Independence Hall

BKM provided MEP design services for this 600-bed facility that is comprised primarily of semi-suites, each with a shared bathroom. Two-story student lounges and smaller study lounges were provided in each wing on each floor of the facility. The ground floor includes 3 private residence apartments for the hall directors, 2 large central laundry rooms, and a 4,000-square-foot fitness center.

Chilled and heating water were extended from the campus central plant and provide heating and cooling for each suite via four-pipe vertical fan coil units in a back-to-back stacked arrangement, providing individual room temperature control throughout. Two 20,000 cubic feet-per-minute central station 100 percent outdoor air, air handling units were located in the building’s attic, to provide conditioned ventilation air to each room, corridor, and various public spaces. Glycol recovery coils capture energy from the exhaust air to pre-treat the outdoor air. A floor-by-floor smoke control was provided in compliance with local codes. Power was extended from the central plant’s 15kV gear, to serve a new 1,500 kVA pad mounted transformer, provide 480-volt secondary to the building’s 2,000 Amp switchboard. A diesel generator provides emergency power for life safety functions, including the building’s smoke control system. Special systems include fire alarm, voice, data, cable television, access control, and emergency phones.

The entire student housing complex at the University of Delaware’s Laird Campus encompassed nearly 2,800-beds and with each building being served from a central plant. Under a separate contract, BKM provided the design to expand the central plant capacity to 3,750-tons of chilled water and 1,750 BHP of heating water.