Hillsmere Elementary School

BKM served as the MEP consultant for the Hillsmere Elementary School project. This project consists of a replacement of the existing Hillsmere Elementary School originally constructed in 1967. The new facility is approximately 68,000 SF and has a state rated capacity of 509 students. The school will include the following spaces: general classrooms, early childhood classrooms, special education classrooms, learning studios, media center, computer lab, art room, music room, gymnasium, cafeteria, as well as the administrative and health/guidance areas. The project was designed to achieve LEED Silver certification.

The mechanical system designed for this school includes a chiller and boilers as the main cooling and heating sources for the building. Chilled and heating water will be circulated throughout the building to serve fan coil units (FCUs) in each classroom. The FCUs will be re-circulating units providing heating and cooling to each occupied space. Ventilation air will be provided through rooftop DOAS (dedicated outside air system) units with energy recovery wheels. The administration area, media center, gymnasium and cafeteria will be equipped with an independent form of DX cooling to allow for summer operation without the chiller.

The building will be equipped with LED lighting throughout and a 200 kW generator will be provide for emergency and optional standby loads. The design also includes provisions to accommodate future solar PV panels on over 40% of the roof area.