KIPP DC’s $6.5 million Will Academy is a new, 15,000-sq-ft educational facility that will be jointly occupied by both Will Academy and Scott Montgomery public school.
The facility has been designed to LEED for schools silver specification. Construction includes a 7,000-sq-ft gymnasium, 3,000-sq-ft multipurpose room and 5,000 sq ft of classroom and administrative space.
The project’s sustainability goals were aggressive. The addition’s heating and cooling system includes the use of a closed-loop geothermal system. Located in the courtyard adjacent to the building, the geothermal well field consists of 20 vertical wells at 490 ft each.
Owner: KIPP DC and The Jair Lynch Companies, Washington, D.C.
Architect: Wiencek + Associates, Gaithersburg, Md.
General contractor: Turner Construction Co., Arlington, Va.
Geotechnical engineer: GeoConcepts Engineering Inc., Ashburn, Va.
Structural engineer: ReStl Designers Inc., Gaithersburg
Land use consultant: Bello, Bello and Associates, Washington
Electrical contractor: Valid Electric Co. Inc., Gaithersburg
Plumbing contractor: Joseph J. Magnolia Inc., Washington
Mechanical contractor: R&R Mechanical Inc., Bladensburg, Md.
The wells supplement the electricity needed to achieve the temperature setpoints within the building and have contributed to a 22% energy optimization over the ASHRAE 90.1 baseline model. This level is particularly notable, as more than two-thirds of the building consists of high-volume spaces that require significantly more heating and cooling.
