School Infrastructure
BCCLT Consulting Engineers over its long history has furnished professional engineering services to educational facilities throughout the region. We are proud of having over 55 years of assisting public and private school districts, plus numerous college and universities as they establish, expand, and maintain their campuses to meet rapidly changing educational needs.
A first step in understanding the ability of existing systems to serve is the preparation of a systems evaluation with assessment. Our senior engineers perform onsite review of mechanical and electrical systems and prepare a report of findings. The evaluation, assessment with recommendations facilitate decision making essential in early project development.
CDC recommendations for school buildings in response to COVID-19 places a priority on ventilation to maintaining a healthy environment. Acceptable indoor air quality as defined by ASHRAE Standards for current occupancy levels should be the minimum goal. Good ventilation will reduce the number of virus particles in the air. In addition, increase supply air flow, the introduction of outside air, and the reduction of air recirculation when practical are all key strategies in improving air quality.
The ability of the HVAC systems to improve air filtration while maintaining air flow should be evaluated. The use of enhanced air filtration devices such as ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) or HEPA filters for high-risk environments should be considered. Building exhaust systems serving kitchens and restrooms must be maintained, operating and functioning property at full capacity.
The evaluation and assessment by BCCLT engineers will focus on the ability of the existing HVAC systems and associated controls to meet or exceed the CDC recommendations. Our assessment report will outline recommendations and present our findings with priorities and a careful consideration of funding.
BCCLT is a leader in HVAC design with extensive knowledge and expertise in adapting replacement systems into existing school buildings. We can address the challenges associated with renovations in old buildings with limited space, existing utilities, and established architecture. The BCCLT engineering team is available to assist educational facility clients with systems evaluation, assessments, and design.
This year the American Rescue Plan was signed into law providing public school districts across the country with $122 billion dollars in funding for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER Fund). Another $2.75 billion dollars was set aside for Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools Program (EANS Program).
The funds allow public and non-public schools to upgrade ventilation systems and improve indoor air quality. BCCLT Consulting Engineers continuing its long history has recently been retained by several school districts to evaluate their existing building infrastructure related to HVAC system equipment condition, operation, and performance in accordance with ventilation and air quality requirements under ESSER II and III funding guidelines.
BCCLT senior engineers with extensive training and experience in the assessment and evaluation of HVAC systems are currently assisting the school districts to identify conditions, formulate solutions, and present recommendations. The goal is to improve the essential HVAC systems, so they meet or exceed the CDC recommendations for maintaining health building environments.
Our Firm’s focus has always been the design of sustainable, energy efficient, right sized mechanical and electric systems. LEED accredited associates are involved with engineering design to ensure that mechanical and electric systems and their controls are specific designed for the facility and provide efficient sustainable operation. We recognize the importance of systems maintenance following the installation of our design and specify systems that match the capabilities of the facility staff.
BCCLT is a leader in mechanical and electrical design. Recent educational facility design has included geothermal heating and cooling systems, energy recovery wheels, demand ventilation/IAQ, DDC systems monitored by building and campus wide management, specific lab classrooms design with fume hood sash control for optimum ventilation, safety, and net-zero energy design. Low voltage systems including IT and data distribution are becoming more complex. BCCLT electrical engineers address these complexities and furnish a specific design. Many projects over the last decades have successfully established and expanded IT and data systems in classroom buildings construction long before the digital age.
Normal and emergency power distribution design furnish redundancies for life safety, security, and continuation of operation. Special power distribution systems address the complex needs of specific educational functions such as laboratories, vocational training shops, computer labs and smart classrooms.
The experience of BCCLT engineers and their understanding of systems installation allow our design to be implemented in the existing facilities avoiding disruption to the teaching functions and accomplished within the funding limits. The BCCLT engineering team is available to assist educational facility clients with systems evaluation, assessments, design, and construction oversite.