Selecting and specifying the optimal HVAC system to meet the Owner’s Project Requirements is critical to the success of a high performance project.

Young Harris College Rollins Campus Center

Located in the remarkable mountain setting of north Georgia, Young Harris College is a private college at the beginning of an unprecedented building program to support this anticipated growth. The centerpiece of this new building program is the 125,000-square-foot Campus Center, designed to catapult the student experience at Young Harris College into the 21st century. The Rollins Center will become the signature facility at Young Harris College – the social and intellectual heart of campus – and is expected to respond to the needs of the occupants while being true to the college’s commitment towards resource conservation and sustainability.

The design employs a high-performance HVAC system in conjunction with an integrated design process to reduce building loads and decrease the building’s projected energy use index (EUI) by 50% over the ASHRAE 90.1 Baseline.

The HVAC systems include:

• Water-to-water ground source heat pumps producing chilled water, heating hot water and domestic hot water
• Ground-source well field with 182 x 500 foot deep bores to carry the condenser water load
• Dual-wheel (total enthalpy + passive dehumidification) energy recovery units to condition ventilation air
• Active chilled beams for space cooling
• In-slab, hydronic radiant heat for space heating

The other features of this building include a high-performance envelope, exterior shading, efficient lighting and lighting controls, daylight harvesting, efficient building envelope, low-flow plumbing fixtures and dual flush water closets. The building is pursuing LEED certification with a projected 40% energy cost savings for EAc1.