Building Enclosure
Facade
There are two distinct buildings of the VASCIC complex, the office and the laboratory wings.
The office tower is enclosed primarily of curved reflective glass panels of two main glass types
- IG-2: reflective insulated glass manufactured by Viracon with visible light transmittanve of 12%, a minwter u-value of 0.40, a summer day u-value of 0.46, a solar gain coefficient of 0.17, and an outdoor visible reflectance of 32%.
- IG-3: ceramic-coated spandrel insulating glass with a medium gray frit pattern with the same u-values as IG-2.
The research and laboratory wing connected to the office tower is primarily made of tilt-in-place insulated concrete wall panels that are lighting sand blasted with 1" recessed pre-cast concrete panels heavily sand blasted. The east and west end bays also contain glazing and pre-cast concrete sections. There are two different types of glazing:
\- CSG-1: low emissive insulation glass manufactured by Viracon with visual light transmittance not less than 70%, winter night u-value not more than 0.29, summer day u-value not more than 0.28, solar heat gain coefficient of not more than 0.37, and outdoor visible reflectance of 11%.
- IG-3: same ceramic-coated spandrel insulating glass used on the office tower facade.
Roofing System
The roofing system of the two buildings is rather simple and less complex from the building facades. The office tower utilizes EPMD on the rood white the research laboratory is a painted slowing metal roof deck. all exposeed metal is required to be painted with color fluoropolymer or a polyester finish.
Sustainability Features
Because there is so much glazing on the façade of the building, a shading system was necessary most importantly for conference rooms, auditoriums, as well as telecommunication rooms. There are three different types of rolling shade systems installed on the interior of the building. Type A is a manually operated solar shade installed in exterior windows with a simple shade cloth (S1) to block the non-desirable light. Type B is a manually operated shade with a solar shade and a darkening shade that operate independently with a shade cloth (S1) and a blackout shade cloth (S2). Type C is a motorized solar shade and room darkening shade that operate independently of each other with shade cloth (S1) and blackout shade cloth (S2). Type B and C are generally used for conference spaces, milti-purpose spaces, and the auditorium space. Type A is generally installed in general exterior window spaces.
Structural System
Foundation
The foundation system for both the Office Tower and the Laboratory/Parking Building is a deep foundation system consisting of precast, presetressed concrete driven piles. The sizes and lengths of the piles are based on the required load capacities. The piles support a concrete pile cap and grade beam system that supports each building superstructure.
Materials: 5000 psi minimum compressive strength concrete piles and foundation
Floor System
The flooring system of the Laboratory/Parking Building is constructed of precast, prestressed concrete double "tees" spanning (+/-) 60 feet, supported by precast, prestressed concrete beams. The load capacity of the floor system is 300 psf, based on criteria provided by Newport News Shipbuilding. A concrete topping slab is placed over the double "tees".
The flooring system of the Office Tower is a composite system consisting of a formed steel deckw ith a concrete infill supported by structural steel beams. Each beam has steel studs welded to the top flange as required to achieve the composite action with the concrete deck.
Materials: 6000 psi minimum compressive strenth double "tees", 5000 psi minimum compressive strength structural slab
Framing System
The framing system of the Laboratory/Parking Building is a precast, prestressed concrete column system with a support beam at each column line also precast concrete. These support beams are inverted "tee" beams which receive the loading from the double "tee" flooring system.
The framing system for the Office Tower is a simple structural steel system of columns and braced frames.
Materials: ASTM A572, Grade 50 structural steel beams and columns, 5000 psi minimum compressive strength of concrete frames
Mechanical System
The Office Tower primary air is provided by the penthouse mechanical room located on the roof that houses 3 VAV AHU's. The required primary air is provided through round or oval duct utilizing a vertical chase.
The Laboratory/Parking Building primary air is provided by 4 VAV AHU's located in the center of this building. The required primary air is provided through galvanized, round straight runs of duct to each end of the Laboratory.
Cooling
The estimated cooliong load for the entire facility is 1000 tons provided by high efficiency water cooled centrifugal chillers. The design consists of one 350 ton chiller and one 650 ton chiller with a 12 degrees temperature difference.
Heating
The estimated heating load for the entire facility is 7,500,000 btu/hr. A gas hot water system is utilized with gas fired boilers that are high efficiency condensing type to generate hot water. This hot water is distributed throughout the facility by two way valves at heating coils and perimeter hydronic heat at glass wall locations.
