Ryan C. MacNichol
Penn State AE Senior Thesis
Construction Management
Multi-Use High Rise
Washington DC Area
Donohoe Construction Company
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BUILDING STATISTICS
PART 1 | PART 2
Electrical System

The construction of the Multi-Use High Rise is set to be completed over a two year span. The construction start date is July 24, 2012 and substantial completion is July 29, 2014. This project spans over a lot of 51,696 SF, includes a two-story underground parking, and two multi-occupancy buildings.

Building A is a ten-story high-rise, including both retail and apartment spaces. The retail space takes up the first floor, where the remaining nine floors are made up of apartment spaces. Building B is a six-story mid-rise, also including retail and apartment spaces. Again, the retail space is on the first floor, and apartment space makes up the floors to follow.

This project was constructed on a lot with existing buildings, which had to be demolished. The land then needed to be excavated, requiring specific tieback procedures. The construction of the project is pretty straight forward; concrete columns are poured first, followed by concrete slabs and beams. After the structure, finishes and rough-ins are constructed bring each building to completion.

Lighting System
Structural System
Mechanical System
Fire Protection System

The structural system for the Multi-Use High Rise is primarily made up of cast-in-place concrete. The foundation is found on level P2, using concrete footings and slab on grade. The remainder of both buildings, level’s P1 to the roof, consists of cast-in-place concrete columns, beams, and slabs. Cast-in-place concrete minimum ultimate compressive strength for footings, slabs-on-grade, and foundation walls are 4000 PSI, while framed slabs and beams are 5000 PSI. Slabs poured on grade will be a minimum of 5 inches thick, poured over a vapor barrier and 6 inches of washed crushed stone.

The mechanical system for the Multi-Use High Rise is also a very complex system due to the complexity of the project. A 100% Outside Air Rooftop system is utilized for both Building A and Building B in heating and air conditioning. With this, both buildings use 1.5 ton split system heat pumps with cooling capacities of 18,000 BTU/H and heating capacities of 19,000 BTU/H. Several other mechanical equipment is used to make up the overall system, like fan heaters, including unit and fan wall heaters, air flow regulators, and through-the-wall units. The exhaust fans used in this system include ceiling mounted, direct driven centrifugal and belt driven centrifugal. This project also has specific building envelope requirements for roof R value, exterior above grade walls, floors over outdoor/unconditioned space, slab/below grade walls, and glazing.

The electrical system for the Multi-Use High Rise is a severely complex system composed of multiple panel boards and switchboards that are required to feed each floor and unit separately, as well as the retail space. The main distribution is made up of three separate distribution panels. Switchboard 1 is a 2,500A 277/480V switchboard, switchboard 2 is a 3000A 120/208V switchboard, and switchboard 3 is a 1600A 120/208V switchboard.

Switchboard 1 and 2 distribute to Building A, where switchboard 3 distributes to Building B. Each switchboard is designated to several panel boards throughout each building, giving each unit on each floor control of its own electric.
A 300KW/375KVA, 277/480V diesel engine driven emergency generator is used to power a 75 HP fire pump. This generator and fire pump is used for both Building A and Building B for this project. All power distribution equipment is located on level P1 of the parking garage, in the Electrical Room.

The lighting for the Multi-Use High rise utilizes a total of 78 different lighting fixtures throughout both Building A and Building B. The main types of lighting fixtures throughout the buildings included recessed fluorescent T5, recessed fluorescent T* and LED down lights.

There is significant day lighting taken into effect during design of each building. Large windows and open areas make this possible, leaving very few fixtures to be visible. The lighting design also implemented photo sensors around the buildings to reduce energy consumption, whenever there are no occupants or there is enough daylight in the space.

In the Multi-Use High Rise project a dry-pipe sprinkler system is used, using a 1250 GPM, 100 HP, 488V 3phase fire pump.  This fire pump is powered by the 300kW/375KVA diesel engine driven emergency generator. Both black steel and CPVC piping is used for the fire suppression water in this system. Sprinklers are provided in all areas of both Building A and Building B.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Note: While 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‐inprogress 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 Ryan MacNichol. Changes and discrepancies in no way imply that the original design contained errors or was flawed. Differing assumptions, code references, requirements, and methodologies have been incorporated into this thesis project; therefore, investigation results may vary from the original design.
SENIOR THESIS / PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY / ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING / AE COMPUTER LABS / CONTACT

This page was last updated on September 6, 2013 by Ryan MacNichol and is hosted by the AE Department (C) 2014