Geared to take Kirkwood Community College students into the future, the state-of–the-art space to educates students and prepares them with an optimize environment for learning crucial automotive diagnostic and repair skills for the rapidly changing automotive maintenance and repair market.

The new space was renovated from an existing forge with a pre-cast exterior that included no window or daylight views. The design team worked across disciplines to find the best way to accomplish the project goal of increased daylighting in both classrooms and the open shop. This required structural modifications to the pre-cast panels, new high efficiency glazing, and HVAC/Lighting controls to maximize the benefits of the additional daylight.

With the goal of a highly energy efficient building, these strategies were implemented to balance of costs and savings without sacrificing function and comfort for Kirkwood Community College and its students:

• • Use of LED lighting throughout provided energy savings between 40% to 70%, and provided a superior light level in the classrooms and shop.
  • Variable flow exhaust and make-up air controlled via gas detection added efficiency and safety to the HVAC system.
  • An Energy Recovery coupled with the heating and cooling functions of the main rooftop unit reduced the energy necessary to condition the project area.
  • Gas-fired indirect tube heaters in the open shop and hydronic radiant ceiling panels in the customer waiting area provided efficient and comfortable radiant heating.
  • 16’ diameter high-volume, low-speed fans were installed in the large open shop area to provide destratification and cooling comfort.