Electrical
Power to the Virginia Advanced Shipbuilding and Carrier Integration Center is provided directly from Virginia Power at 23,000 volts in plastic conduit encased in concrete. At the service entrance, five transformers are present. Virginia Power is responsible for all five transformeres, two Square D Powerlogic metering equipment, and one switchgear. Four transformers are utilized for facility power each pad mounted and rated at 5 MVA, 23.0/12.2 KV, Y primary, and 13.8/7.9 KV, Y secondary. The fifth transformer is designated for the fire pump which is also pad mounted and rated at 23.0/13.2 KV, Y primary, and 480Y/277 secondary.
The service entrance is located outside of the Laboratory/Parking Building in the South East section of the building. The main switchgear SGA is located here and is connected to the secondary switchgear SGB inside the Laboratory/Parking Building in the Electrical Integration Lab. Switchgear SGA is a metal clad type with draw out vacuum circuit breakers rated at 15 KV, 500 MVA, 1200 A continuous current and switchgear SGB has draw out type DS power circuit breakers. These two switchgears are connected through underground conduits utilizing four sets of 15 KV cables that are plastic conduit encased in concrete. Switchgear SGB is in main-tie-main configuration which is left open for the majoirty of the time. It is only closed when specialty testing in the Laboratory is being conducted to provide a common 10 MVA to the facility. Switchgear SGB distributes power to switchboards SBPA, SBPB, and SBPC. Switchboard SBPA distributes power to another smaller switchboard TSB in the Office Tower. Switchboard TSB distributes power to the left hand side of the Office Tower while switchboard SBPB distributes power to the right hand side via distribution panel PDP. It also distributes power to the main mechanical equipment located on the rooftop penthouse of the Office Tower. Switchboard SBPC distributes power to all lighting and receptacle loads utilizing a bus duct riser system in the Electronic Integration Lab.
Lighting
The lighting utilizes lamp types of linear fluorescent, compact fluorescent, incandescent, halogen, metal halide, and high intensity discharge. Linear fluorescent ballasts are multi-lamp electronic type with total harmonic distortion rating less than 20%. Compact fluorescent ballsts are electronic type with power factor greater than 90%. High intensity discharge ballasts are constant wattage autotransformer single-lamp type with starting temperature at a minimum of -22 degrees fahrenheit.
The Auditorium contains an extensive dimming control system to cater to the needs of the occupant. The dimming system contains three lighting scene controllers, two dimming panels, and three entry controllers.
The lighting scene controllers contain a four scene preset module and a seperate four scene accessory control allowing for a total of eight scene presets. The preset module has eight control zones with a raise/lower switch to control each zone sperately. These modules are Grafik Eye 4000 Series manufactured by Lutron.
Each dimming panel has main lugs for incoming power, a 20 A single-pole circuit breaker for each zone, plug-in dimmer cards, and filter chokes. The dimming cards are capable of dimming electronic fluorescent ballasts and incandescent loads.
The three entry controllers are two button, single scene ("on"/"off"), that are Grafik Eye NTGRX-2S seriers manufactured by Lutron.
Plumbing
The Office Tower toilets are centralized in the center column of the building and are stacked floor to floor. The Laboratory/Parking Building area toilets are located next to the Auditorium on the second floor. Neccessary floor drains and eye-washing stations are provided.
Storm drainage is accomplished by roof drains piped to internal rain leaders which convey the rain water underground and to the outside of the building. Drainage for the parking structure is accomplished by a pre-sloped trench draining system.
Fire Protection
Sprinkler System
The sprinkler system is based on the height of the Office Tower and is required to have a fire pump station. The fire pump is electric motor driven and includes a controller that is a power transfer switch for connection to the facility generator in emergency situations. The sprinklers throughout the facility are pendant heads where suspended ceilings are utilized, and upright sprinkler heads where exposed ceilings are utilized.
Fire Alarm System
The automatic detection system includes smoke detectors, duct smoke detectors, and a sprinkler system. In spaces of assembly type occupancies, voice automated fire alarm systems are utilized.
Telecommunication System
Each floor of the Office Tower has a designated telecommunications room. Firber optic cable is run horizontally to systems furniture connections in the open office areas via cable trays placed above the lay-in ceiling tile. The Laboratory/Parking Building houses the main telecommunications room which controlls the access security system for the facility.
All information above has been provided by Clark Nexsen in the Basis of Design Document.
Note: White great efforts have been taken to provide accurate and complete information on the pages of CPEP, please be aware that the information contained herewith is considered a work-in-progress for this thesis project. Modifications and changes related to the original building designs and construction methodologies for this senior thesis project are solely the interpretation of Alyson Larimer. Changes and discrepancies in no way imply that the original design contained errors or was flawed. Different assumptions, code references, requirements, and methodologies have been incorporated into this thesis project; therefore, investigation results may vary from the original design.
