Text Box: Bryant College, in Smithfield, RI, is constructing a new 80,000 ft.² Library Building and a 35,000 ft.² new Health and Recreation Center.  The new Health Recreation Center includes an 8,500 ft² natatorium (for the indoor pool), locker rooms and a fitness center.

Kallen & Lemelson provided mechanical engineering services for the design of both new buildings.  The new Library design provides a state-of-the-art facility utilizing an “open stacks” layout.  The only closed stacks will be special collections which will be provided with a dedicated environmental control system.  Other areas of the Library are maintained at 72°F, 35% relative humidity in the winter and 75°F, 50% relative humidity in the summer.  Other specialty areas included a Grand Hall which will be used as Student Lounge and Banquet Hall.  The entire facility is highly automated with provisions for personal computer stations throughout.  HVAC systems are variable air volume type, with dehumidification/humidification, as well as temperature control, and include 95% efficient particulate filtration.

The Health Recreation Center (HRC) HVAC system includes a heat recovery heat pump air handling unit for the natatorium, which recovers heat from dehumidification and uses it to reheat supply air and to heat the pool water.  The HRC also housed a new plant utilizing two direct fired chiller heaters which served both new buildings and was cross connected with the existing Gym Building boiler plant.  Kallen & Lemelson provided schematic design services for the HRC after which the owner chose to build the HRC using a Design Build Contractor.  Full services were provided for the library.

Special considerations included a tight budget, analysis for the use of ice storage for the chiller plant and interfacing with the existing gym building.  The campus had a unique electrical rate which would cause demand costs to more than double once a specific demand level was reached.  The demand prior to construction was near the limit so that the design had to carefully prevent a campus electrical demand which would exceed this limit.

Architect . . . . . . . . .  . .  . .Gwathmey Siegel & Associates
Construction Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $40 Million
Text Box: Bryant College Bello Library Center
and Health Recreation Center
Smithfield, RI
Text Box: KALLEN & LEMELSON, Consulting Engineers, LLP