Fairfield University

The construction of New Village Apartments and the renovations of Dolan Hall, an existing dormitory, together represent part of Fairfield University’s campus-wide housing initiative. Consisting of approximately thirty individual units, the New Village increases living space by nearly 68,000 square feet and accommodates 180 students. Similarly, Dolan Hall provides approximately thirty 4/6-bedroom units totaling 76,000 square feet.

Our team designed MEP/FP systems for the buildings to accommodate the planned construction and renovations. Early in the design process, it was imperative to the architect that ceiling heights were established in the main corridors of the building. Utilizing Revit® MEP, Kohler Ronan routed the main ductwork distribution, fire protection, and plumbing mains, as well as electrical conduits, in plan view. Sections were cut at various locations of the corridor which set minimum ceiling cavity requirements, thus ensuring the design team that the architects on the project would base their work on data which reflected the correct ceiling specifications.

While Fairfield University already has a good quality utility system (capable of covering its load demands), our designs do include certain sustainable features where feasible. Mechanical systems include two dedicated outdoor air units with energy recovery heat exchangers to pre-condition the incoming outside air. This treatment reduces the size of the coils and subsequent water flow by reducing the temperature difference between the outside air and the specified discharge air. Additionally, the building utilizes low-flow plumbing fixtures throughout for additional water savings.

Photo credit: © Anna Wesolowska/ www.photographerhedman.com