Pool Boiler Installation: Energy Inspection and Boiler Upgrade

Circleville Middle School, Pine Bush, NY

Overview

Circleville Middle School needed an energy assessment of its boiler to serve its swimming pool in the summer months,  as well as new controls for the entire building. MEP was subcontracted to conduct energy inspections and design a boiler upgrade.
MEP recreated all missing construction design documents, identified non-code compliant issues, and designed a new boiler system to meet capacity needs and meet code requirements.

Facility Description

Located in Pine Bush, New York and built in the 1960’s, Circleville Middle School is approximately 120,000 square feet consisting of two floors on slab construction.

Project Origin and Goals

This project originated as an energy performance contract by Ameresco in 2008. The mechanical systems targeted in this project were the boiler plant for summer operation and new controls for the entire building.

Pool Summer Boiler

MEP conducted a technical and code compliance assessment of the building’s boiler plant ventilation and dilution air as the design documents underwent full SED review and approval. Additionally, there were no design document records for the central plant. MEP regenerated complete central plant mechanical documents as part of the scope of services.

MEP designed the installation of a 700,000 BTU oil fired boiler, associated hydronic pumps, fuel oil pumps and controls to serve the pool water heating system and domestic water heating system. A power exhaust system was incorporated into the design due to existing conditions and new provisions for combustion and dilution air were included.

Building Inspection

Included in MEP’s scope of work was also an inspection of the entire facility. Fifty one key areas and systems were examined and evaluated for NYS Building Code, SED guideline, and overall occupant safety compliance. Among the inspected areas were ADA, egress passage, egress windows, materials handling and storage, door hardware, heating and cooling equipment, dual fuel firing control system, automatic and manual fire suppression equipment and alarms, outdoor air compliance, hot and cold water supply and distribution systems, plumbing fixtures, electrical systems, and communication systems.

Controls

The school controls system was pneumatic in origin. Installing a new DDC based Building Energy Management system and associated retrofit of actuation apparatus was part of the scope for this project.

ALL OF THE DIAGRAMS AND DRAWINGS PRESENTED IN THIS NARRATIVE INCLUDING ARCHITECTURAL BACKGROUNDS WERE FIELD GENERATED BY MEP DUE TO THE LACK OF EXISTING CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS.