The City of Fremont selected KPE to assess and complete designs to renovate portions of its city hall building. The scope consisted of new ADA accessible elevator, reprogramming existing spaces, new lighting, and new flooring. KPE assessed the building’s structural components. One of the challenges was to allow the building to be occupied during construction. To be more easily accommodating and less intrusive, KPE and the client determined the new elevator should be placed on the exterior of the building. Lobby areas, conference rooms, and offices were redesigned for efficient access. The project is funded in part by a community grant for ADA accommodations.

KPE provided architectural and engineering design for a new transportation facility. The facility is a pre-engineered metal building with a 8,500 SF indoor parking garage for the county transportation vehicles and a wash bay for cleaning. The space also includes a 1,200 SF office area which was required to be separated from the parking with a two-hour firewall. It includes offices, a conference/training room, and restrooms. The parking garage required ventilation and a gas detection system for monitoring carbon monoxide. KPE assisted with the bid process and performed Contract Administration / Construction Observation (CA/CO).

KPE was selected to provide an HVAC study and renovation design. This historical building was originally constructed in 1896. The work performed was to keep the existing features of the interior and exterior the same while replacing the currently deficient HVAC system with a more energy efficient system. During the assessment, KPE recommended a VRF system that eliminated the gas heating requirement for the building and fit seamlessly with the existing ductwork to keep interior finishes the same. The design was closely coordinated with the City’s personnel to ensure existing woodwork, wallpaper, ceilings, and other features would remain the same. The project came in under budget at $520,000 and was completed in three months.

Energy Analysis, Engineering Design and Construction Management for State of Iowa Corporate office building. Goal of design was to reduce energy usage nearly 70% in order to make the facility Net-Zero Energy Ready. Provisions were included for the installation of future PV solar arrays to complete the transition to a Net-Zero Energy facility. Entire project was phased to allow for construction during occupancy. Project reduced electrical usage nearly 70% while producing infrastructure for Net-Zero Energy Ready status with PV solar arrays to be added later. Project received $72,000 rebate from MidAmerican Energy through Commercial New Construction Program for energy efficient design. The project earned KPE a Merit Award for Energy Efficiency Design from the Nebraska Chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) 2014 Engineering Excellence awards.

Provide professional mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering design services and construction management services for a $150,000 chiller replacement project for the south courthouse building. The existing chiller had surpassed its useful life and the chiller bundle was experience leakage and was not able to be repaired. The facility hired KPE to investigate the reuse of the chiller or provide a direct replacement of the chiller and remote bundle. The building representative stated they needed the existing chiller operational and would like to replace the chiller during winter to keep the building cooled and not disrupt courthouse activities. KPE was involved in working with local vendors to get a rental chiller while temporary repairs were being done and awaiting delivery of new chiller.

KPE was selected by the City’s construction manager to design the HVAC modernization for its 1940 Auditorium building. The building consists of four main areas: the arena, a children’s museum, an assembly area, and a large open basement space. All these spaces air distribution was served by one supply fan and one return fan. This caused the entire system to be operating when not all spaces were being used. The new HVAC system would zone all the four spaces separately to allow for turndown of the system when not in use for better energy efficiency. The zones being separated also would have better comfort control for the occupants.