Hoover High School Renovation

Overview:
 
The Media Center at Hoover High School, required an extensive upgrade of its existing HVAC system.  The project involved the installation of new rooftop air handling units and the coordination of those new roofing units with the existing structure.  The media center was constructed in the 1970s as a wood frame building and required extensive upgrade and renovation in order to support its new function.
 
Design Approach:
 
Extensive field measurements were conducted on the existing building roof.  As built drawings of the media center were reviewed, and adjustments made to the existing background drawings based on field measurements.  Interviews were conducted with the school staff, and facility managers to determine the programmatic requirements that would need to be fulfilled in a renovated space.  Coordination with consultants was performed to understand the changes that would be required in the Media Center roof that would be needed. Areas of the existing roofing were identified that would require replacement.
 
Design Objective:
 
The objective of this work was to incorporate new air-conditioning and heating equipment into the design of the media center without impacting the interior arrangement of the space, and at the same time, identify portions of the roofing material that could be replaced to enhance the long-term usefulness of the building.

Design Challenge:
 
The area of the roof above the center of the media center that had been used for the location of the mechanical equipment in the original design of the building was relatively small compared to the overall building size.  The number of mechanical equipment items and the size of the individual units had increased substantially from that envisioned in the original design.  The use of the  Media Center had gradually increased to incorporate many more heat producing items of equipment.  Locating all of the new mechanical equipment on the roof, while providing sufficient area for drainage, and maintaining adequate pathways for maintenance of the units was a design objective.  The original design of the roof mechanical space incorporated a parapet. The new equipment to be located on the roof was much larger and taller and heavier than the original equipment.  Maintaining concealment for the new equipment was a corollary design objective.