Sudlersville Middle School – New Construction – LEED GOLD

The Sudlersville Middle School Replacement project is a new educational facility of approximately 95,000 square feet situated on 39 acres in Sudlersville, Maryland. Gipe Associates provided mechanical (HVAC), electrical, plumbing, and fire protection system design and will provide construction administration when the project reaches that stage. The facility will be attempting to achieve a LEED “Gold” rating under LEED for Schools. Some of the mechanical, electrical and plumbing energy saving features included in the design of the project are as follows:

Ground source geothermal heat pump system.
Energy recovery ventilators with demand controlled ventilation controls.
Variable volume kitchen exhaust hoods and make-up air system.
Geothermal domestic water pre-heat system.
32 kW Solar Photovoltaic System.
Daylight harvesting and occupancy sensors.
Digital lighting control system.
High Efficiency LED exterior lights.
Water conserving lavatories, urinals and water closets.

The solar photovoltaic (PV) system has a peak DC output of 33.1 kW and will produce an estimated 39,000 kWh of energy per year. The system is comprised of 144 poly crystalline flat panel modules, which are roof-mounted in a self ballasted mounting system that will not require any roof penetrations. The photovoltaic source circuits will be connected to a 50 kW pad-mounted inverter, which will convert the DC power produced by the PV modules to AC power, which can then be connected to the building’s electrical distribution system at the main switchboard. An interactive touch-screen display in the school’s lobby will monitor and display the solar PV system parameters, (such as energy production), the school’s electricity usage, as well as general information about solar photovoltaics, serving as a learning tool for students and faculty.

A Level 1, Class 24, Type 10 emergency power supply system was designed to provide emergency and standby power. A 125 kW, diesel fueled generator was installed in a screened enclosure adjacent to the main electrical room, and connected to two (2) new automatic transfer switches in the main electrical room. The generator serves emergency (life safety) systems in Sudlersville Middle School, including but not limited to fire alarm, fire pump, egress lighting, and exit signs, as well as standby systems, including but not limited to communications equipment, access control hardware, refrigerators, and various equipment and appliances in the main kitchen.

Project Type: K-12,