Albemarle County Public Schools Albemarle Career Exploration (ACE) Academy

Photo Credit: Rendering Courtesy of Quinn Evans Architects

Albemarle County Public Schools Albemarle Career Exploration (ACE) Academy

Charlottesville, VA

Owner

Albemarle County Public Schools

Sustainability

Targeting LEED Silver

Timeframe

2023 – 2026 (est.)

Size

60,000 SF | 2 Stories

Cost

$36.8 million (est.)

MEP/FP engineering for this career center facility supports a flexible, modern learning environment with high-efficiency systems, including geothermal heat recovery chillers and a PV-ready rooftop. The design uses fan coil systems with dedicated outside-air systems to decouple ventilation and conditioning, enabling precise control of temperature and humidity. The project also includes relocation of the County’s data center, including design of a temporary facility within an existing high school.

Project Goals

High schools are evolving to prepare students for the demands of the 21st Century. Students must not only master the old basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also the new basics of digital and information literacy, communication, creativity, and collaboration skills. High school facilities are changing from large buildings with classrooms, to more nimble, flexible, environments that support the kind of workflows students will engage in beyond high school. To meet this evolution and growing enrollment, Albemarle County Public School identified the need for a second career center to serve the entire school division. Designed for approximately 600 students, this facility provides access to interdisciplinary, project-based specialized programming and connects the school with the community and professional organizations, offering internships and other out-of-building learning experiences. ACE Academy Lambs Lane houses the “Career Pathways” program and the school division’s Data Center.

Services

2RW is provided MEP/FP engineering for this career center facility design, which embodies a modern learning environment with flexible, collaborative, and interdisciplinary spaces. Our sustainable MEP/FP engineering includes implementing highly efficient mechanical systems with geothermal heat-recovery chillers and designing the rooftop for PV readiness. The geothermal bore fields are strategically placed under the redesigned parking lot, which includes EV chargers. These initiatives reduce and offset energy usage, meeting LEED design initiatives.

A life cycle cost analysis determined that fan coil/blower coil with dedicated outside air systems (DOAS) and heat pump chillers are the most cost-effective and maintainable systems among those tested against the baseline. This system decouples ventilation and space conditioning, making it easier to control temperature and humidity set points in individual rooms, which is optimal for a versatile school setting.

Additionally, this project involves relocating the Data Center that serves all ACPS systems. The new ACE Academy at Lambs Lane is being built on the site of the current data center. 2RW designed the county’s temporary data center in an existing high school, fitting out an unused space.

Results

Partners

Quinn Evans Architects

Timmons Group

Dunbar Structural

Jamerson-Lewis Construction

Shift Sustainability Consulting

Awards

Team