Located at NREL’s Flatirons Campus, the Composites Manufacturing Education and Technology (CoMET) facility enables NREL to lead composite research projects for the wind turbine industry. As part of 360 Engineering’s IDIQ contract with NREL, the firm was selected to provide a new R-19 insulation system to this existing pre-engineered metal building. 360 Engineering led the design team, including Anderson Hallas Architects, Martin/Martin for structural engineering, and AE Design for electrical engineering.
The architect used WUFI modeling to determine the location of the vapor barrier and the system’s feasibility. Martin/Martin evaluated the existing structure to verify its capability of supporting the additional insulation and offered a design for minor support of a new architectural roof system. 360 Engineering determined the dew point, proposed systems to mitigate interior condensation, and designed a retrofit to add a DX coil to the existing 100% outdoor air unit, as well as provided new controls for the existing unit to tie into the campus BAS. Additionally, 360 calculated the new space heating load and designed new gas unit heater installations to cover and reduce the load on the existing electric coil in the 100% outdoor air unit. AE Design designed the removal and reinstallation of exterior lighting and power to new unit heaters and DX unit.
Based on the design team’s analysis and reporting, it was determined that Roofing Option 1 (spray foam insulation) was the only feasible choice due to the maximum allowable structural load parameters. 360 Engineering led the team through design and into construction administration, completing a final punch report once construction was finished.
Building 95 at the Denver Federal Center houses four tenants; the National Water Quality Laboratory, the Brand of Quality Systems, National Research Programs, and the Center for Isotope Research in Earth Science and Biology. The General Services Administration (GSA) initiated a mechanical study of the exhaust and make-up air systems for the hazardous waste area of the building. Fugitive fumes were escaping from the room, and the system was unable to maintain negative pressures. 360 Engineering was hired to conduct the study for the GSA as part of the Anderson Hallas Architects IDIQ team.
As-built drawings were reviewed to determine how the system was designed to operate, including mechanical equipment, heating and cooling capacities, and controls sequence of operations. The field survey observed system operation and existing equipment, verified accuracy of as-built drawings, inspected Building Automation System (BAS), and measured airflow for supply and exhaust.
Modification recommendations were made to achieve the required performance, including new equipment, new infrastructure, re-balancing existing equipment, and adjusting setpoints and sequences of operations.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) operates in two central locations, Gaithersburg, Maryland and Boulder, Colorado. For (3) buildings on the Boulder campus, NIST awarded 360 Engineering a contract to conduct a study of steam and chilled water. As the prime consultant, 360 Engineering made on-site assessments of the steam piping and chilled water piping to determine the condition of piping in Buildings 1, 2, and 24. Each is a multi-story building consisting of private offices and laboratory spaces.
These buildings, constructed between 1950 and 1965, had undergone some recent renovations, though many of the building systems dated back to the original construction and were operating past life expectancy. Based on the field assessments, 360 Engineering compiled a report, detailing all piping conditions and recommendations on the need for replacement.
Project challenges included mapping out entire steam and chilled water systems without full sets of as-built drawings, and determining how the systems operated by piecing together select information from several drawing sets and site surveys.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) campus in Boulder, Colorado is comprised of (30) buildings primarily used for scientific research. Non-renovated areas of Building 1 (Spine & Wings 1, 2, 4, 5) needed the domestic water system replaced, including cold water, hot water, a hot water recirculation line, and hot water equipment. As the prime consultant, 360 Engineering and their design team conducted field observations of the existing domestic water system from the service entrance to all plumbing fixtures. Based on these field observations and NIST’s project goals, 360 made recommendations for the new system and proceeded with the design once NIST made final decisions.
This project posed several challenges, including cost of construction to replace all piping in the laboratory areas, possible downtime for laboratory researchers during construction, and possible changes in design/needs due to ongoing construction projects at Building 1. 360 Engineering’s proposed solution to these challenges was a core and shell-type design that involved capping full-size pipes with an isolation valve off the main in the corridor. This option would allow the pipe to always have the same capacity as the main, making it more flexible than the existing system. Additionally, this would allow labs to be connected into the space as needed for future modifications without shutdowns, draining, or the upfront cost to replace parts of the system. This would also minimize laboratory downtime and disruption during project construction. Ultimately, the core and shell approach would help minimize changes and costs during future construction projects at Building 1.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) campus in Boulder, Colorado, has (30) different buildings (650,000 sq ft) primarily used for scientific research. Building 24 consists of a basement for storage and mechanical space and two levels above grade with office and laboratory space. As the prime consultant and mechanical engineer, 360 Engineering completed a comprehensive mechanical survey of existing HVAC equipment and utilities in Building 24. Additionally, 360’s electrical sub-consultant evaluated and made recommendations on the feasibility of reusing existing electrical equipment.
