Honeygo Elementary School (New Construction)

Gipe Associates provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design for the new 95,000sf Honeygo Elementary School.   

The two story educational facility houses grades Pre-K through 5 and features a variety of modern learning spaces; such as an outdoor classroom with gardens, supported by specialized drains / irrigation, a makerspace and digital learning classroom, video production studio, as well as all the general education spaces that make up a functional elementary school.  

The mechanical systems that heat and cool the building are made up of a hybrid geothermal system in conjunction with high efficiency boilers and packaged direct expansion split air handling units.  Equipment was strategically located in penthouses and large mechanical rooms, prolonging equipment life. Classroom areas are served by water-to-air heat pumps coupled with Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS) and an air-cooled VRF system coupled with DOAS is utilized for the Administration Area, Health Suite, and Parks & Recreation Area. These areas operate year long and the chosen system allows it to operate independently from the rest of the building.   

The electrical service consist of 2500amp, 480/277 volts, three phase, four wire service.  A dedicated main electrical room houses the switchboard, surge protection devices, and distribution equipment which feeds transformers and branch circuit panels located through the building.

An emergency diesel generator set and automatic transfer switches were provided and sized to support emergency lighting, fire alarm system, fire pump, MDF/IDF rooms, kitchen refrigeration, building management system, heating loads and other life safety loads.  A generator docking station transfer switch allows the building to be used as a MEMA emergency shelter.  

The 15kW solar PV system was designed to provide 1% of the estimated electrical energy used by the building.  Further the PV panels were strategically placed so that students and staff can see them from the green roof classroom, allowing the systems to be utilized as a learning tool.  

Lighting system design complied with ASHRAE 90.1-2013 power density requirements.  Fixtures utilized dimmable LED lights controlled by vacancy and occupancy sensors.  Daylight harvesting with photocell control of the electronic dimming drivers was provided where applicable.  Security lighting was designed around the building and in the parking lots, as well as accent lighting for the school sign and flagpole.  Paths of egress were illuminated with emergency lighting. 

A complete state-or-the-art Fire Alarm System with voice evacuation was provided and consisted of manual pull stations, smoke detectors, heat detectors, sprinkler flow and tampers switches, carbon monoxide detectors, speakers, and strobes.  A graphic annunciator panel was provided at the main entrance and an auto-dialer for communication of alarm with the local monitoring agency.

The security system design implemented intrusion detection, access control, and video surveillance.  The system components include motions sensors, door contacts, proximity card readers, keypads and an annunciator system integrated with the building management system.    Since the building will be used after school hours, a sub partitioned area was allocated in order to keep visitors limited to the designated area for after-school use.

The telecommunication system was designed in accordance with BCPS district-wide standard.  

Sustainable Features include:

  • Hybrid Geothermal and VRF System
  • Solar Photovoltaic System
  • LED Lighting paired with occupancy/vacancy controls
  • Daylight Harvesting

Size: 95,000 sf
Cost: $49 million
Completion: 2018

Project Type: K-12,