Project Category: Community

LINC – Library Innovation Center

With a design inspired by the confluence of the Cache la Poudre River and the South Platte River, the new Library Innovation Center in Greeley, Colorado, offers an experience like no other. Reading, learning, innovation, arts, and community collide in this family destination. The old 42,000-square-foot Greeley Tribune building built in 1986 was completely renovated and expanded by over 20,000 square feet to create this community hub. In addition to the river of library books, key components include a children’s exhibit, event hall, classrooms, meeting and conference rooms, woodshop, 3-D printers, soundproof music/video studio, and interactive installations.

 

On Barker Rinker Seacat’s design team, 360 Engineering provided mechanical and plumbing engineering, designing a resilient HVAC system and dividing all large pieces of equipment between the north and south sides of the building so that each side would be independent of the other. Hydronic systems were designed with an extra boiler and pump so that the system maintains full operation if a boiler or pump is not functional. The system included packaged rooftop units with VAV boxes and hot water boilers, snow melt, and compressed air for machinery entering the innovation spaces. All new domestic water and waste piping was added throughout the building, a hot water system with a hot water recirculation pump running on an occupied/unoccupied schedule, ADA-compliant plumbing fixtures, restrooms, drinking fountains, bottle fillers, administration area and warming kitchen, dishwasher, icemaker connection for refrigerator, mop service basin the janitor’s closet, washer/dryer in the receiving area, plus roof drains on the addition.

 

Ceiling space was at a premium for this project, with very limited volume available above the ceilings due to the existing structure and the client’s desired ceiling heights. The roof drain design was a particular challenge, as the existing roof slopes and structure limited the space available to route the storm drainage piping at the required slopes. 360 worked closely with the architect and contractor in the 3D Revit model to ensure that the lines could remain concealed throughout the space and accommodate the new addition as it wrapped around the existing building structure. 360 also internally coordinated all of the ductwork needed to properly ventilate and condition the various spaces with this storm drainage piping, even in high occupancy spaces like the multipurpose classroom/stage area.

 

Learn about the collaboration with Weld Community Foundation and artist Sam Wes-Bruce for a special art installation:

 

Gunnison County Library

Gunnison County Libraries was looking to replace its existing library in Gunnison, Colorado, with a new sustainable building providing flexible and functional community space. The 15,000-square-foot public facility also needed to stand up to the harsh and variable weather conditions experienced in Gunnison. The high-elevation mountain sun is intense all year round, while winter ambient temperatures in the Gunnison Valley can drop below negative 30 degrees. In addition to cold temps, deep and heavy snow is common, so careful design of the roof systems was critical to handle snow and ice.

Anderson Hallas Architects created the new library design, along with a team of engineers, sustainability consultants, and landscape designers. 360 Engineering provided mechanical and plumbing engineering services, including energy modeling and assistance in achieving sustainability goals for the project. The energy-efficient mechanical system combined geothermal ground source heat pumps and a variable air volume dedicated outside air system (VAV DOAS) with new DDC controls. The plumbing design and fixtures for the building included restrooms and a warming kitchen for events and community gatherings.

Huerfano County Judicial Center

The new Huerfano County Courthouse in Walsenburg provides this southern Colorado community with a modern, state-of-the-art judicial center while respecting the adjacent historic courthouse. Anderson Hallas Architects led the architectural and engineering design team. They began the project by conducting a thorough space planning effort involving interviews with county and district courts, clerks, probation, and mediation departments to verify current and projected needs. The data collected informed the team’s efforts in creating a building with a primary focus on safety, in-custody transport, and 21st-century court needs, with the ability to host community gatherings and celebrate the local art program.

360 Engineering designed energy-efficient mechanical and plumbing systems for the new courthouse. These systems included packaged gas-fired RTUs with VAVs and a variable-flow hydronic boiler system. Before deciding on these systems, our engineers provided the county with a first-cost versus energy usage analysis. This breakdown also outlined the benefits of each option.

The team’s unique challenge was concerning odors coming in from the surrounding train activity and other sources. 360 Engineering worked with structural engineering team member JVA to design custom wind baffles blocking most airflow from the prevailing winds and protecting the ventilation air intakes for our rooftop units.

