Challenge

The town of Randolph, VT has three fire stations, due to a prominent ridge running that divides the area of the town. In September 2015, a fire truck at Randolph Central caught fire in the truck bay, and the 43-year-old fire station was destroyed.

As the central fire station in town, the need to rebuild and improve the station was imminent. And while the destruction had originated in the apparatus bay, the office space and training room were also in need of reconstruction.

Solution

In order to meet the various demands of the fire station’s space, VHV’s Design-Build team worked to provide mechanical, HVAC and plumbing systems to support the office space, training room as well as update the apparatus bay, or truck bay, with modern features. The Mechanical and HVAC systems were designed and installed in conformance with 2015 Vermont Commercial Building Energy Standards.

The plumbing system was designed and built to provide conventional water for the office and training areas. Additionally, high-pressure systems were put in place to facilitate the unique needs of a fire station. Now, the high-pressure water supplies the truck fill station, as well as wash down and under-carriage wash stations.

For efficient heating of the building, radiant floor heating was installed. This option was the optimal choice, as the concrete flooring of the building provided an easy conductor for the heat to radiate from the floor to warm the ambient space.

Hydronic radiant floor heating provides effective heat delivery to garage spaces, and the radiant floor installed serves the apparatus bay as well as the work area. A modern control system takes in the exterior temperature, occupancy levels and sun loads to adjust the output to heat the space accordingly. Floor heat can also have a drying effect on floors, making it an ideal choice in a fire station, where water is virtually always present.