Antietam Academy
Antietam Academy is a 45,000sf public high school and middle school in Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland. The school consists of an alternative program specializing in behavioral as well as academic disciplines for students in grades 6-12. It was formally renamed in 2003 after being known as the Alternative Center since its introduction in 1977. Up until 2011, its middle school and high school components were housed in two different locations, both in Hagerstown, Maryland. In January 2011 its new facility was opened in Hagerstown that is now home to both levels.
Gipe Associates provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering, additional contract administration, and commissioning services for the Antietam Academy. Our scope of services included the building’s mechanical equipment and associated automatic temperature control (ATC) system as it related to the verification of functional performance test, point checks, and verification of the Building Management Systems (BMS) system. The office/administration area functions year-round and was zoned such that it can operate independently from the rest of the school.
Infrared thermal imaging was utilized throughout the building to detect building envelope infiltrations, air leaks, or moisture that would negativity affect space temperature and system efficiency.
Gipe Associates executed the following activities to ensure the systems performed as designed:
- Reviewed submittals for compliance with the Basis of Design
- Coordinated/reviewed the development equipment start-up forms
- Developed and witnessed all functional performance tests
- Provided status and deficiency reports
- Coordinated & led all commissioning meetings
- Prepared a Commissioning Systems Manual that included a commissioning plan, documentation of all meetings, issues log, test reports, checklists & tests, and training documents
- Prepared a Commissioning Report to summarize all efforts and activities
Various deficiencies were uncovered and corrected during commissioning. Such deficiencies were filters being installed incorrectly, deviations from the contract drawings, plumbing valves installed incorrectly, vibration hangers missing, lack of code-required access to piping for heat pump units, missing insulation, color-coded piping painted in the wrong color. While many of these items may seem insignificant, lack of correction could have resulted in damaged or mis-maintained equipment.
Project Type: K-12,