Budget
$1,156,285
Location
Maryville, TN
Products
Aaon
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case study
About the Project
Carpenters Middle School is located in Maryville, Tennessee and was built in 2001. With 650 students in grades 6-8, Carpenters has the third-largest enrollment of all middle schools in Blount County.
Educating so many preteens can make proper heating and cooling a tricky task. Before renovations, the old and unreliable unit ventilators at Carpenters caused students discomfort during the warmer months. The HVAC equipment was also noisy, making it more difficult for teachers to maintain a focused classroom environment.
The Blount County Board of Education hired FourSeasons to install a quieter, more efficient HVAC solution. FourSeasons set to work replacing the existing system, which consisted of loud and leaky water-source heat pumps tied into a geothermal loop.
To reduce the noise nuisance, classroom units were relocated outside of the building. The team poured concrete pads along the school’s outer wall, then installed 36 new ground-mounted Aaon package units on the pads. Ductwork was directed through the walls and above the drop ceiling, terminating with ceiling grilles and bringing quiet, cool comfort to each room.
To serve the rest of the school, the old central station air handlers were replaced with large, efficient Aaon split systems. FourSeasons also removed and replaced the rooftop units, using new curb adapters to adapt the new units to the old unit footprint. With these school-wide renovations, the gymnasium, music rooms, offices, cafeteria, and hallways could now stay as cool and comfortable as the classrooms.
The Carpenters Middle School project brought value to more than just the teachers and students. Most of this project was completed during the summer break, minimizing disruption to the academic schedule and reducing administrative hassle. Just as students started the new school year with a more comfortable environment, the school board and administrators started the year knowing that a much-needed project had been done, and done well.
Scope:
- 20 rooftop package units for the offices, music rooms, and gymnasium
- 7 split-system units for the cafeteria, kitchen, and hallways
- 1 through-the-wall unit for the custodian’s office
- 3 ductless split systems for administrative offices
- 36 ground-mounted package units serving the classrooms
After many years of use, the Fleming Center’s HVAC system was becoming dysfunctional and outdated. The aging equipment was also inefficient to operate, burdening the facility’s budget with unnecessarily high energy bills. The Tennessee Board of Regents decided it was time for an upgrade and contracted FourSeasons to get the job done.
The team replaced the building’s existing air handler and condensers with new Mitsubishi VRF systems, a dedicated outside air split system, and new controls. FourSeasons also replaced the old gas unit heaters and associated ductwork.
The facility’s new VRF system uses heat recovery technology to conserve energy, and it allows different rooms to be heated and cooled simultaneously. With this highly-efficient equipment, the Fleming Training Facility now enjoys reduced operation costs and significant energy savings.
FourSeasons performed more than just HVAC work at the Fleming Training Facility— the crew also replaced the building’s existing ceilings, windows, and doors, and they performed additional electrical work, masonry, and painting. FourSeasons also installed new lighting and controls.
FourSeasons worked closely with the Fleming Training Center team to prevent disruption to the facility’s work protecting Tennessee’s water supply. Thanks to their collaborative efforts, each part of the three-phase project went smoothly, and the facility remained fully operational throughout the process. This project was completed on-schedule, within budget, and with no change orders. Now, the Fleming Training Center can enjoy lower energy costs and a more comfortable environment for all employees, trainees, and visitors.
