Midlothian Heritage High School
Project Overview
Midlothian Heritage High School is a 250,000 square-foot main education building. Plus, some smaller structures were part of the project. Those extra buildings included:
- Field house
- An agricultural shop
- Concession buildings for athletic fields
- And more!
RWB provided the design engineering services for this high school project.
Highlights
- 250,000 SF
- New Construction
-
K-12, Education
-
Budget: $54M
- Designed in Revit MEP
Project Team
Architect – VLK Architects
General Contractor – Balfour Beatty
Project Details
As experienced designers of Dallas/Fort Worth K-12 projects, RWB offered many design options for Midlothian Heritage High School. MEP designs are not created equal. School districts must focus on features that are most important to them. Some of the variables include:
- Efficiency
- Initial cost
- Ongoing operational costs
- Maintenance requirements
- Sound levels
RWB sought out system cost and efficiency data MEP designs in other school districts. We gave consideration to three system designs: Rooftop units (RTUs); four-pipe chilled and hot water systems; and a geothermal system. The design team narrowed down the options to two systems; 4-pipe and geothermal.
We compared the two design approaches on three items. 1) system efficiency, 2) installation cost, and 3) maintenance cost. This detailed analysis included items that are commonly overlooked. Some examples include an annual maintenance contract, water usage, and chemical usage costs. These costs vary depending on the system type so it is important to include them in analysis.
RWB compiled and presented the findings to the design team. The full design team included the architect, facilities team, and school board. In the end, the team decided on a geothermal system.
Energy Efficient Design Engineering for Midlothian Heritage
Because this project is a public building, keeping ongoing operational costs low was a priority. Most K-12 schools have a limited budget for ongoing utility costs. So, engineering the building to use less energy is top-of-mind when we work on these projects. RWB investigated opportunities to incorporate efficient design elements to Midlothian Heritage High School. Our plumbing and engineering consulting teams optimized many portions of the design. Some examples include:
-
High efficiency lighting design with occupancy sensors and multi-level switching throughout.
-
The design team adjusted architectural and accent lighting to limit energy usage.
-
Low flow plumbing fixtures to reduce water consumption.
-
Water-to-water heat pumps to pre-heat the main water heaters. The water heaters primarily serve the locker rooms and kitchen in the main building.
Also, RWB provided options to the School District for building site lighting. We designed two versions of site lighting. The first design was a baseline design using metal halides. The alternate design utilized LEDs.
Geothermal Design
RWB has experienced professionals in geothermal design. Not all design firms are able to confidently deliver a geothermal design that works. RWB has many successful geothermal engineering projects in our portfolio, including Midlothian Heritage High School.
Revit MEP
The Midlothian Heritage High School project was designed entirely in Revit MEP. Modeling in 3D requires extra coordination across disciplines and with our partners. RWB is proud to have a team of highly-trained engineers in all disciplines to support design projects in Revit.
MEP Design Services
With over 50 engineers and designs on-staff, RWB Consulting Engineers has the expertise and capacity to take on any K-12 school project. Our team understands the unique needs of education projects. We can provide expertise in K-12 mechanical, electrical, or plumbing engineering.
