Middletown Library

Henry Adams provided professional Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Fire Protection design services for the new $8,568,000, 15,250 SF community library building. The design includes one large community meeting space for up to 150 people, flexible study spaces, a staff workroom, an outdoor gathering space, a family play area, and multiple library sections including, adult, teen, children, and audio/video. The open floor plan allows for the space to be configured into different layouts with movable furniture and a unique underfloor system design. The mechanical scope involved the HVAC and associated controls. The public areas are heated, cooled and ventilated via an Underfloor Air Distribution (UFAD) system served by a Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS) with integral energy recovery. This combination of the UFAD/DOAS system provides a highly efficient system for large open areas by utilizing the natural buoyancy of a low-velocity air system from an underfloor system. The remaining building is served by a Variable Refrigerant Flow system with heat recovery and DOAS with integral energy recovery.

The electrical scope included power, interior lighting, and exterior lighting. A new utility electrical service was coordinated with an exterior pad-mounted transformer and duct bank run to the nearest utility pole. The power distribution system of the building encompasses a main distribution panel serving panelboards for lighting, receptacle, and mechanical loads. Interior lighting design utilizes LED luminaires with 0-10V dimming throughout the public area. These spaces meet energy code requirements by encompassing daylight harvesting, and a low-voltage lighting control system of occupancy sensors, vacancy sensors, photocells, and low-voltage switches. Back-of-house spaces utilize non-dimming LED luminaires with local line-voltage switches. Exterior parking lots utilize pole-mounted shoe-box type LED luminaires with a wireless control system to allow zoning of the parking lot, walking path and area by facilities/loading dock to be controlled separately from one another.

The plumbing scope included a domestic hot water system utilizing point-of-use electric heaters, domestic cold water, sanitary and venting systems. The fire protection scope involved the fire alarm, and fire suppression (sprinkler) systems. The fire suppression system will be monitored with sprinkler water flow and tamper switches. An addressable fire alarm system provides full coverage of audio and visual notification devices. The signaling loudspeakers will provide an automatic voice message in response to the receipt of a signal indicative of a fire or emergency event. The communications scope involved an empty backbox and conduit layout of voice/data device locations for the owner to furnish and install.