absorbing vegetation, including grasses and lichens. The station’s four-bay apparatus area with front and rear doors allows most vehicles to drive through. The apparatus bay’s front doors fold inward on hinges instead of being hauled up on rails overhead allowing the doors to open and shut automatically in mere seconds. *LEED Gold

Category: Community & Cultural

Client/Owner: Thomas Horlacher / Joseph DeScipio

Location: Montrose, PA

Contact: Stephen Daiute, PE, LEED AP

Description: GPI provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering services for this new 20,000 sq ft public library. The core HVAC systems include the installation of two high-efficiency 399,000 BTU hot water boilers, a 40-ton air cooled chiller, and two Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERV) delivering pre-tempered fresh air to the zoned equipment. Hot water and chilled distribution piping serve the ducted zone fan coil/blower coil units conditioning the spaces. The HVAC systems are controlled local to the spaces and by a central-building control system. A natural gas distribution line fuels boilers, water heaters, and a fire place. Water and sanitary systems serve plumbing fixtures throughout the library.

Category: Community & Cultural

Client/Owner: East Putnam Fire District

Location: Putnam, CT

Contact: Daniel Hampson, PE

Description: GPI designed a new 11,000 sq ft, seven-bay Fire Station with three drive-through bays, men’s and women’s sleeping quarters, full-service kitchen facilities, banquet and meeting rooms, training rooms and offices. All truck bays and fire support spaces were provided with hydronic radiant slab heating. Energy Recovery Units were used to provide ventilation air throughout the building and save energy. An underground water storage tank was provided to serve as a truck fill supply. To provide back-up power to the building, a 125kVa duel fuel gas-fired generator was installed with an integral subbase fuel tank used as a diesel fuel source, which provides emergency power for the building.

Category: Community & Cultural