Compaq Area 4 GEM Buildout

Project involved design of a 15,000 S.F. office space with a combination of hard-wall offices, open office space, conference rooms, a communications room, and a break room with kitchenette. The design required careful coordination of HVAC systems to serve diverse space types and occupancy requirements.

The office space was served by a modular air handling unit of aluminum construction that was disassembled on site and reassembled in the mechanical room due to limited access constraints. This innovative solution involved a variable air volume air handling unit with air foil fan controlled by a variable frequency drive, hot water and chilled water coils, evaporative cooling section for humidification, and outside air flow measuring station to ensure adequate outside air for minimum ventilation requirements.

The mechanical room was utilized as a return air plenum by utilizing transfer grilles with sound attenuators between the mechanical room and office space. This design maximized space efficiency while maintaining acoustic control. The air distribution system utilized series fan powered variable air volume boxes with electric reheat coils throughout the space.

The communications room was cooled by a dedicated DX rooftop unit connected to the critical power system to provide standalone cooling to the space. This unit was provided with a mixed air economizer section to ensure cooling at very low ambient conditions, protecting sensitive equipment while optimizing energy efficiency.

The mechanical systems were controlled by standalone direct digital controllers and connected to the Building Automation system for integrated facility management. The existing fire sprinkler system was modified as required based on the new space layout.