Project Profile: Banneker Academic High School

Engineering firm: CMTA Inc.
2022 MEP Giants rank: 20
2022 Commissioning Giants rank: 18
Project: Banneker Academic High School
Location: Washington, D.C., United States
Building type: Educational facility
Project type: New construction
Engineering services: Electrical, power; energy, sustainability; HVAC, mechanical; lighting
Project timeline: April 2019 to April 2021
MEP/FP engineering budget: $27,000,000

Community center exterior street view. Photo credit and copyright: Tom Holdsworth Photography

Challenges

This project had a tight site in an urban environment as well as a tight project schedule. This is especially challenging when trying to add renewable energy while making it affordable.

Community center exterior courtyard / park view. Photo credit and copyright: Tom Holdsworth Photography

Solutions

The design/build team worked closely with the stakeholders to design a 3-story building that gave them the appropriate square footage for the tight site and the ability to be designed and built in 24 months. To achieve a low EUI of 19, the entire design team worked together to create a tight envelope, the best orientation for the site, and use renewable energy to make it the first zero-energy DC Public School.

Community center exterior game courts. Photo credit and copyright: Tom Holdsworth Photography

Community center lobby and commons area. Photo credit and copyright: Tom Holdsworth Photography

Community center gymnasium and indoor mezzanine track. Photo credit and copyright: Tom Holdsworth Photography

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