United Brotherhood of Carpenters – International Training Center – Las Vegas, Nevada initially was constructed and turned over to the Union in 2002. The 1-story Shop wing included classrooms on the ground level and a mezzanine level. The 2-story Administrative wing included classrooms, ballroom space and a cafeteria. The 4-story Dormitory wing included 134 dormitories along with assembly spaces for the trainees.
The International Training Center was wildly successful and quickly was in need of expanding the facilities and at that same time the Union was dissatisfied with the original mechanical installation that consisted of rooftop packaged gas/electric units for the mezzanine classrooms and the 2-Story Administration wing which were energy inefficient and noisy. The Shop was fitted with multiple evaporative coolers and gas-fired radiant heaters.
The expansion and renovation project were awarded to Gin Wong Associates to add a 2nd floor to the Shop wing, expanding the classrooms and constructing a large Ballroom that could be subdivided into multiple meeting rooms. And to keep pace with the expanded training spaces and classrooms, the kitchen and dining room was also expanded with display cooking and an enlarged dining room.
Hellman & Lober was selected by Gin Wong Associates to initially prepare an analysis of the building systems and to offer options to improve the energy efficiency and solve the concern by the Union related to air borne noise.
A number of HVAC options were developed through the Due Diligence Investigation process that not only included the character of the options but offered costs to allow the Union to make an informed decision. The Union selected a complete renovation of the air distribution system which included the construction of a central plant producing chilled and heating hot water.
The existing Dormitory units were fitted with 2-pipe electric heat fan coil units which required a dedicated air-cooled chiller and primary chilled water piping loop. The scope required that the new Central Plant chilled water be distributed to the existing Dormitory wing.
The vetting and scope for the central plant was a cooperative effort with the Union. One issue the Union insisted on was redundancy not in capacity but to have a standby chiller, heating hot water boiler, and pumps available should any of the primary equipment fail. The scope of the central plant would also absorb the existing Dormitory chilled water load. Chilled Water, in particular, was planned to absorb the future needs of the existing building and the necessity for additional dorm rooms.
Ultimately the central plant was finalized that included 3 equal size chillers, 3 equal size cells for the cooling tower and 2 equal size heating hot water boilers. Chilled water was arranged for primary and secondary pumping as was the heating hot water system. A direct digital Building Automation Control System was developed to optimize the performance of the central plant and the new air handling equipment.
The room on the right side of this pdf includes a 3rd Chiller and a 3rd Boiler with the construction of Phase III
The renovation scope included removing the rooftop packaged gas/electric units in favor of air handling units for each floor contained in mechanical equipment rooms attached to the building.
A variable air volume system for thermal comfort zoning with hot water heating coils was developed that resulted in significant adjustments to the original zoning. A critical issue to the Union was noise associated with the rooftop packaged units; the new design had to respond to the hypersensitive concern of noise in the offices and classrooms.
The design and the installation focused on sound transmission and when complete met and in some cases exceeded the expectations of the Union.
Calvin Coatsworth Architects, PC
The next phase of the campus was awarded to Calvin Coatsworth Architects, PC and Hellman & Lober was selected for the mechanical and plumbing engineering. Five years had elapsed between the time the central plant had been commissioned and the decision to move forward with the next phase of the campus.
The new building intended to include a new Shop and 2-Story Administration Building was initially planned to include its own chilled and heating hot water central plant. An evaluation of the existing operation and an analysis of the new building scope resulted in the opportunity to maximize the existing central plant and capture both buildings.
The financial incentives to interconnect the buildings were significant and while the Union backed down on the redundancy requirements actually optimized the performance of the plant.
Air handling units arranged for variable air volume was the basis for the new Administration Building with a special emphasis on sound control. Demand ventilation for the Ballrooms and Meeting Rooms was another departure from the original Phase II building.
The original Shop where classes are conducted to teach Union members a variety of construction techniques had adopted a philosophy of evaporative cooling units on the roof for cooling and gas-fired radiant heating units for heating. Relief air penthouses were also installed to control pressure in the Shop Building.
Hellman & Lober proposed an alternative approach to replace the evaporative cooling units and individual gas radiant heater for rooftop indirect/direct evaporative cooling units with hot water heating.
The equipment proposed would provide a higher level of cooling in the space and in lieu of multiple rooftop units reduced the rooftop equipment to three units. Inside the Shop was exposed spiral duct. Feedback from the Union has been very positive. Overall the campus has met the expectation of the Union…our goal from the start of the projects.
Phase I Shop
Phase II Shop