Behind the Design – Huerfano County Judicial Center Stories • Anderson Hallas Architects • Contemporary and Historic Design (andarch.com)

National Park Service – Scotts Bluff National Monument

Scotts Bluff, a stone formation that rises 800 ft. above the North Platte River in Nebraska, has long been a landmark for travelers. Located inside the 3,000-acre Scotts Bluff National Monument park, the historic Oregon Trail Museum and Visitor Center, comprising several structures built in phases from 1935 to 1949, needed renovation and system upgrades.

360 Engineering designed new mechanical and plumbing systems for the main visitor center and an addition to the building and commissioning of the upgraded systems. The design incorporated existing in-wall ducts and grills to preserve the facility’s original design intent and an energy-efficient VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) HVAC system with energy recovery ventilation.

Additionally, 360 Engineering conducted a fundamental fire protection analysis to determine the required flow for a full building sprinkler system compared to the available capacity of the existing on-site water storage tank. Through this analysis, 360 Engineering confirmed that a new fire pump was not required to provide sprinkler coverage to the building. 360 Engineering also sized and laid out the fire protection mains throughout the building based on NFPA standards.

Testimonial From Elizabeth Hallas – YouTube

Denver Athletic Club – Coworking Space and Lounge

Looking to enhance their member experience, the Denver Athletic Club transformed 6,700 square feet into a new modernized coworking space and lounge. Through a design-build contract, 360 Engineering provided mechanical and plumbing engineering services for this coworking space, plus the renovation of restrooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors.

Our work began with assessing the existing mechanical, plumbing, and gas piping systems, followed by a Preliminary Design Pricing Narrative outlining three mechanical system options. Once we had the design direction, 360 Engineering produced REVIT drawings through Construction Documents and proceeded with Construction Administration services with a final punch walk upon completion.

Once the tallest building in Denver, the DAC was constructed in 1890 with several additions throughout the decades. Our team overcame significant challenges due to the building’s age with existing structure and space constraints above hard lid ceilings and managing old abandoned existing mechanical and electrical conduit piping and ductwork from years past.

International School of Denver – New Academic Building

The International School of Denver provides its students with an inclusive and engaging learning environment focused on bilingual education and cultural immersion. Operating for over 40 years, the school saw a need to upgrade infrastructure on campus to accommodate growth and provide the ISD community with a hub, new specialized learning spaces for students, and professional development spaces for faculty.

Designed by Venture Architecture, the team worked closely with teachers and parents, carefully listening to their needs and goals for this new campus facility. The 40,000-square-foot building has a learning center, a Music, Art, Science, Maker’s Lab, and several faculty and parent volunteer spaces.

360 Engineering provided mechanical and plumbing engineering design services for the project and commissioning of the systems once installed. Our engineers designed a system that allowed for a potential additional floor in the future, which required us to meet some tight space conditions. The team also met tight space requirements in the water entry room. Due to the proximity of the building to the lot line, the water meter is inside the building.

Gold Winner | International School of Denver Academic Building | Venture Architecture (architecturepressrelease.com)

Mental Health Center of Denver – Behavioral Health Solutions Center

To address mental health needs in the Denver community and reduce loads on local jails and hospitals, the Mental Health Center of Denver and the City and County of Denver collaborated to create the Behavioral Health Solutions Center. This new facility offers patients a safe place to recover with an option to extend their stay, unlike the walk-in recovery clinics limited to 24-hour stays.

360 Engineering provided mechanical and plumbing engineering services to renovate approximately 30,000 square feet of an existing building with the Davis Partnership Architects design team. Programmatic components for the Solutions Center include a crisis clinic and a 30-day transitional residence. The crisis clinic on the garden level consists of 6 consumer rooms for a 23-hour stay and 16 crisis stabilization rooms for stays up to 5 days. There are private toilets and a triage nurse station, and a medical exam room. The 30-day transitional residence consists of 25-30 beds on the upper level for the use of up to 30-days. There’s also a fitness room, kitchen, dining facility, and community rooms.

Our team included additional safety measures in the design to minimize unsafe conditions and mitigate self-harm, such as ligature-resistant plumbing fixtures and air devices, and meeting the I-2 occupancy code for portions of the facility. Ultimately, the Solutions Center offers a functional flow and an environment of safety and dignity for staff and users.

 

 

South Metro Fire Rescue – Station No. 20

Providing emergency and prevention services in the Colorado counties of Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson, South Metro Fire Rescue has close to 30 fire stations. Addressing the needs of a growing suburban neighborhood in Highlands Ranch, South Metro Fire Rescue constructed a new ground-up fire station, reducing response times and offering emergency resources for the nearby Backcountry Wilderness Area.

