Russell-Tyler-Ruthton School District

New K-12 School | Tyler, MN

West Plains Engineering provided mechanical and electrical engineer design for a new $35 million K-12 School for the Russell-Tyler-Ruthton School District in western Minnesota. The more than 150,000 square foot two-story building includes classrooms, offices, kitchen, competition gymnasium, practice gymnasium, locker rooms, science classrooms, music rooms, art room, wood/metal shop, and a performance auditorium/theater.

The electrical systems include new LED lighting throughout the building, as well as occupancy and daylighting based automatic lighting controls. Electrical equipment distribution was coordinated with the design team early in the project to effectively locate electrical rooms in strategic spots in the building. This same strategy was also utilized to size and locate dedicated information technology rooms in the building. Early design coordination was critical in the location, size, and layout of the second-floor mechanical room, which is home to multiple air handling units. Low-voltage systems include voice-evacuation fire alarm, overhead-paging + tone/bell, data cabling distribution, wireless clock, access control/card access, and video surveillance systems.

The building heating cooling systems were designed with energy efficiency at the forefront. The systems include chilled beam terminal units serving classroom spaces; induction type chilled beams serving the office spaces; with all chilled beams being served by dedicated outside air system (DOAS) air handling units. The DOAS AHU’s have both energy recovery and enthalpy wheels to maximize energy recovery from air exhausted from the building. All other main areas are served by dedicated single zone air handling units with energy wheels. Indoor air quality/CO2 sensors are located throughout the building and classroom areas to allow all areas/systems to operate with demand ventilation; only furnishing the outside air needed in the building to reduce energy use. The building heating water and cooling water is provided by (2) 90HP boilers (winter use); (1) 9HP boiler (summer use); and (1) 350Ton air cooled chiller. A dry cooler has also been installed to provide cooling water to the building when the outside air temperatures allow. These systems plus the specialty exhaust systems for the wood/metal shop, science hoods, range and kitchen systems, are all controlled/integrated with direct digital controls and graphics system that allow the building staff ready access to operate, schedule, and maintain all equipment throughout the building at all times.