Sugg Laboratory HVAC Upgrades - AU College of Veterinary Medicine

Sherer Consulting Engineers, LLC (SCE) served as the Prime A/E and Mechanical Engineer-of-Record for the mechanical renovation project to replace the existing HVAC systems in Sugg Research Laboratory, part of the College of Veterinary Medicine. The building, built in 1960, is approximately 11,000 square feet and consists of a single-floor level with a partial basement mechanical room and storage area.

Until this renovation project, the building was still being served by a chilled water multi-zone air handling unit with steam heating coils that were original to the 1960 construction. An original gas-fired steam boiler was in service adjacent to the air handler. A 70-ton air-cooled chiller provided chilled water to the basement multi-zone AHU and a smaller AHU that served a portion of the first floor.

To improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality, as well as maximize occupant comfort, the existing HVAC system was removed and replaced with 18 tons of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heat recovery HVAC equipment, along with a packaged DX dedicated outdoor air handling system (DOAS) with exhaust air energy recovery. Each laboratory, classroom, and office was provided with its own dedicated HVAC indoor unit and thermostat. Code-minimum outdoor air and exhaust air were provided to each space through the DOAS unit. A small 18 kW electric steam boiler was installed to serve an existing autoclave that was still in use in the building. The HVAC equipment was tied into the campus-wide JCI Metasys energy management system for monitoring.

SCE led the project's design team, which consisted of an electrical engineering consultant and an architectural consultant. The total cost for the project was approximately $600,000. SCE has held an open-end IDIQ agreement for mechanical design services with the University since 2021, and an open-end IDIQ agreement for commissioning services since 2023.