Distinguishing Features
It’s a really big box!
Well - yes - that’s one way to describe it. At 230’ long, 130’ wide, and over 30’ tall the new building will be a dominant figure on campus. Only a few external adornments - including colors and surface contours - have been added to provide a cost effective yet pleasant aesthetic to the pre-poured concrete walls. That’s intentional.
If one were to determine its value simply by looking at the exterior, you might be unimpressed. That’s why the real value is what the facility holds within - and the potential it holds for us. Just as we might suggest someone’s nose, eyes, chin, or wavy hair might be their “distinctive feature”, so too might their behavior, manner of speaking, or emotional volatility. The same could be said about our new gym - a lot of its distinguishing features are inside - where specific systems, equipment, and design choices have been intentionally made to shape our use and enjoyment of the facility.
I wanted to draw your attention to a few of these features so we can understand what we are investing in and why. Here are a few in quick succession:
Two, full-sized sport courts to accommodate physical education classes in excess of 75 students, interscholastic games, team practices, and tournaments
Six retractable basketball hoops and backboards
All-wood main court floors are surrounded by a running track and additional activity space covered in durable, rubberized floor finish
Three retractable sport curtains to separate two full courts into four smaller courts for tournaments and practices
Two sets of telescoping bleachers face the courts and can be extended or retracted based on the activity and seating requirements desired
Two pairs of change rooms - one pair for each main court - that can be designated for boys or girls, home and visiting teams
Ample storage spaces for sports equipment and event furnishings on both sides of the courts
A powerful and clear audio system for presentations, announcements, and music
Two larger LED screens that will double as virtual scoreboards and video displays (that can be staffed and operated by students)
A well equipped and roomy weight and conditioning room large enough to safely accommodate full classes
Flexible Studio space, with shock-absorbing floor, that can serve as a dance, aerobics, or rehearsal hall, or be subdivided into two full sized classrooms
A lift and accessible washrooms
Event prep/staging room and concession stand
And many other fine details you’ve probably heard before, that make this a well-designed, student-friendly, community enjoyment facility.
Of all these, one special feature in particular has the potential to help operate this building more efficiently. Specifically, it is meant to heat and cool this building - as well as our current gym which is slated for a future renovation into more classrooms. And that is a geothermal heat exchange system.
As a renewable energy source, geothermal holds the potential to cleanly and efficiently limit our energy consumption and its related costs. To explain, geothermal relies on the renewable source of heat drawn from deep underground to provide heating and cooling potential for our buildings. This type of system also turns us away from relying so heavily on natural gas for heat - a fuel source that is anticipated to increase in cost and taxation. This system uses renewable earth temps and electricity to supply our HVAC needs, it reduces our CO2 emissions AND upholds the commitment we express in our curriculum to our students as being “earth-keepers”. The initial cost is higher to install the system, however in the long run, the annual maintenance costs and reduced exposure to long term natural gas consumption will prove more helpful in keeping heating/cooling costs down. This is another strategy being employed to help keep the overall cost of Christian education down and avoid erratic program fee increases.
There were some concerns raised at the November 28 meeting about whether or not geothermal was a “proven solution”. Widely touted as the “gold standard” of heating systems, geothermal had a spotted history as it attempted to impact private and commercial use over the last 20 years or so.
When the idea was first introduced during a later state of planning, the design team set about to more fully explore and understand the “hows” and “whys” to guarantee system success for CCS. What we discovered to be key factors in supporting a reliable and effective geothermal system were the following:
A vertical geothermal field loop that penetrates down to 150 m vs. a shallow, horizontal field
Proven temperature levels and consistency at dept in the field
A properly engineered and calibrated system that achieves a “balanced load”, ensuring heat removed from the earth can be captured and returned to sustain temperatures underground
Installation by qualified and experienced personnel to prevent contamination of the fluid system (preventing damage to compressors, etc.)
The team, along with the mechanical engineer of record for the project, visited local facilities with successfully operating geothermal systems within them, and spoke with operators to gain perspective on the ease or challenges of operating one. Our Director of Facilities also contacted schools in Winnipeg (MB), London (ON), and Silver Springs, Colorado (USA), that used geothermal. Two of these had experienced significant challenges at first (both were preventable issues), and the third operated successfully from the outset.
Additional data was collected from a “conductivity” test performed onsite in January 2023 at the bottom of a 150 m shaft. The three day test provided conclusive information that the site was well suited and could sustain a geothermal system. From this data, the engineers calculated for and designed a system that would provide a “balanced load”, which led us to designing a connection between the heat exchange system of the new building with the middle school areas of the current building. The end result is that we can now adequately heat and cool the new building AND provide air conditioned air to the old gym and classrooms. Both of these are welcomed developments, as the intention is to operate both facilities all 12 months of the year.
These things reviewed and deliberated in committee led the team to conclude - along with two experienced geothermal engineers - that a geothermal heat exchange system would be a safe and effective way to take advantage of a renewable energy source on CCS’s campus.
And finally, in designing a safe, clean, and versatile facility for sports, group activities, events, and performances, the design team had deliberated and explored how to best provide enough washrooms for the proposed 900 person capacity. This was a huge undertaking, as it had to include public washrooms and accessible stalls on two levels, and additional units for multiple sports teams on the main floor behind the bleachers. In the final analysis, it was determined that using conventional, gender specific washrooms for the public would be most preferred for our community.
Again, I want to thank those readers who reached out asking more clarifying questions. Most of the questions I’ve received in the last 24 hours have been about financial responsibility for this construction project - how are we going to afford this?
That’s where I’ll turn our focus in tomorrow’s blog.
Thanks again for your curiosity and engagement as we share these details with the CCS community.
Blessings.