Based on the field assessments, 360 Engineering provided NIST with a primary and two alternate designs, along with preliminary cost and schedule comparisons and benefit analysis. After meeting with NIST to discuss each alternative, 360 Engineering coordinated design team efforts to fully develop the design for the chosen system. 360 Engineering recognized the need for supplementary support on the architectural and structural sides of the design based on the selected option, so additional consultants were brought on board for the final design. For the final deliverable, 360 Engineering provided a complete architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical set of construction drawings and cost estimate.
One of the main challenges with this project was providing a phased design approach strategy to allow the building to remain operational as a functioning lab building while replacing the entire HVAC system, including all ductwork, piping, and controls. Multiple conversations with NIST, their facility team, and our team allowed for an integrated approach which allows sections of the building to have the HVAC system off during the weekends as the contractor moves through the building.
Built in 1881, the Spring Hill Ranch House, located within Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, is Second Empire style architecture constructed using a wide range of materials including white limestone, a distinctive material to eastern Kansas. There are three floors of living space in the ranch house, with an additional service floor located between the first and second floors. The walls in the living space are plaster, and eight rooms and three halls in the house feature varied molded plaster cornices. The elaborate stairway post and stair railing are walnut; the remaining woodwork in the house is grained pine.
Working with Anderson Hallas Architects and the National Park Service, 360 Engineering addressed humidity concerns within the Ranch House to preserve the historic fabrics and features. Multiple site visits were conducted to supply the National Park Service with the optimal mechanical solutions, which included standalone dehumidifier units and a Direct Expansion (DX) cooling system.
The Integrated Biorefinery Research Facility (IBRF) at NREL’s South Table Mountain campus in Golden, Colorado, “enables researchers and industry partners to develop, test, evaluate, and demonstrate processes and technologies for the production of bio-based products and fuels.” For the IBRF Process Development Unit (PDU), 360 Engineering provided prime-consulting and construction administration services to upgrade the dust collection system.
The project scope of work included field evaluations of existing mechanical and electrical conditions, documentation for the removal of existing dust capture system and ductwork in the laboratory, and design for new dust capture systems; hoods and/or snorkels along with new ductwork. Detailed site observations were performed to evaluate the building’s ventilation to determine how the air would move during operations of general exhaust, dust collection exhaust, and a combined exhaust rate.
The Science and Technology Facility (S&TF) at NREL in Golden, CO, is a 71,000 square-foot-building housing laboratory and office space, supporting a wide range of scientific investigations. Within the Process Development and Integration Laboratory (PDIL), NREL was looking to construct a “Clean Zone” area with an ISO Class 6 (Class 1000) cleanroom. As the prime consultant and mechanical engineer, 360 Engineering and the design team prepared concept design and bridging documents for NREL’s use in procuring a design-build contract.
For the new state-of-the-art cleanroom, relative humidity needed to remain above 30%, and temperature control within +/- 2 degrees F. Process support systems included hazardous exhaust abatement for hydride exhaust, specialty gases from adjacent cabinets to the tools, and waste neutralization for acid etch. A mezzanine (platform) was designed above the cleanroom to provide an enclosure for the clean zone humidity control, space for air handling equipment, exhaust abatement unit, and to suspend the cleanroom ceiling.
Lab 229 is one of more than 40 laboratories in the Field Test Laboratory Building (FTLB) at NREL’s South Table Mountain campus in Golden, CO. As the prime consultant and mechanical engineer, 360 Engineering’s team provided NREL with Architectural and Engineering design services, and Construction Administration Services, for the replacement of 2 stainless steel electric steam boilers in lab 229.
The design team performed field evaluations of existing conditions based on lab use, equipment, and the lab’s functional layout. Removal of the existing utilities included steam piping, drain piping, and feed water piping to the existing boilers. Ceiling tiles were removed and replaced to remove and install new steam piping and new DI piping.
The mechanical engineers designed new steam piping from the new boilers to the existing autoclaves, new drain piping from the new boilers to the existing drains, and new feedwater piping from the main DI building water loop. Electrical design included disconnecting power feeds to the existing boilers and four control circuits and reconnection of power feeds to the new boilers and control circuits.
The Gateway Arch Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri, reflects the City’s role in the Westward Expansion of the United States in the nineteenth century and is a memorial to Thomas Jefferson’s role in the expansion. The Museum at the Gateway Arch, renovated in 2018, now offers the National Park’s visitors an interactive experience.
For the remodel of the visitor center and museum store, 360 Engineering designed new mechanical and plumbing systems. One unique challenge of the project was designing all of the HVAC ductwork to hide in the cloud drop ceiling. Through close coordination with the architect and design team, the result was an aesthetically pleasing gift shop for visitors to enjoy.