Just across from Mountain Vista High School, South Metro Fire Rescue Station 20 is an 10,000 square foot building, with three engine-bays and a mezzanine, equipment storage, fitness room, offices, living quarters and restrooms, laundry room, decontamination space, a large kitchen with commercial appliances, and a day room area to use for meeting space. With a look inspired by a 100-year-old ranch house, the beautiful red brick building with bright red doors and inviting front and side patios is an aesthetically pleasing addition to the area.

Working with the architecture and engineering design team, 360 Engineering provided mechanical and plumbing engineering design services for this new fire station. Our team specified an energy-efficient Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) HVAC system with a Dedicated Outdoor-Air System (DOAS) for the mechanical portion. The VRF system offers multiple benefits. It is ductless, can heat and cool multiple zones simultaneously, and allows occupants to control the temperature in each space instead of being stuck with a limited number of heating/cooling zones. The system also uses less energy because it allows for heat recovery, extracting heat from zones that require cooling and redirecting it to zones in need of heating. It provides the exact amount of conditioning needed, operating compressors at a lower capacity, and reduces the amount of heat that is “wasted” to the outside compared to a more traditional heat pump system. In the engine bays, there are radiant tube heaters and a vehicle exhaust extraction system.

The plumbing design accommodated the three individual restrooms with showers, a public restroom, drinking fountains with bottle fillers, washing machines for general and decontamination usage, and water and gas lines to the kitchen and outdoor patio grill. In the end, the firefighters have a comfortable home away from home.

Denver Botanic Gardens Freyer-Newman Center

The final step in the Denver Botanic Gardens four-phase master plan, the 123,000-square-foot Freyer-Newman Center, holds classrooms, four gallery spaces, an expanded library, improved laboratories, 277-seat auditorium, a more accessible herbarium, and two levels of underground parking. Designed with LEED Gold standards, this new Center for Science, Art, and Education (CSAE) plays an essential role in the community’s access to the gardens’ arts and education programs.

Led by Davis Partnership Architects, 360 Engineering provided plumbing engineering consulting and design services for the project and fire protection engineering for the underground parking garage. The CSAE Building has two laboratory spaces for General Tissue Culture and Ecology. 360 Engineering designed and specified laboratory accessories and utilities for experimentation on the laboratory benches and in hoods. The laboratory systems included a dedicated air compressor, vacuum, deionized water system, and an emergency shower.

The project scope included upgrades at the historic Boettcher Memorial Center, which presented a need for creative design solutions. The Boettcher building is a protected historic site with a unique ceiling and roof structure. The engineers used the existing architectural aesthetics, which also presented some challenges for maintaining their position and purpose while still providing the needed utilities to the site. There was on-site problem solving for routing around and maintaining the integrity of existing conditions and structure.

2021 Mayor’s Design Award Winner

Berthoud Recreation Center

The Town of Berthoud opened its new Waggener Farm Park recreation center and indoor aquatics facility in November 2021. The recreation center includes a gymnasium, cardio and weight training area, group fitness room, child-watch area, party room, administrative space, climbing wall, locker room, family changing space, and mechanical and storage areas. 360 Engineering provided mechanical and plumbing engineering design services for the new ground-up 34,275 square foot facility.

Given the diversity of uses throughout the building, the mechanical system is equally diverse. Single-zone VAV rooftop units serve the large gym and fitness areas. A specialized pool unit serves the natatorium with energy recovery and dehumidification. Also associated with the pool is chemical storage, which has corrosion-resistant fans. An energy recovery unit serves the locker room area with high air changes. Fan-powered and shut-off VAV boxes fed by rooftop units serve the other spaces. With the variety of uses and ceiling finishes comes various ductwork, from aluminum in the pool areas to handle high humidity to PVC for corrosive fumes, lined ductwork for acoustics, and exposed spiral for aesthetics.

360 Engineering coordinated closely with the pool designer to incorporate a new deck-level exhaust system technology to capture evaporating chemicals on the pool surface before they can mix in the air, improving natatorium air quality. There are also high-volume, low-speed fans in the large open areas for destratification, including the pool, to reduce energy use and increase comfort.

 

https://www.berthoud.org/residents/parks-and-recreation/waggener-farm-recreation-center